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Total 100 articles, created at 2016-04-05 12:04 1 More names, underworld shadow in 'Panama Papers' Part II A now-deceased underworld don, a politician, an industrialist and an ex-cricketer are among those with alleged off-shore links, even as the agency that helped them set up (4.01/5) the entities stonewalled New Delhi's probe efforts 2016-04-05 10:18 4KB www.mid-day.com 2 Villanova tops Carolina 77-74 on Jenkins’ buzzer-beater Kris Jenkins is one of those players who believes every shot is going in. 2016-04-05 09:42 2KB www.washingtontimes.com (3.01/5)

3 China limits coverage and denounces Panama Papers' tax haven revelations

(2.01/5) BEIJING, April 5 (Reuters) - China has moved to limit coverage of the massive leak of documents from a Panamanian law firm that may have exposed financial wr... 2016-04-05 03:32 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 4 10 Things to Know for Tuesday - 5 April 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked

(2.00/5) about Tuesday: 1. WISCONSIN NEXT PRIZE IN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN He... 2016-04-05 03:52 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 5 Panthers beat Leafs for franchise’s best record There’s no more startling anyone for these Florida Panthers. 2016-04-05 11:38 2KB www.washingtontimes.com (2.00/5)

6 Analysis: Saudi Arabia's bitter Lebanese divorce "By default we're abandoning Lebanon to Iran," said a senior European diplomat. "It's a big blow to Lebanon. " 2016-04-05 09:12 4KB www.jpost.com (2.00/5)

7 Police psychological sick leave up 35% in five years Cases of UK police officers and staff taking long-term sick leave for psychological (2.00/5) reasons rise by 35% over five years, police figures suggest. 2016-04-05 07:43 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 8 Amtrak engineer 'hit brakes seconds before fatal crash' The engineer of an Amtrak passenger train applied the emergency brakes five seconds before it struck a digger sitting on the same track, killing the operator and a track 2016-04-05 07:35 4KB www.independent.ie (2.00/5) supervisor, US

9 Killer of New York's Kitty Genovese dies in prison aged 81 Winston Moseley, the man convicted of the fatal stabbing of Kitty Genovese in a crime (2.00/5) that came to symbolise urban decay and indifference in the 1960s, has died in a New York prison at 2016-04-05 05:01 1KB www.independent.ie 10 Israel Protest UN Ban on Exhibition Israel protested Monday at the U. N.'s decision to ban panels on Jerusalem and Arab Israelis from an exhibition at the United Nations on various aspects of the country and the heritage of the Jewish people. Israel's U. N. Ambassador Danny Danon initially complained that three panels with... 2016-04-05 12:04 4KB abcnews.go.com 11 Myanmar's former president leaves office, joins monkhood Myanmar's former president Thein Sein has shed his formal attire and his hair to join the Buddhist monkhood. 2016-04-05 12:04 2KB mynorthwest.com

15 GOP Sen. Collins to meet with Merrick Garland Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is ready to meet with President Barack Obama’s selection to the U. S. Supreme Court. 2016-04-05 11:47 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 16 Facebook programs computers to describe photos for the blind Facebook is training its computers to become seeing-eye guides for blind and visually impaired people as they scroll through the pictures posted on the world’s largest online social network. 2016-04-05 11:46 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 17 Azerbaijan says 3 killed in fighting with separatist region Fighting raged Monday around Nagorno-Karabakh, with Azerbaijan saying it lost three of its troops in the separatist region while inflicting heavy casualties on Armenian forces and the Armenian president warning that the hostilities could slide into a full-scale war. 2016-04-05 11:43 3KB www.washingtontimes.com 18 Woman finds missing cat 6 months after massive wildfire A woman has been reunited with her cat six months after a deadly wildfire in Northern California separated them. 2016-04-05 11:38 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 19 NOAA accepting final comments on new illegal seafood rules Federal fishing regulators who are hoping to crack down on illegal fishing imports are closing the public comment period on proposed new rules. 2016-04-05 11:38 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 20 Perform or people will teach a lesson, Mehbooba Mufti tells ministers Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minster Mehbooba Mufti allocated portfolios to her team of ministers here overnight and told the ministers to 2016-04-05 10:44 2KB www.mid-day.com 21 Farmer from drought-hit Amravati attempts suicide in Delhi A 32-year-old distraught farmer from Maharashtra's drought-hit Amravati district allegedly attempted suicide at Jantar Mantar here today 2016-04-05 10:43 1KB www.mid-day.com 22 Panama papers leak: Arun Jaitley vows action, sets up multi-agency probe 11 million leaked documents — several times larger than the WikiLeaks cables — from a Panamanian law firm have revealed offshore accounts linked to the world’s most prominent people; hundreds of Indians have been named so far and the Centre has already set up a multi-agency probe,... 2016-04-05 10:41 5KB www.mid-day.com 23 Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier The city — sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce 2016-04-05 09:44 5KB www.mid- day.com 24 Vermont Air Guard to get first F-35s in 2019 The Vermont Air National Guard says it’s going to take delivery of its first F-35 fighter planes in 2019, a year earlier than originally planned. 2016-04-05 09:42 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 25 Bombay HC raps Maha for not allotting enough funds for construction of Mazgaon court building The Bombay High Court came down heavily on the state on Monday for not releasing enough funds for the Mazgaon Court building. The budget for the building is Rs 387 crore, but the Assembly released Rs 29 crore for it 2016-04-05 09:34 3KB www.mid-day.com 26 Mumbai: Sachin, Will-Kat to bat for charity While legends Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar are set to play host to the royal couple at Oval Maidan, Banganga revamp speeds up so the ‘rani’ can walk the steps in heels 2016-04-05 09:32 5KB www.mid-day.com 27 Mumbai: Third crocodile attack in 7 years for Bhure family As doctors are trying to salvage right foot of Babu Bhure (50), who was attacked while fishing at Powai lake, his family revealed that it was the third time that a member was attacked in the last seven years 2016-04-05 09:28 2KB www.mid-day.com 28 Veiled Muslim woman called 'Batman' by abusive UK shopper A 25-year-old British Muslim woman wearing a long gown and face veil was racially abused and called 2016-04-05 08:55 1KB www.mid-day.com 29 Trump, Kasich to skip Republican Jewish Coalition event Both US presidential candidates had conflicts, an official said. 2016-04-05 08:53 1KB www.jpost.com 30 Wives of policemen from Mumbai, Thane call off stir after govt assures redressal Wives of police personnel from Mumbai and Thane today called off their 20-day demonstration seeking better working conditions, including fixed duty hours, for their husbands after the state government assured them of resolving their issues 2016-04-05 08:48 3KB www.mid-day.com 31 Impressions paintings show in Raleigh Museum KMorgan 1182 posts 2016-04-05 07:22 1KB www.thetribunepapers.com 32 Cambodia lawmakers pass proposed law making rules for unions PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian lawmakers have approved a proposed law setting rules for creating and running trade unions, which rights groups decried... 2016-04-05 06:01 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 33 Puerto Rican boxer Alexander de Jesus shot dead Young Puerto Rican boxer Alexander 2016-04-05 08:24 1KB www.mid-day.com

45 Indian police receive life sentences for 1991 Sikh killings Forty-seven police officers are sentenced to life in prison in India for killing 10 Sikh pilgrims in 1991 and then lying to justify the shootings. 2016-04-05 02:46 2KB www.bbc.co.uk

46 Wisconsin up for grabs as Trump, Clinton seek upsets Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and his Democrat counterpart Hillary Clinton are underdogs to their feisty rivals as the Midwestern state of Wisconsin vo... 2016-04-05 03:32 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 47 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Azerbaijan threatens to shell Stepanakert Azerbaijan threatens a "major attack" on the capital of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, amid clashes with ethnic Armenian separatists. 2016-04-05 02:46 3KB www.bbc.co.uk 48 Panama Papers leak not specifically directed against Russia – ICIJ head Russian President Vladimir Putin was not the target of the Panama Papers leak, according to the head of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, who has said the batch of more than 11.5 million files aimed to shed light on murky offshore practices internationally. 2016-04-05 06:27 4KB www.rt.com 49 Tokai murder accused apply for bail The four men charged with killing Franziska BlÃ¶chliger in the Tokai Forest in Cape Town, are expected to formally apply for bail in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court. 2016-04-05 06:20 1KB www.news24.com 50 Livonia - News Livonia - News 2016-04-05 05:10 2KB rssfeeds.hometownlife.com

51 Analysis: Choice of Jewish PM undercuts long-held accusations of state anti-Semitism in Ukraine Parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Groysman being considered for the job by President Petro Poroshenko. 2016-04-05 06:17 3KB www.jpost.com 52 Health tourism is costing UK millions, say Brexit campaigners Health tourism from the European Union is costing the UK hundreds of millions a year, Brexit campaigners have claimed. Analysis by the Vote Leave campaign in... 2016-04-05 06:17 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 53 Winners of Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion award announced Moshe Arens to be recognized for lifetime achievement. 2016-04-05 06:12 3KB www.jpost.com 54 Cancer patient shares graphic photos in call for pot to be legalised A New South Wales cancer patient in agonising pain has shared graphic pictures of his tumour-scarred back as he calls for cannabis to be totally legalised. 2016-04-05 06:04 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 55 Thermomix competitor Magimix is coming to Australia A new competitor is coming to Australia to threaten the Thermomix's dominance, claiming it has three more functions than the original and a 30 year warranty. 2016-04-05 06:04 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 56 Poland - Factors to Watch April 5 Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours): B... 2016-04-05 06:01 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

57 Social media has a field day with sad Michael Jordan Twitter users waited on to see who would win the NCAA championship game on Monday night. Not so they could support the winner, but so they could unleash the Michael Jordan crying meme. 2016-04-05 05:59 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 58 In a nutshell: NATO chief vows to make US allies ramp up defense bills citing ‘Russian aggression’ Following a meeting with US President Obama, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg lauded the block’s “biggest reinforcement since Cold War,” promising European members will step up defense spending, while listing an “assertive Russia” among the alliance’s chief threats. 2016-04-05 05:55 5KB www.rt.com 59 Rights groups condemn junta police powers for Thai soldiers An order by Thailand's junta giving sweeping police powers to soldiers is part of the "steady erosion of human rights protections", campaigners said on Tuesd... 2016-04-05 05:52 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 60 AP Deleg Count-GOP Regions, 3rd Add,400 NORTHEAST Santorum +- Uninstructe +- Conn. 0 Maine 0 Mass. 0 N. H. 0 N. J. 0 N. Y. 0 Pa. 0 R. I. 0 Vt. 0 To... 2016-04-05 05:52 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 61 Bizarre moment flight attendant deploys emergency slide and walks away The woman's employer United Airlines said her decision Monday morning flew in the face of the company's code of conduct. The flight attendant was removed 'from her flying duties.' 2016-04-05 05:51 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 62 PP-GOP-Delg-All,100 0 of 3,852 precincts - 0 percent 0 of 42 Delegates allocated Donald Trump 0 - 0 percent Jeb Bush 0 - 0 percent Ben Carson 0 - 0 percent Rand Paul 0 - 0 perce... 2016-04-05 05:43 907Bytes www.dailymail.co.uk 63 AP Delegate Count,100 ------Changes------Total ElecDay 7days 30days Clinton 1,712 0 +576 Sanders 1,011 0 +2 +499 Uncommitted 158 0 -2 -13 O'Malley 0 Uninstructed ... 2016-04-04 20:13 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 64 Report notes lapses between UN, groups linked to bribery scandal A UN report obtained by AFP highlighted regulatory lapses between the United Nations and outside groups linked to a Chinese real estate mogul who is accused... 2016-04-05 05:38 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 65 Harry Styles's secret air hostess girlfriend is pictured in New York Megan Smith, 24, of Colorado, reportedly struck up a romance with the One Direction star after she worked on his private jet during the band's On The Road tour last summer. 2016-04-05 05:34 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 66 Police and sniffer dog at Sydney Central Station 'hassle' man filming A man has accused NSW Police of 'hassling' him in the 'real police state' when he filmed them and a sniffer dog at Sydney's Central Station about two weeks ago. 2016-04-05 05:30 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 67 Bomb squad called out for strange device in Price PRICE, Utah — The Utah County bomb squad investigated a possible bomb last week, which turned out to be a homemade sex toy, the Sun Advocate newspaper reported Monday. On Friday, children fou… 2016-04-05 05:24 1KB fox13now.com 68 Grassroots democracy feels the strain in Venezuela Grace Livingstone talks to Venezuelans about community councils, established to encourage grassroots democracy, but which some say are being misused. 2016-04-05 02:46 5KB www.bbc.co.uk 69 Confused reality Ira Sharkansky 2016-04-05 05:16 6KB www.jpost.com

70 Marisa Tomei wears white as she's honoured at MCC Theater Miscast Gala She was the night's honouree, having first starred as Blue in Beirut during the organization's first season. 2016-04-05 05:15 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 71 Unions to present plan to save steel jobs The Business Secretary will travel to Mumbai today to meet the chairman of steel giant Tata as efforts to save thousands of jobs are stepped up. Sajid Javid... 2016-04-05 05:13 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 72 Demining Palmyra: Russian experts defuse over 100 mines in ancient Syrian city (VIDEO) Russian mine disposal experts have begun demining the historical areas of the embattled city of Palmyra, which was recently liberated from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISISL/ISIS) by the Syrian army with the help of Russian air and special forces. 2016-04-05 05:08 2KB www.rt.com 73 Monaco wins first-round match at US Clay Court Championship HOUSTON (AP) — Juan Monaco beat Gerald Melzer 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4 on Monday night in the first round of the U. S. Men's Clay Court Championship. Monaco won the... 2016-04-05 05:07 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 74 Horrifying video shows Miami man attempting to run biker off the road A video shows a Florida man trying to run a motorcyclist off the road as they speed through traffic. The video, originally posted to YouTubeer Roni G, shows the driver swerving to hit the biker. 2016-04-05 05:05 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 75 The Bachelor Richie Strahan does weights session shirtless Richie Strahan will certainly get hearts racing in the hit dating series with his sweet personality, rugged good looks and incredibly muscular body. 2016-04-05 05:00 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 76 Donaldson homers as Blue Jays beat Rays 5-3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Kevin Pillar chased a drive deep into the left-center gap and extended his arm above his head before leaping to make the catch an... 2016-04-05 04:49 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 77 Government accused of prioritising trade over human rights Ministers are giving a clear impression that the UK is increasingly putting trade and security above human rights concerns, MPs warned. There was "plainly a... 2016-04-05 02:02 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk

78 Telstra boss reveals reasons for outages – as network goes down A Telstra executive has tried to put their users' worries at ease after the three major outages that took place in the past two months - just as customers complained the network was down again. 2016-04-05 04:49 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 79 Rangers investigate vandalism at Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monument ESCALANTE, Utah — Officials are working to identify individuals responsible for graffiti carved on a canyon wall at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. In the Zebra Slot Canyon, … 2016-04-05 04:47 1KB fox13now.com 80 Halle Berry hits ground running after holiday with ex Olivier Martinez The 49-year-old star was spotted out and about in West Hollywood, California, on Monday popping into a costume design showroom. 2016-04-05 04:42 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 81 Brynne Edelsten shows off body transformation in bikini at the beach You couldn't blame Brynne Gordan (nee Edelsten) for wanting to show off her trim physique as she hit the beach in Melbourne on Monday. 2016-04-05 04:37 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 82 Ex-New Zealand leader Clark announces bid for top UN post WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Helen Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister who is now a senior U. N. official, announced Tuesday she is running for the t... 2016-04-05 04:34 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 83 Vietnam confirms first 2 Zika virus cases HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has confirmed the country's first two cases of Zika virus. The online Vnexpress newspaper quoted Vice Minister of Health Nguyen... 2016-04-05 04:34 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 84 Rockies' Story sets MLB record with 2 homers PHOENIX (AP) — Monday night marked a storybook beginning for Trevor Story's major league career. The 23-year-old Colorado Rockies shortstop became the first... 2016-04-05 04:33 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 85 Tokyo dreams fuel Cambodia's first disabled basketballers Slamming into each other with a metallic crunch, Cambodia's first women's wheelchair basketball team are changing attitudes to disability in a nation where u... 2016-04-05 04:32 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 86 Categories Archives Fetty Wap is ready to say "Hey, what's up, hello" to the people of Athens this month. The "Trap Queen" rap artist will perform at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 26 at UGA's Stegeman Coliseum according to Online Athens... 2016-04-05 01:38 1KB music.blog.ajc.com 87 ‘Californians rose to the occasion’ but miss water conservation target by 1.1%, penalties coming Californians were just shy of reaching the state’s mandated 25 percent water conservation goal for February, which was prompted by an unprecedented drought, but one percent made all the difference, and now individual water suppliers face penalties. 2016-04-05 04:24 3KB www.rt.com 88 Layton police investigate SWAT hoaxes in neighborhood LAYTON, Utah — One Layton Neighborhood has recently been under attack by something called swatting. That’s when an emergency is called, the SWAT team shows up and it turns out it was a hoax. … 2016-04-05 04:23 2KB fox13now.com 89 Nepal risks fresh turmoil over flawed constitution - ICG By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU, April 5 (Reuters) - Nepal risks more turmoil if it fails to address the demands for greater representation of minority ethnic Madh... 2016-04-05 04:20 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 90 Grant Kenny relaxes with a drink and snaps a few shirtless selfies Grant Kenny appeared to be as relaxed as can be and enjoyed a glass of wine on the balcony of his Sunshine Coast home after host a bridal shower for his daughter Morgan, 26, on Saturday 2016-04-05 04:17 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 91 Denver couple turns dirt lot and 9 shipping containers into dream home Libby and Regan Foster spent about a year building a seven-bedroom home with five bathrooms in Denver. 'I tried to dream up a new and creative way to build a house,' Regan said. 2016-04-05 04:11 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 92 Credit Suisse CEO Thiam targets bigger China presence By Denny Thomas and Lisa Jucca HONG KONG, April 5 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Chief Executive Officer Tidjane Thiam said on Tuesday the Swiss bank has been "un... 2016-04-05 04:04 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 93 Expansion of motocross track in Summit County town stirs controversy SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Michael Legge moved to Hoytsville 15 years ago with his wife to retire and raise their horses. “We want a community where everything is compatible use,” Legg… 2016-04-05 04:01 2KB fox13now.com 94 Jack Crawford re-signs with Dallas Cowboys to end speculation British-born defensive end Jack Crawford will remain with the Dallas Cowboys after re- signing with the NFL franchise. The 27-year-old had been a free agent, 2016-04-05 03:56 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 95 In Washington, there's more than politics on the menu Mary Ackley, who lives in the US capital, had to keep an open mind while pursuing her dream of becoming a farmer. So she went underground. It's in the cellar... 2016-04-05 03:52 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 96 China squelches Panama reports on hidden wealth Reports based on documents leaked from a Panama-based law firm that name relatives of current and retired Chinese politicians, including President Xi Jinping, as owning offshore companies are "groundless," China's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. 2016-04-05 03:48 2KB www.charlotteobserver.com 97 Basketball-Dramatic late basket earns Villanova NCAA title April 4 (Reuters) - Kris Jenkins buried a buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift Villanova to a thrilling 77-74 upset victory over North Carolina in the NCAA F... 2016-04-05 03:46 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 98 Journalist to appeal after Seoul blocks site on North Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A Western journalist who has documented developments of North Korea's technology issues said Tuesday he will appeal a decision by S... 2016-04-05 03:43 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk

99 Alleged drunk driver loses dog out car window while doing U-turn, police say OREM, Utah — A motorist, allegedly driving three times the legal limit, temporarily lost her dog when it fell out the car window as she attempted a U-turn on an Orem City road. The incident o… 2016-04-05 03:39 2KB fox13now.com 100 Caitlyn Jenner to guest on “Transparent”: Lyrical drama gets a glam infusion in this inevitable match-up The conservative former Olympian and Kardashian step-parent will appear on season 3 of the Amazon Studios show 2016-04-04 20:24 3KB salon.com.feedsportal.com Articles

Total 100 articles, created at 2016-04-05 12:04

1 More names, underworld shadow in 'Panama Papers' Part II (4.01/5) New Delhi: A now-deceased underworld don, a politician, an industrialist and an ex-cricketer are among those with alleged off-shore links, even as the agency that helped them set up the entities stonewalled New Delhi's probe efforts, the Indian Express reported on Tuesday. In a series of articles under "Panama Papers Part 2" -- as part of the global expose on people with alleged offshore links -- the paper published its second list of Indian names, along with an article on how an aide of don Dawood Ibrahim used a set of 17 entities to buy properties abroad. An aerial view of Panama City, where Mossack Fonseca, the law firm hit by the leaks, is located. Pic/AFP Named in the second list, with some repeats, are: Politician Anurag Kejriwal, industrialists Gautam and Karan Thapar, businesspeople Ranjeev Dahuja and Kapil Sain Goel, jeweller Ashwini Kumar Mehra, ex-cricketer Ashok Malhotra, and pharmaceuticals maker Vinod Ramachandra Jadhav. Also named in the list are IT consultant Gautam Seengal, agribusiness owner Vivek Jain, retired government employee Prabhash Sankhla, and garment exporters Satish Govind Samtani, Vishal Bahadur and Harish Mohnani. The paper also gave glimpses of their alleged modus operandi. On Monday, after the first list, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ordered a multi-agency probe team on the expose, conducted by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) along with over 100 global media organisations, dubbed the "Panama Papers". "A multi-agency group is being formed to monitor the black money trail," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had told reporters here, after he met with the prime minister. "Details of assets worth Rs.6,500 crore have already been found," Jaitley added. On Monday, the newspaper ran several pages of the investigation reports alleging, among other people, Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai as being directors in companies in Panama. The two did not immediately respond, despite efforts to contact them. Others named in the report were Sameer Gehlaut of India Bulls and K. P. Singh of DLF. Them apart, Vinod Adani, elder brother of industrialist Gautam Adani, politician Shishir Bajoria from West Bengal and Anurag Kejriwal of Loksatta Party were also alleged to have companies in tax havens. All of them since denied any wrong-doing. Soon after Modi's order, the finance ministry announced that the probe team will comprise officers from the Central Board of Direct Taxes' Financial Intelligence Unit, its Tax Research Unit and also officials from the Reserve Bank of India. "The group will monitor the flow of information in each one of the case. The government will take all the necessary actions as required to get maximum information from all sources including from foreign governments to help in the investigation process," the ministry statement added. The expose by The Indian Express on Tuesday said Mossak Fonseca, the Panama law firm that helped in the setting up of off-shore companies, sought to stonewall every effort by New Delhi to get into the bottom of the issue, even as in some cases the Indian authorities themselves floundered. This apart, the paper alleged, the elder brother of Gautam Adani, also wanted his name changed to Vinod Shantilal Shah, dropping the family name. The paper said earlier Vinod and his wife were two directors in the off-shore entity, and later his wife made room for their son Rakesh. On Iqbal Mirchi, the associate of don Dawood Ibrahim, who died in London in 2013, the expose alleges that he and his family took the off-shore route to buy properties in countries like Cyprus, Turkey, Morocco and Spain. Mossak Fonseca has 46 files on one such entity alone, Country Properties Ltd.

Panama Papers: China leaders' relatives named in documents bbc.co.uk

'Panama Papers' revelations trigger global probes dailymail.co.uk

The Panama Papers: 7 things to know rss.cnn.com 2016-04-05 10:18 By IANS www.mid-day.com

2 Villanova tops Carolina 77-74 on Jenkins’ buzzer-beater (3.01/5) HOUSTON (AP) - Kris Jenkins is one of those players who believes every shot is going in. Sometimes, it feels so right to be right. The Villanova junior answered a double-clutch, game-tying 3-pointer by North Carolina’s Marcus Paige with a buzzer-beating 3 of his own Monday night to lift the Wildcats to a 77-74 victory and the national championship. One good shot deserved another. And Jenkins wasn’t about to be outdone. “I think every shot’s going in,” he said, “and this one was no different.” The shot came on a play Villanova works on every day in practice: Jenkins inbounds the ball to Ryan Arcidiacono, he works it up court and forward Daniel Ochefu sets a pick near halfcourt to clutter things up, then Arcidiacono creates. This time, the senior point guard made an underhanded flip to Jenkins, who spotted up a pace or two behind the arc and swished it with Carolina’s Isaiah Hicks running at him. Or, as Jenkins put it: “One, two step, shoot ‘em up, sleep in the streets.” Jenkins had to come up big after Paige collected a pass on the top right side of the arc and, with Arcidiacono running at him, double clutched and pumped it in to tie the game at 74 with 4.7 seconds left. It completed a Carolina comeback from six points down with 1:52 left. Coach Jay Wright called timeout and called the play the Wildcats (33-5) have worked on all season. “I didn’t have to say anything in the huddle,” he said. “We have a name for it, that’s what we’re going to do. Just put everybody in their spots.” He knew the shot was going in, too. “Bang,” Wright said as he watched it fall, then calmly walked to shake Carolina coach Roy Williams’ hand. Confetti flew. The refs looked at the replay to make sure the shot got off in time. It did. The points went up on the scoreboard. Celebration on. Jenkins finished with 14 points - the last three as memorable as any that have been scored in the history of this tournament. Story Continues →

Villanova clips North Carolina on buzzer-beater for national championship rssfeeds.freep.com Villanova tops Carolina 77-74 on Jenkins' buzzer-beater dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 09:42 North Carolina www.washingtontimes.com

3 China limits coverage and denounces Panama Papers' tax haven revelations (2.01/5) BEIJING, April 5 (Reuters) - China has moved to limit coverage of the massive leak of documents from a Panamanian law firm that may have exposed financial wrongdoing by some of the world's rich and powerful, blocking some search terms and removing certain stories online. The "Panama Papers" revealed financial arrangements of politicians and public figures including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain, Iceland and Pakistan, and the president of Ukraine. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which has published some of the information from the documents, said the files also revealed offshore companies linked to the families of Chinese President Xi Jinping and other powerful current and former Chinese leaders. While holding money in offshore companies is not illegal, journalists who received the leaked documents said they could provide evidence of wealth hidden for tax evasion, money laundering, sanctions busting, drug deals or other crimes. While the Chinese government has yet to respond publicly to the allegations - the Cabinet's news office did not immediately answer a request for comment - state media have largely avoided any reporting of the "Panama Papers". Searches for the word "Panama" on Chinese search engines bring up stories in Chinese media on the topic, but many of the links have been disabled or only open onto stories about allegations directed at sports stars. Searches for "Panama Papers" in Chinese bring up a warning that the results "may not accord with relevant laws and rules so can't be shown". China's Internet regulator did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the Global Times, an influential tabloid published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, suggested in an editorial on Tuesday that Western media backed by Washington used such leaks to attack political targets in non-Western countries. "The Western media has taken control of the interpretation each time there has been such a document dump, and Washington has demonstrated particular influence in it," the paper said. "Information that is negative to the U. S. can always be minimised, while exposure of non-Western leaders, such as Putin, can get extra spin," it added. The editorial, in both its English and Chinese editions, made no mention of the China connections in the Panama Papers. China is in the midst of a massive crackdown on corruption overseen by Xi, but the government has repeatedly had to swat away criticism the move is more about an internal power play than actually tackling graft. Calls to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Communist Party's graft watchdog leading the crackdown, went unanswered. Last week, a top party magazine lashed out at critics of the anti-corruption campaign, saying foreign media and individuals from home and abroad were intentionally trying to discredit the effort as a political "power struggle". (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Martin Howell)

Panama Papers: China leaders' relatives named in documents bbc.co.uk 'Panama Papers' revelations trigger global probes dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 03:32 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

4 10 Things to Know for Tuesday - 5 April 2016 (2.00/5) Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Tuesday: 1. WISCONSIN NEXT PRIZE IN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN Heading into the vote, Cruz leads the polls on the Republican side while Sanders has the edge in the Democratic race. 2. WHERE 'PANAMA PAPERS' ARE STOKING ANGER Thousands of protesters demand that Iceland's prime minister resign because of questions about his financial affairs raised by the leaked documents. 3. SUPREME COURT HANDS DEMOCRATS A VICTORY The justices unanimously endorse election maps that bolster urban Democratic areas at the expense of rural Republican districts. 4. CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK RAISING MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 AN HOUR The new laws mark the most ambitious moves yet by legislatures to close the national divide between rich and poor. 5. TEHRAN STILL SEEN AS EXTENDING INFLUENCE THROUGH ITS MILITARY In Syria, for instance, experts contradict the Obama administration's claims that Iran is drawing down its forces fighting to strengthen the Assad regime. 6. WHAT SYRIAN TROOPS FIND AFTER LIBERATING TOWN FROM ISLAMIC STATE GROUP In Qaryatain, nothing is left of a fifth-century monastery, once a cherished pilgrimage site, except a pile of stones. 7. CLIMATE CHANGE WILL INCREASE ILLNESS, US WARNS Global warming will make the air dirtier, water more contaminated and food more tainted, a report issued by the Obama administration says. 8. WHY ALASKA AIRLINES IS BUYING CALIFORNIA-BASED VIRGIN AMERICA Alaska hopes to become travelers' preferred airline on the West Coast and a tougher competitor to giants American, Delta and United on transcontinental routes. 9. WATCHDOG GROUP: YOUNGER VIEWERS ROUTINELY EXPOSED TO GRAPHIC SCENES The TV content ratings system fails to protect children from adult fare and must be overhauled, a study by the Parents Television Council says. 10. WILDCATS PULL OFF ONE OF WILDEST FINISHES IN NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY Kris Jenkins' 3-pointer at the buzzer lifts Villanova to the national title with a 77-74 victory over North Carolina. The Panama Papers: 7 things to know rss.cnn.com 2016-04-05 03:52 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

5 Panthers beat Leafs for franchise’s best record (2.00/5) TORONTO (AP) - There’s no more startling anyone for these Florida Panthers. Rocco Grimaldi scored twice, Aleksander Barkov got his 27th goal and Florida beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 Monday night to set a franchise record with its 99th point this season. Florida clinched its fifth playoff berth Sunday and then surpassed the 98 points reached by the 1999-2000 Panthers. “We’re at step one,” said Nick Bjugstad, who also scored. “We keep saying step one, keep moving on, we don’t want to be satisfied.” The Panthers lead the Lightning by four points for first in the Atlantic Division. They don’t think they’re a surprise team any more. “I like our team and I think coaches comment around the league that we’re a good hockey team,” Panthers coach Gerrard Gallant said Monday morning. “We all believe that. The players believe that. You don’t sneak up on people anymore. They know we’re a good hockey team.” How good can the Panthers be in the playoffs? “It’s going to be a big challenge for us,” 44-year-old Jaromir Jagr said. “It’s something new for a lot of guys to make the playoffs. We’ll see how we’re going to react. It can scare us away or the other way around.” The Panthers were the worst team in the NHL as recently as 2013. The club finished that lockout-shortened 48-game season with only 15 wins and 36 points. Bjugstad was a member of that squad and held mostly bitter memories. “Those are some tough times,” he said. “Losing a lot of games and it’s not fun coming to the rink a lot of times because it’s a tough environment.” Al Montoya made 22 saves for the Panthers. Colin Greening had two goals and T. J. Brennan also scored for the Leafs, who are tied for last in the NHL with 67 points. Jonathan Bernier made 32 saves. Twenty-year-old center Frederik Gauthier had perhaps the best early chance, finding some room in the slot area before missing high and wide with what would have been his first NHL goal and point. Playing alongside veterans Brooks Laich and Michael Grabner, Gauthier drew top matchup duties for the game with Leafs top center Nazem Kadri serving the first game of a season- ending four-game suspension. Gauthier and his senior linemates were tested against Florida’s powerful top line of Jaromir Jagr, Jonathan Huberdeau and Barkov. Story Continues →

Panthers set franchise record. Rangers secure playoff berth. dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 11:38 Toronto Maple www.washingtontimes.com

6 Analysis: Saudi Arabia's bitter Lebanese divorce (2.00/5) BEIRUT/RIYADH - The waspish cartoon in a Saudi-owned newspaper summed up the anger behind Riyadh's decision to cancel billions of dollars in military aid and suspend decades of engagement in Lebanon's fraught politics. "The State of Lebanon: April Fool," it read. Published on the same day that a Saudi-owned television news channel shut down its Lebanese operations, Friday's cartoon was the latest sign of a falling out which began in January and has become increasingly embittered. The cartoon's stinging message, that the Lebanese government is a fictitious joke, reflects Saudi Arabia's conviction that the Shi'ite group Hezbollah, backed by Riyadh's regional rival Iran, now pulls the strings in Beirut. But the Saudi response, cutting $3 billion in military aid and another $1 billion to the security services, appeared self-defeating to many Lebanese - by weakening the army, a counterbalance to Hezbollah, it leaves the Shi'ite group even stronger. "By default we're abandoning Lebanon to Iran," said a senior European diplomat. "It's a big blow to Lebanon. " It would leave Hezbollah, and by extension the group's backers in Tehran, more dominant than they have ever been in volatile Lebanon, a Middle East banking and trade center that is also home to more than a million Syrian refugees. The abrupt Saudi action in February was triggered by Lebanon's failure to join other Arab governments in condemning attacks three months ago on the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The early release from a Lebanese jail of a former minister, convicted of smuggling explosives in a plot allegedly supported by the Iranian-allied Syrian authorities, suggested to Riyadh that Lebanon's judiciary was also now beholden to its enemies. Saudi Arabia spearheaded efforts to get Gulf Arab states and the Arab League to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization, which led to reports of Lebanese nationals being forced to leave Gulf countries because of alleged Hezbollah links. Lebanon says it is unable to confirm any expulsions, but politicians in Beirut are taking the reports seriously. What troubles Saudi Arabia is "a militia that is classified as a terrorist group is now hijacking measures in government," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said last month. Beyond that, Saudi Arabia believes Hezbollah also projects power - and Iranian influence - well beyond Lebanon's borders. The group has fought for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's five-year conflict and Riyadh has accused it of intervention as far afield as Yemen on Saudi Arabia's southern border, accusations Hezbollah denies. LEAVING LEBANON Saudi Arabia's shift signaled a retreat from a long history of powerbroking in Lebanon. The kingdom hosted peace talks which ended Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war and, in the post- war years when violence largely subsided but rivalries festered, it supported Sunni Muslims and their Christian allies in the March 14 coalition. Six years ago, then-king Abdullah of Saudi Arabia visited Beirut to defuse a crisis between March 14 and their March 8 rivals, including Hezbollah, which threatened renewed conflict. Directly or indirectly, through the billionaire businessman and former prime Minister Saad al- Hariri and his assassinated father Rafik, Riyadh also channeled hundreds of millions of dollars to its allies in Lebanon. The Hariri family owns a major Saudi construction firm, Saudi Oger. Viewed from the Gulf, the kingdom's actions reflect a rational re-evaluation of the diminishing returns on its efforts in Lebanon, frustration with its increasingly impotent Lebanese allies, and strategic priorities which placed the country well below Syria, Yemen and Iraq in a turbulent Middle East.

Saudi Arabia's bitter Lebanese divorce dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 09:12 www.jpost.com

7 Police psychological sick leave up 35% in five years (2.00/5) Cases of UK police officers and staff taking long- term sick leave for psychological reasons have risen by 35% over the last five years, statistics obtained by BBC Radio 5 live suggest. The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show cases rose from 4,544 in 2010-11 to 6,129 in 2014-15 despite police workforces shrinking. There was also a steady increase in overall long- term sick leave. The government said policing was "stressful" and forces must help staff. The BBC's 5 live Daily programme contacted 46 police forces across the UK, and 40 provided information. Data showed the number of police employees on long-term sick leave - defined by forces as either 28 or 29 days or more - rose from 19,825 in 2010-11 to 22,547 in 2014-15. The total number of police officers in England and Wales fell by almost 17,000 from 2010 to 2015, while the number of other staff fell by more than 20,000 . Che Donald, of the Police Federation, which represents officers up to the rank of chief inspector, said there had been "unprecedented cuts to police officer numbers" while demand on forces had not decreased. He said increased sickness - including for psychological reasons - was not surprising as officers often worked in "highly stressful fast-moving environments" and were exposed to "horrific situations". "This, coupled with a reduction in resources and manpower, can lead to the perfect storm," he said. Policing minister Mike Penning said: "Policing, by its very nature, is a stressful and demanding job and it is the responsibility of chief officers - with help from the College of Policing - to ensure that police officers and staff are supported in their work. " He said the government allocated £10m in 2014 to help emergency services staff through "mental health, physical recuperation and bereavement support". Police Scotland did not provide the information requested by the BBC so the figures do not include Scotland - but last year data suggested more than 53,000 working days had been lost in the force over two years due to stress.

Long-term sick leave among police for psychological issues 'up by a third' dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 07:43 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

8 Amtrak engineer 'hit brakes seconds before fatal crash' (2.00/5) The engineer of an Amtrak passenger train applied the emergency brakes five seconds before it struck a digger sitting on the same track, killing the operator and a track supervisor, US officials said. The train was travelling at 106mph in a 110mph zone when it hit the piece of construction equipment in Chester, about 15 miles outside of Philadelphia, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said yesterday. No-one on board the train was killed, but more than 30 passengers were injured. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening. NTSB investigator Ryan Frigo said videos showed construction equipment on the track and a contractor's equipment on an adjacent track before Sunday morning's crash. The event data recorder and forward-facing and inward-facing video from the locomotive were recovered, officials said. Amtrak issued a statement on Monday night, saying it was "deeply saddened" by the deaths of the two workers and the injuries suffered by passengers. "We are working with the NTSB to identify the issues that led to this incident and will make any needed changes immediately," Amtrak said. Trains on the Northeast Corridor have now resumed regular service. The train was heading from New York to Savannah, Georgia, at about 8am on Sunday when it hit a piece of equipment in Chester. The impact derailed the lead engine of the train, which was carrying more than 300 passengers and seven crew members. The Delaware County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victims as digger operator Joseph Carter Jr, 61, of Wilmington, Delaware, and Peter Adamovich, 59, of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania. They both died of blunt force trauma. The union representing Mr Carter said a total of three workers have now been killed on the job on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor since March 1. That raises questions about worker safety, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees said. Amtrak introduced a set of new safety protocols effective March 15. It says violations are handled with zero tolerance, and some cases lead to immediate dismissal. Rail safety workers said track workers are supposed to double-check their assignments with dispatchers to be sure they are not working on or around an active track. "Typically, the dispatcher has to give very specific permission for maintenance ... equipment, like a backhoe (digger), to be on the track. They have to take the track out of service for a defined distance and a defined time period," said professor Allan Zarembski, who teaches railway engineering at the University of Delaware. "And then, they have to confirm that they understand it, repeat back the instructions, and only then can they get on the tracks. " A Minnesota company called Loram Maintenance of Way had several employees working in the area. Loram official Tom DeJoseph said the company was carrying out maintenance on the ballast between the railway ties. He estimated the company had three or four people working there at a time and more at shift changes. He declined to say if any of them witnessed the crash. The derailment comes almost a year after a speeding Amtrak train from Washington, DC, to New York City went off the tracks in Philadelphia. Eight people were killed and more than 200 were injured. The exact cause of that derailment is still under investigation, but authorities have said the train had been travelling at twice the speed limit. Nearly three decades ago, an Amtrak train struck maintenance equipment on tracks in Chester, near the site of Sunday's derailment. More than 20 people were injured in that January 1988 crash. The NTSB determined that an Amtrak tower operator had failed to switch the train to an unoccupied track. Press Association

Officials: Amtrak engineer hit brakes seconds before crash dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 07:35 www.independent.ie

9 Killer of New York's Kitty Genovese dies in prison aged 81 (2.00/5) Winston Moseley, the man convicted of the fatal stabbing of Kitty Genovese in a crime that came to symbolise urban decay and indifference in the 1960s, has died in a New York prison at the age of 81. Moseley died on March 28 at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora. Tests will be carried out to determine the cause of death. The 1964 murder of 28-year-old bar manager Kitty Genovese in New York City caused an outcry after reports that neighbours heard her screams, but did not try to help. Details of these accounts of the case were challenged, but the crime spurred the adoption of the US 911 system and Good Samaritan laws. The murder also led to ground-breaking psychological studies into the so-called bystander effect, or bystander apathy. Moseley spent more than 50 years in prison and was one of the state's longest-serving inmates. He was denied parole 18 times. Press Association

Killer of New York's Kitty Genovese dies in prison at age 81 dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 05:01 www.independent.ie

10 Israel Protest UN Ban on Exhibition Israel protested Monday at the U. N.'s decision to ban panels on Jerusalem and Arab Israelis from an exhibition at the United Nations on various aspects of the country and the heritage of the Jewish people. Israel's U. N. Ambassador Danny Danon initially complained that three panels with photos and text had been barred from the exhibition which opened Monday on a first floor corridor at U. N. headquarters. But Danon said the U. N. decided at the last minute to allow a panel on Zionism to be included, which he welcomed as "a step in the right direction. " The ambassador demanded that the U. N. allow the panels on Jerusalem and Arab Israelis to be shown as well. The exhibition is sponsored by the Israeli ambassador and the non-profit organization StandWithUs dedicated to informing the public about Israel. It includes panels on Israeli Innovation, Green Technology, Humanitarian Aid, Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries, Tel Aviv and The People of Israel. The Zionism panel calls Zionism "the liberation movement of the Jewish people who sought to overcome 1,900 years of oppression and regain self-determination in their indigenous homeland. " U. N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said "the panel on Zionism was not disallowed. " He said "there was a misunderstanding because there was a question about a photo in that panel, and so it was initially communicated to the (Israeli) Mission that the panel could not be displayed," but that was immediately revised and the mission was told it could be displayed. The panel on Jerusalem calls the city "The Spiritual and Physical Capital of The Jewish People. " It says "Jerusalem has been the center and focus of Jewish life and religion for more than three millennia and is holy to Christians and Muslims as well. " The U. N. General Assembly in October 2012 recognized a state of Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967. The Palestinians want east Jerusalem as their capital but peace negotiations with Israel failed two years ago and have not been revived. The panel on Israeli Arabs says they are "equal citizens under the law in Israel, the only proven democracy in the Middle East. " It says "they live, study and work side by side with Jews in communities all over the country" and "serve in the Israeli Parliament, vote in all elections, and enrich Israel's diverse culture. " Israeli Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israel's population of more than 8 million people. Several Israeli lawmakers have questioned the loyalty of Israeli Arabs and a recent Pew Research Center poll found that nearly half of Israeli Jews agreed with vague wording that Arabs could be expelled or transferred from the country. Dujarric, the U. N. spokesman, didn't directly address the issues with the panels on Jerusalem and the Israeli Arabs but said existing regulations require displays "to be in conformity with the purposes and principles" of the United Nations. "We are the custodians of this space and so it falls to us to make the call of whether proposed exhibits are in such conformity," he said. "The relevant departments try to the best of their ability to keep these spaces free from polemics. "

2016-04-05 12:04 By abcnews.go.com

11 Myanmar's former president leaves office, joins monkhood YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Myanmar's former president Thein Sein has shed his formal attire and his hair to join the Buddhist monkhood. Thein Sein's ordination as a monk took place Monday, officials said, four days after he presided over a historic transition of power to the former opposition party headed by Aung San Suu Kyi. Photographs circulating on social media show the former president, with his head shaved and dressed in a saffron robe, beside a fellow monk. The Ministry of Information released a statement on its Facebook page Monday saying Thein Sein will spend five days at the Dhamma Dipati Monastery outside Pyin Oo Lwin, a scenic hill town near Mandalay in central Myanmar. A temporary stint at a monastery is common in the predominantly Buddhist country, where boys are expected to ordain as novice monks at some point in their childhood and then return later in adulthood. Thein Sein himself has not spoken publicly about his choice to temporarily become a monk but the official statement indicated he has been considering it at least since January when he attended a Buddhist conference in Myanmar. "Recently, the country's most respected monk, Sitagu, urged ex-President Thein Sein to enter into the Buddhist monkhood when he attended the World Buddhist Conference," the statement from the Ministry of Information said. "Thein Sein told Sitagu that he was busy with the duties of a president and promised that he would be ordained as soon as he finished his term as president. " Thein Sein, a former general, was installed as president for a five-year term in 2011 to head a nominally civilian government after the military ended a half century of military rule. In November, the country held its first free election in decades which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won by a landslide. Thein Sein presided over the transfer of power to new President Htin Kyaw, who was handpicked by Suu Kyi, in a ceremony last Thursday. Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

2016-04-05 12:04 Associated Press mynorthwest.com

12 Congress flip-flops on 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' controversy The Congress leaders who had demanded suspension of an AIMIM legislator because he refused to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ a couple of weeks ago, took a sharp U turn on Monday in the legislature when it asked the CM Devendra Fadnavis to apologise for demanding that the slogan should be raised by the people who loved the country or else they should concede the right to stay in India. Fadnavis’ statement had come at a public rally in Nasik on Saturday night following which the Congress and other opposition parties slammed him. Congress leaders Prithviraj Chavan and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil raised the issue in the legislative assembly on Monday. A big ruckus was created in support with the NCP inside and outside the house. A fiery Fadnavis told the house that he did no wrong in saying that the people who loved the country should say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. “I will chant the slogan even if I’m the CM or not,” he said while rejecting the demand for apology, saying that he would not apologise even if that costs him the CM’s job. When Chavan asked Fadnavis whether he made a speech (in Nasik) as a worker of the RSS or as the CM, Fadnavis said that the RSS had taught him nationalism. “I spoke about the people who had spoken against our country. The people who do not love this country have no right to stay here,” he said. “Do you want my apology for chanting Bharat mata ki jai? Actually you should apologise to the minorities because you people have been doing a politics of vote bank,” the CM said amid a loud applause from the treasury benches. Congress amends its stand On March 16, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly had suspended an All India Majlise Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislator Waris Pathan for telling the house that he will not chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. The Congress leader and opposition leader in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil had first demanded Pathan’s suspension though senior minister Eknath Khadse had said that a mere apology should be enough. Pathan, who represents Byculla in Mumbai, will be under suspension for the remaining period of the budget session. He was charged for behaving in a manner that disrespected the country by misusing freedom of speech and breaching parliamentary traditions and procedures. Sources in the Congress said that the party’s high command wasn’t happy with the stand that leaders had taken in the AIMIM’s case. “The Congress feared that such acts of supporting the BJP-sponsored nationalistic moves on the floor of the house would cost the party minority support when the AIMIM was successful in portraying itself as a defiant force against the BJP,” said a Congress leader, requesting anonymity.

2016-04-05 12:04 By Dharmendra www.mid-day.com

13 2 ex-baggage handlers charged with drug trafficking at LAX LOS ANGELES (AP) - Federal agents arrested two former baggage handlers Monday on suspicion of trafficking several pounds of cocaine through Los Angeles International Airport, the second time in weeks that airline or airport employees have been accused of smuggling drugs there. The Transportation Security Administration has focused on combatting security threats from “insiders,” which also include workers hired by contractors. Last month, authorities found 70 pounds of cocaine in the luggage of a JetBlue flight attendant after she was flagged for a random security screening. In the most recent case, authorities seized about 2 pounds of cocaine from Alberto Preciado Gutierrez, 26, in an airport restroom in December, where he was trying to pass the drugs to a courier who had a plane ticket to New York. Adrian Ponce, 27, who was waiting for Preciado in a car nearby, was taken into custody. The men were arrested Monday following a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and local law enforcement and charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine through the airport. Their attorneys have not returned messages seeking comment on the allegations. Ponce said he worked with a large-scale distribution ring and had smuggled drugs with Preciado several times, according to authorities. He said they used Preciado’s status as a supervisor to bypass security screening and deliver cocaine samples to couriers. Ponce told investigators that if buyers liked the sample, then large shipments of more than 220 pounds of cocaine would be driven to the East Coast and that he had driven the truck on more than one occasion. The security risk from airline and airport employees became a bigger concern after several Delta Air Lines baggage handlers were arrested in December 2014. Prosecutors allege they smuggled guns, including an AK-47, from Atlanta to New York. The TSA has said that fully screening all employees would cost too much. Instead, the agency has urged airports to increase random screenings of workers and to keep background checks up to date. To prevent insider threats, authorities are limiting employee access to secure areas of LAX, Airport Police Chief Patrick Gannon said Monday. The agency says officers are randomly inspecting employees coming in and out of restricted areas. LAX police “take the possibility of an insider threat seriously and are creating an environment where every employee should expect they could be stopped and inspected at any time and any place while at the airport,” Gannon said in a statement. JetBlue flight attendant Marsha Gay Reynolds surrendered to federal authorities after fleeing an LAX checkpoint on March 18, where authorities allege she left a bag with 70 pounds of cocaine. TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger is scheduled to testify Wednesday before a U. S. Senate committee on airport security. In recent testimony, he promised federal lawmakers that the agency “will pay particular attention to the insider threat.”

2016-04-05 10:53 - Associated Press - Tuesday, April 5, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

14 Georgia Nicols horoscopes for April 5 Caution: Avoid shopping or making important decisions after 5:30 a.m. Chicago time. The Moon is in Pisces. The next three weeks are the perfect time to buy wardrobe goodies. But do not buy them today! (See Moon Alert.) Watch the Moon Alert daily and and choose a time to do this because you will like what you buy. Smart shopping! For the next three weeks, you will be more selfless and giving to others. You will even feel more self- denial in your close relationships. Take note: Don’t be a martyr because you love your creature comforts. Get real. Friendships are delightful in the month ahead! You’ll especially enjoy hanging out with talented, artistic people, although all group activities will please you. Friendships might be so warm that a friend could become a lover. (Oh my.) In the next three weeks, someone will seek out your creative advice about office layout, furniture arrangement or how something looks, be it a page, a room, a garden or a factory. New romance with someone older or more successful might also begin. Travel for pleasure will be thrilling in the next three weeks. Do get out of town if you possibly can. Or perhaps a loved one will introduce you to something new and different? You might also be attracted to people from other cultures or different countries. You need some razzamatazz! In the next three weeks, you will benefit from the wealth and resources of others. This is also a good time to go for a loan or mortgage or borrow something. Even romance will be sweet and affectionate. (And passionate!) All your relationships — professional partnerships, marriage and close friendships — will improve in the next three weeks. (It’s all smoke and mirrors.) You will even be more successful dealing with the general public. (A clever trick, indeed.) Relations with co-workers will be warm and friendly in the month ahead. In fact, they will be so warm and friendly, some of you might begin an affair with a co-worker. Others will get praise or a raise because this influence can manifest in many ways. Romance, love affairs, vacations, the arts, parties and playful times with children are on the menu for Sagittarians for the next three weeks. Tra la, tra la, it is to laugh! Hey nonny nonny and all that. Make time to enjoy socializing with others because you will have such a great time! The next three weeks are the perfect time to redecorate and make your digs more attractive. However, with this in mind, do not shop for anything today. In fact, check with the Moon Alert every day to make sure you don’t buy things for your home during a bad time because you will regret it. Be smart. Your ability to charm others and enjoy good relations with siblings and relatives will increase in the next few weeks because your words will be sweet. Your words will also be like gold, which means those of you who use words for a living will make more money. Ka-ching! Look for ways to boost your income in the next few weeks because they do exist. Meanwhile, many of you will shop for beautiful things for yourself and loved ones. Since this is the case, be aware of the Moon Alert. For example, today is a terrible day to shop for anything other than food or gas. Actress Lily James (1989) shares your birthday today. You will succeed because you are hard- working and persevering, and you have star quality. Something you’ve been involved with for about nine years will end or diminish now to make room for something new this year. Although this will be a year of service, it is also a great year to travel. Get ready for a fresh new cycle waiting in your future!

2016-04-05 12:00 Georgia Nicols chicago.suntimes.com

15 GOP Sen. Collins to meet with Merrick Garland PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is ready to meet with President Barack Obama’s selection to the U. S. Supreme Court. Collins said she was looking forward to the one-on-one meeting Tuesday in Washington with Merrick Garland. She said it’s a good way to start assessing his qualifications. Unlike most of her GOP colleagues, Collins has said that the Senate should follow the “normal process” including personal meetings and a Judiciary Committee hearing. But the Republican leaders of the U. S. Senate continue to insist there will be no Judiciary Committee hearing until the president elected in November makes a selection next year. Shaheen to meet with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland washingtontimes.com 2016-04-05 11:47 - Associated Press - Tuesday, April 5, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

16 Facebook programs computers to describe photos for the blind MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) - Facebook is training its computers to become seeing-eye guides for blind and visually impaired people as they scroll through the pictures posted on the world’s largest online social network. The feature rolling out Tuesday on Facebook’s iPhone app interprets what’s in a picture using a form of artificial intelligence that recognizes faces and objects. The iPhone’s built-in screen reader, VoiceOver, must be turned on for Facebook’s photo descriptions to be read. For now, the feature will only be available in English. The descriptions initially will be confined to a vocabulary of 100 words in a restriction that will prevent the computer from providing a lot of details. For instance, the automated voice may only tell a user that a photo features three people smiling outdoors without adding that the trio also has drinks in their hands. Or it may say the photo is of pizza without adding that there’s pepperoni and olives on top of it. Facebook is being careful with the technology, called “automatic alternative text,” in an attempt to avoid making a mistake that offends its audience. Google learned the risks of technology last year when an image recognition feature in its Photos app labeled a black couple as gorillas, prompting the company to issue an apology. Eventually, though, Facebook hopes to refine the technology so it provides more precise descriptions and even answers questions that a user might pose about a picture. Facebook also plans to turn on the technology for its Android app and make it available through Web browsers visiting its site. The Menlo Park, California, company is trying to ensure the world’s nearly 300 million blind and visually impaired people remain interested in its social network as a steadily increasing number of photos appear on its service. On an average day, Facebook says more than 2 billion photos are posted on its social network and other apps that it owns, a list that includes Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. Until now, people relying on screen readers on Facebook would only hear that a person had shared a photo without any elaboration. The vocabulary of Facebook’s photo-recognition program includes “car,” ”sky,” ”dessert,” ”baby,” ”shoes,” and, of course, “selfie.”

2016-04-05 11:46 - Associated Press - Tuesday, April 5, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

17 Azerbaijan says 3 killed in fighting with separatist region YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) - Fighting raged Monday around Nagorno- Karabakh, with Azerbaijan saying it lost three of its troops in the separatist region while inflicting heavy casualties on Armenian forces and the Armenian president warning that the hostilities could slide into a full-scale war. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Armenian forces continued shelling Azerbaijani military positions and front-line villages despite a cease-fire that Azerbaijan unilaterally declared Sunday. The ministry said that up to 170 Armenian troops were “neutralized” and 12 Armenian armored vehicles have been destroyed Monday. Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Ovannisian dismissed the claim as a product of the Azerbaijani military’s “wild imagination.” The Nagorno-Karabakh military in turn claimed that more than 300 Azerbaijani soldiers had been killed since the conflict flared up on Saturday. The outbreak of hostilities is the worst since a war that ended in 1994, leaving Nagorno- Karabakh under the control of local ethnic Armenian forces and the Armenian military. Armenian forces also occupy several areas outside Karabakh proper. International efforts to settle the conflict, fueled by long-simmering tensions between Christian Armenians and mostly Muslim Azeris, have brought no results. Anxiety over the new outburst of fighting was high in diplomatic circles. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on the phone Monday and called for both sides to stop fighting, a Russian foreign ministry statement said. They also condemned “outside players” for trying to heat up the conflict, the statement said without specifying. The Karabakh military said Monday 20 of its servicemen have been killed since Saturday, another 72 have been wounded and seven of its tanks have been destroyed. The Armenian defense ministry later reported that five “volunteers” had been killed by an Azerbaijani drone strike on a bus. None of the claims could be independently verified. Ovannisian, the Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman, said Monday that Karabakh militia advanced overnight, “liberating new positions.” He also claimed that Armenian artillery hit Azerbaijani units as they were moving to the front line. Self-proclaimed officials in Karabakh said fighting intensified in the morning in the southeast and northeast with the Azerbaijani troops using Grad multiple rocket launchers. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry blamed Armenian forces for shelling residential areas despite a unilateral cease-fire announced by Baku, warning that “Armenia will bear the blame for possible counterattacks and retaliatory measures by Azerbaijan’s armed forces.” Azerbaijan’s defense minister warned that his forces will open up an artillery barrage on Stepanakert, the main city in Karabakh, if the Armenian forces don’t stop shelling populated areas. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan warned Monday that his country could formalize its ties with Karabakh by officially recognizing its independence if the fighting escalates. Story Continues →

2016-04-05 11:43 In this www.washingtontimes.com

18 Woman finds missing cat 6 months after massive wildfire MIDDLETOWN, Calif. (AP) - A woman has been reunited with her cat six months after a deadly wildfire in Northern California separated them. Nancy Underwood hadn’t seen her white tabby named Muscat since the cat disappeared from her Hidden Valley Lake home as she and hundreds of people evacuated the area during the massive blaze. The Los Angeles Times reports Monday (http://lat.ms/1PR0i2f) Underwood was driving near her home last month when she saw a cat that looked like Muscat and when she called him, he came to her. Underwood told Middletown Animal Hospital a resident in the area had been caring for him. The hospital says it checked Muscat and he is healthy and now has all his vaccines up to date. It says Muscat was one of many pets that went missing during the blaze that tore through 76,000 acres and killed four people.

2016-04-05 11:38 - Associated Press - Tuesday, April 5, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

19 NOAA accepting final comments on new illegal seafood rules PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Federal fishing regulators who are hoping to crack down on illegal fishing imports are closing the public comment period on proposed new rules. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has supported changes that would create a new system to collect data about commercial fishing catch. The new rules would also track trips ashore and the chain of custody of fish and fish products imported into the U. S. NOAA says the information collected under the new standards would help authorities verify that imported fish was lawfully acquired. A national group called the National Ocean Council Committee to Combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud proposed the rules in February. NOAA is accepting comments from the public about the proposal until Tuesday.

2016-04-05 11:38 - Associated Press - Tuesday, April 5, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

20 Perform or people will teach a lesson, Mehbooba Mufti tells ministers Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minster Mehbooba Mufti allocated portfolios to her team of ministers here overnight and told the ministers to "perform or people will teach a lesson". Chairing her first cabinet meeting late Monday night after she took over as the first woman chief minister of country's only Muslim majority state, Mufti told her ministerial colleagues: "Perform or else the people will teach you a lesson. " J&K Governor NN Vohra congratulates Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti after her swearing-in in Jammu yesterday. Pic/PTI Having already lost nearly three months in re-stitching an alliance her late father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed had tailored by calling it 'the meeting of the north and the south', Mufti settled down to administrative business immediately after being sworn in here on Monday. Nirmal Singh (BJP), deputy chief minister has been allotted power development, housing and urban department portfolios. Abdul Rehman Bhat Veeri (PDP) is the new minister for roads and buildings and parliamentary affairs. Haseeb Drabu (PDP) gets the all important portfolio of finance, planning and culture. Naeem Akhtar (PDP) has again been allotted the education portfolio. Abdul Haq (PDP) gets rural development, panchayati raj and law. Syed Basharat Bukhari (PDP) has been allotted revenue, relief and rehabilitation. During his 10- month stint as education minister Akhtar was 'blamed' in a lighter vein for having pushed non- performing teachers to suffer from sleep disorders. Bali Bhagat (BJP) gets health and medical education, Sajad Lone (Peoples Conference) social welfare, Chowdhary Zulfiqar (PDP) consumer affairs and public distribution, Choudhary Lal Singh (BJP) gets forests, ecology and environment, Abdul Ghani Kohli (BJP) animal husbandry and veterinary department. All other departments including general administration, home, tourism and th ose not allotted to any other minister will be handled by the chief minister herself.

2016-04-05 10:44 By IANS www.mid-day.com

21 Farmer from drought-hit Amravati attempts suicide in Delhi New Delhi: A 32-year-old distraught farmer from Maharashtra's drought-hit Amravati district allegedly attempted suicide at Jantar Mantar here today. The incident took place around 1 PM when the man, identified as Prashant Deshmukh, tied a rope at a tree in Jantar Mantar area and formed a loop, a senior police official said. When the man was allegedly trying to fit his head into it, he was spotted by staff posted at the police picket near Kerala House, who rushed to his rescue, the official added. Police officials persuaded Deshmukh not to take the step, following which he broke down. Deshmukh was then taken to a police station. He said he had come to Delhi in a train seeking answers to many of his problems. Deshmukh told police he owns a farm land at a drought-hit village in Amravati and claimed a water reservoir was constructed in his farm under some government scheme but he did not receive the compensation promised for the same. "We have arranged counselling for Deshmukh and also informed his family. Officers at Maharashtra Sadan here have also been informed," DCP (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal said.

2016-04-05 10:43 By PTI www.mid-day.com

22 Panama papers leak: Arun Jaitley vows action, sets up multi-agency probe New Delhi: Government yesterday declared that action will be taken against "unlawful" accounts held abroad by Indians and constituted a multi-agency group to continuously monitor information in the wake of the Panama Papers. Arun Jaitley. Pic/PTI Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the issue with him yesterday morning and on his advice, the group has been set up, which includes officials from CBDT, RBI and FIU (Financial Intelligence Unit). "The multi-agency group will comprise various government agencies – the CBDT, FIU, FT&TR (Foreign Tax and Tax Research) and RBI. They will continuously monitor these (accounts) and whichever accounts are found to be unlawful, strict action as per existing laws will be taken," he said. Jaitley said after yesterday’s revelations, more names may come out in the next few days. "I welcome this investigation. I think it is a healthy step that these kind of exposes are being made," he said. Under new law The monitoring and investigation into the cases of 500 Indians being named in the leaked papers will be conducted under the stringent provisions of the new law to combat the menace of black money generated by Indians in foreign shores. The new anti-black money law, termed the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, was enacted last year and operationalised from July 1. The paper trail >> An investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and more than 100 other news organisations around the globe has revealed the offshore links of some of the world’s most prominent people. >> The vast stash of records was obtained by German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with media worldwide by ICIJ. >> The leaked records come from Mossack Fonseca, a little-known but powerful law firm based in Panama Salve calls leaks ‘invasion of privacy’ Senior counsel Harish Salve, whose name appeared in the Panama Papers said he considers the media coverage around the issue as an invasion of his priavcy, since he has ensured transparency in his tax returns. Speaking to Legally India, he said, "Everything we have is declared. If it is declared, is it not the invasion of my privacy to publish all this? " Revelation a crime: Mossack Fonseca Panama City: The revelation of the "Panama Papers" detailing the off-shore structures of many wealthy clients is a "crime" and an "attack" on Panama, the law firm at the heart of the scandal has said. "This is a crime, a felony," Ramon Fonseca, one of the founders of the Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca, said yesterday. "This is an attack on Panama because certain countries don't like it that we are so competitive in attracting companies," Fonseca said. Meanwhile, Panama’s government said ina statement, "The Panamanian government will vigorously cooperate with any request or assistance necessary in the event of anylegal action occurring. " Bachchans, Adani among list of 500 that includes Putin, Sharif The Panama Papers have exposed offshore dealings of Russian President Vladimir Putin, world leaders and celebrities including Barcelona forward Lionel Messi. India Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai The Indian Express ran several pages of the investigation reports alleging among other names that Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai were directors in companies in Panama. Vinod Adani Elder brother of industrialist Gautam Adani was also alleged to have set up companies in tax havens. World leaders Nawaz Sharif’s family Sharif’s children Mariam, Hasan and Hussain “were owners or had the right to authorise transactions for several companies”. Close associates of Putin Putin, who is not himself named in the documents, “secretly shuffled as much as $2 billion through banks and shadow companies,” the ICIJ said. Iceland’s PM The files allegedly show Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson and his wife secretly owned an offshore firm holding millions of dollars in Icelandic bank bonds during the country’s financial crisis. Football Lionel Messi Argentine football great Messi and his father owned a Panama company, Mega Star Enterprises Inc., a shell company that had previously not come up in Spanish investigations into the father and son’s tax affairs. Michel Platini Francetvinfo named as the beneficiary of a Panama-based tax company, adding however that no illegal activity was alleged.

2016-04-05 10:41 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

23 Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier Why climb stairs! Last weekend, we learnt that a bunch of bright students from the KJ Somaiya College of Engineering team created a new ATV (All Terrain Vehicle, for the uninitiated). ATV Raudra in action in the college campus Called ‘Raudra’, the four-wheele drive runs on petrol, using a 305 cc, 10HP, OHV intake Briggs and Stratton engine with a top speed of up to 60 km/hour. The car can travel on all kinds of terrain — mountainous, snowy, or fields off-road. The 27-member creative team from the mechanical department included 23 boys and four girls. The car took six months to be completed from scratch and it successfully completed the endurance test. When is the mass-production model hitting the market, we wonder. It could come in quite handy for our city roads. From the hinterland to Mumbai Monday evening at the NCPA witnessed not just another film screening. Marathi film, Kapus Kondyachi Goshta speaks about farmers’ suicide; in director Mrunalini Bhosale’s words, “it’s not one of your tragic, whiny movies.” Sisters Aditi (left) and Arzoo Govitrikar The Pune-based filmmaker who has several documentaries on agriculture to her credit, said her movie, which comes at a time when the agrarian crisis is deepening in the state, has a two- pronged message. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan attended the film screening last evening. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi “First, I want to say, suicide has serious repercussions for your family. Secondly, if you’ve lost someone to it, grieving is natural. Yet, you learn to beat the odds and dig out your last reserves of courage to go on.” Bhosale says the film was inspired by four girls who had lost their family in Yavatmal. And in a society where girls become public burden in the absence of male members, the eldest, who was just 17, went on to become a successful farmer to support her younger sisters. Is Bhosale worried how the movie — it was shot in Yavatmal in temperatures touching 48 (Celsius) degrees and the crew even had to be hospitalised on numerous occasions — would strike a chord with urban audiences? “It has won international acclaim. If it can strike a chord in the US and the UK, why not closer home in Mumbai?” Bhosale asks. Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Prithviraj Chavan, actor Shreyas Talpade, Aditi Govitrikar and sister Arzoo, and member of the BJP, Shaina NC were in attendance to lend their support for this cause. Take a seat, Sameer Kulavoor Mumbai-based graphic artist, Sameer Kulavoor has gained a cult following for work that cuts between graphic design, contemporary illustration and art. Sameer Kulavoor Later this month, the mind behind the petal-faced Dove lady and the graphics of the NH7 Weekender will now display his oeuvre at a first solo exhibition. An exhibit from Kulavoor’s first solo show Please Have a Seat, his body of work to be put up, moves away from thecommercial and focuses on intimate human gestures captured throughoriginal and spontaneous drawings. “Maintaining sketchbooks is an integral part of my visual art practice,” Kulavoor says. “So is the act of revisiting them, introspecting, identifying common patterns and making connections between drawings.” American honour for chef Ravi Kapur Admission time. We love to scout for desi chefs who are stirring the pot across the seven seas. The latest to create a buzz is chef Ravi Kapur. Chef Ravi Kapur (left) at this kitchen in Liholiho Yacht Club. Pic courtesy/Liholiho Twitter account Yesterday, the frizzy-haired wonder chef was one of 11 to be selected as one of the Best New Chefs for 2016 by the editors of the prestigious Food & Wine magazine; this, after a month-long scouring. A US-based publication shared that the recommendations were based on nominations from restaurant critics, food writers and other big names in the industry. Chefs who have helmed a kitchen for five years or less were considered for this nomination. Having whipped up heady aromas from the state of his birth, Hawaii, chef Kapur is now the toast of San Francisco having bagged many top honours. With a restaurant Liholiho Yacht Club, gastronomically sinful pop-ups and signature dishes like Steamed Beef (shhh!) Tongue Buns with Poppy Seeds, the chef has all the makings of a star. A different kind of board game A longboarding workshop by The Longboard Girls Crew (LGC) was held at an indoor venue in Khar recently. Mumbai’s bad roads and lack of open spaces might have something to do with the venue choice, perhaps. Pic/Atul Kamble Cool quotient? A smooth surface and a diverse audience. These folks didn’t seem superstitious if this cat crossed their path. Sea, sun and little sailors If you want your kid to learn more about Popeye’s profession (the sailor man, remember?), this is your chance. Come Friday, and a city-based activity group, The Little Campers, has organised a sailing experience for kids aged five to 12 years (no parents allowed). A lighthouse near Gateway of India. Pic/Rane Ashish It includes a two-hour sail aboard a catamaran, where they get to spot lighthouses, fish trawlers at Sassoon Dock, navy vessels, Oyster Rock, Mukesh Mills, and tuck into yummy snacks as well as enjoy the city skyline. “It’s also educational since the kids will get basic training on sailing and go home with a participation certificate too,” says 32-year-old founder Shweta Bagul. If this sounds like the ideal summer lesson for your lil’ one, call 9819828305.

2016-04-05 09:44 By Team www.mid-day.com

24 Vermont Air Guard to get first F-35s in 2019 SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont Air National Guard says it’s going to take delivery of its first F-35 fighter planes in 2019, a year earlier than originally planned. The Vermont Guard said Monday that moving up the arrival of the first of 18 planes will give the Air Force more time to train maintenance crews for active Air Force units that will be receiving the F-35s. Air Force Lt. Gen. John Cooper says delivering F-35s to the Vermont Guard at the Burlington International Airport in South Burlington will allow the Air Force to take advantage of Vermont’s experienced aircraft maintenance personnel. The F-35s will replace the Vermont guard’s aging F-16 aircraft. A number of local residents have sued to prevent the Air Force from stationing the F-35s in Burlington. The suit is pending.

2016-04-05 09:42 - Associated Press - Tuesday, April 5, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

25 Bombay HC raps Maha for not allotting enough funds for construction of Mazgaon court building The Bombay High Court came down heavily on the state on Monday for not releasing enough funds for the Mazgaon Court building. The budget for the building is Rs 387 crore, but the Assembly released Rs 29 crore for it. The bench of justices SC Dharmadhikari and GS Kulkarni observed, “Ministers renew their bungalows at breakneck speeds, no secretary (IAS) wants to occupy an office unless it’s high-tech. It’s abdication of duty on the part of the state to not release funds for renovation of courts.” The Bombay High Court is hearing a petition filed by the Mazgaon Bar Association, demanding early release of funds to build the Mazgaon court that was vacated by the state in July 2013. The court, which could hear around 2,500 cases annually, was closed and shifted to Sewri. The state now plans to construct a 17-storey building for the court with a budget of Rs 387 crore. But the Assembly only released Rs 29 crore for 2016-2017 for it, the court was told by public prosecutor Hiten Vinegaonkar, who was accompanied by the state’s Finance Secretary, who had been summoned by the court. The court was upset with the minimal amount released. “It’s a pittance. We will not be satisfied with such small amounts of Rs 2 crore, Rs 5 crore or Rs 7 crore. Do you want to build the court by 2035?” said Justice Dharmadhikari. The court further compared the funds released for court buildings with the renovations carried at Mantralaya. “Opposite Mantralaya, bungalows of ministers are renewed at breakneck speeds. No secretary wants to occupy an office unless it’s high-tech. If you are helpless, tell us so boldly. You have money for Mantralaya renovation and don’t care if the budget is increased. Why should then a litigant who comes to court suffer?” observed the bench. The court also said, “We don’t want money of the poor farmers that you will be releasing for Marathwada and Vidarbha, but don’t you want us to work?” The Finance Secretary was so upset with the bench’s firm talk to him, that he was seen outside the court room telling the government pleader, “This is what you call me to court for? I have been an IAS officer for past 35 years.” The court has asked the secretary of Law and Judiciary department and the Finance Secretary to file an affidavit in next two weeks regarding the progress, and if they fail to do so the court is likely to summon the Chief Secretary of state. “In this matter, the court had last time reprimanded the state saying it will stay the Shiv Smarak that is likely to be built in Arabian Sea, but still no money was released by the state,” said Uday Warunjikar, the petitioner’s lawyer. The state is yet to demolish the old court building and start the construction of the new building. “We don’t have environmental clearances in place,” said Vinegaonkar.

2016-04-05 09:34 By Vinay www.mid-day.com

26 Mumbai: Sachin, Will-Kat to bat for charity A major portion of restoration currently on to fix the steps that skirt the holy Banganga tank in Walkeshwar, dating back to 1792, may wrap up by Saturday to allow a woman to walk them effortlessly in heels. Kate Middleton bats during the countdown to the 2015 World Cup at Latimer Square, in Christchurch, New Zealand, in April 2014. Pics/Getty Images Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge — say the excited locals for whom the tank carries waters from the Ganga, according to legend — will not be inconvenienced when she visits the historic site on April 10 with husband Prince William. Renovation work on at Banganga tank steps earlier this year The royal couple’s Mumbai visit is part of a four-day India tour that includes a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra, and Assam’s Kaziranga National Park. Kate and William at an event in the UK last year The restoration, undertaken by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Maharashtra, began this January, with black basalt stone arriving from Kolhapur to replace broken portions. While work was meant to wrap up by the end of summer, Will-Kat’s visit has sent the workforce in overdrive. Shantilal Thidke, supervisor on site, says, “The northern and southern steps will be ready by Friday since the craftsmen have been working tirelessly from 9 am to 6 pm every day. All the extra material and debris will be taken away before the royals arrive. We will resume restoration work after they’ve left.” The couple is expected to enter from the north side and exit from the south. Ramesh Mukteshwar, contractor, says at least one flight of stairs on the north and south sides have to be ready top to bottom. Oval Trust member Nayana Kathpalia hopes the visit will put Oval Maidan on the global map. File pic Resident Ujwala Pandit thinks the manic deadline is warranted, considering, “the Rani will wear high heels and the steps are steep.” She’s also concerned how William, usually seen on official visits in a suit, will brave the Mumbai summer. “Perhaps he should pick something less formal that day,” she suggests. Often used for religious ceremonies, the waters of the tank are infamous for being not-so- sparkling, but Vasant Bhosle, one of the staffers in charge of sanitation here, says they haven’t received any special instruction to clean up. “We will do what we do every day. It’s nice that the two [Will-Kat] will see the waters of the Ganga that flow here.” Since the couple is likely to step close to the bath area for a closer look at the mysterious water source, cracks close to the basin are being filled up and moss removed. A fresh water spring, believed to be an offshoot of the Ganga, replenishes the tank that’s part of a temple complex built by the Silhara dynasty that ruled Bombay from the 9th to the 13th century. Rocky Crasto (70), known in the neighbourhood as Saviour of Banganga, has worked tirelessly for the tank’s upkeep. Although he won’t meet the couple due to an out-of-town commitment, he remembers the time he showed Chelsea Clinton around in 2000. “As a young child, I collected coins from the British era that were thrown into the tank during pujas. Had I been in town, I would have shown the royal couple my collection,” he says. Among the non-profits that the British High Commission selected to collaborate with for the visit, is Anaxi Shah’s Society Moved to Instil Love with Empathy (SMILE), which has worked with women and children from Walkeshwar since 1997. Praveen Kanvinde, trustee of the GSB Trust that looks after the upkeep of the tank, says, “The tank is one of the oldest spots in Mumbai and Prince William is known to love history. I’m not sure he has heard of Banganga. We will share the legends with them.” And then, time for sport At Churchgate’s Oval Maidan, Dilip Vengsarkar’s pitch is being prepared for a cricket match that will be played between participating NGOs as William and Kate watch. Nayana Kathpalia, core member of the Oval Trust that worked on the restoration and maintenance of the maidan, says, “We’ve heard Sachin Tendulkar will be here too. It’s good to know they chose Oval. Many around the world follow William and Kate, and this is the perfect opportunity for Oval to be on the global map.” Former India cricketer, Dilip Vengsarkar will be playing host to the royal couple while trainees of his academy play a match. Will we see some of his trademark wristy elegance? The cricketer laughs, “It will be an exciting time.” Bina Lashkari, founder of Door Step School, that works to provide literacy to Mumbai’s marginalised, says 25 of their children will be at the Oval to meet the couple. “Five will play in Mr Vengsarkar’s team and the remaining will be at our NGO tent where we will create a classroom atmosphere and explain our work to William and Kate.” Nitish Kumar, head of communications and strategic initiatives at Childline India, has 20 kids rehabilitated by the NGO to meet the royals. “They will be raising funds for us later in that day, and that makes us very happy. We are pleased that the British High Commission selected Childline.”

2016-04-05 09:32 By Maleeva www.mid-day.com

27 Mumbai: Third crocodile attack in 7 years for Bhure family As doctors are trying to salvage the right foot of Babu Bhure (50), who was attacked by a crocodile while fishing at Powai lake on March 28, his family revealed that it was for the third time that a family member was attacked by a crocodile in the last seven years. Bhure is currently recuperating at the orthopaedic department of Rajawadi Hospital. Babu Bhure is currently recuperating at the Rajawadi Hospital “In 2010, uncle Mangesh succumbed to the injuries he sustained in a crocodile attack. Two years later, my cousin Vijay had to spend nearly a month in the hospital after being attacked by the reptile. And now, it’s my father,” said Babu’s son Suraj. The latest incident took place around 8 am last Thursday while Babu was casting a net in the lake when the reptile bit his right foot. While the BMC has banned all kinds of fishing activities at the lake, the fisherman disclosed that there were many like him who flouted norms to enter the lake on inflatable rafts, which made them vulnerable to crocodile attacks. Sole breadwinner for the family, Babu resides with his wife and son at Tirandaz village near IIT-B (Powai). “While the animal grabbed his right foot, he kicked it with his left foot. However, the bite was enough to detach his heel,” said Babu’s nephew Mangesh. Doc speak Dr Vidya Thakur, medical superintendent, Rajawadi Hospital, said Babu was kept under observation for now. “His wound has been sutured and doctors have removed the affected skin to prevent infection. The patient is stable,” she added. Official speak Kishor Thakare, ACF , Thane territorial (FD), said, “The BMC is supposed to keep an eye on trespassers entering the lake and initiate action against them because the lake doesn’t fall under our ambit. We’ll be installing signboards around the lake to warn people about the presence of crocodiles.” In his statement, which was recorded yesterday, Babu told Forest Department officers that after managing to yank himself free from the jaws of death, he swam ashore.

2016-04-05 09:28 By Sadaguru www.mid-day.com

28 28 Veiled Muslim woman called 'Batman' by abusive UK shopper London: A 25-year-old British Muslim woman wearing a long gown and face veil was racially abused and called "Batman" by a man while shopping in a grocery store here. A still from the video, which shows the man repeatedly asking Saed "Why do you wear that? ", referring to her veil. Pic/Youtube Ahlam Saed was mocked in a corner shop by a man for her outfit in front of his two children. "I only wanted to get a packet of Starburst. I walked in and he decided to call me Batman and started singing the theme tune," said Saed, who filmed the incident on her mobile phone. "My kids can't even see your face, who are you? Are you a man or woman? " the man said. Saed said she became "petrified" as the man grew increasingly irate after she called him "ignorant". Saed, who moved to London when she was two, said she has faced more abuse in recent months than ever before. "It's getting worse since the Brussels and Paris attacks," she said.

2016-04-05 08:55 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

29 Trump, Kasich to skip Republican Jewish Coalition event WASHINGTON — Donald Trump and John Kasich are skipping a Republican Jewish Coalition forum for presidential candidates. RJC officials told JTA on Monday that Trump, the real estate magnate and front-runner for the Republican presidential nod, and Kasich, the Ohio governor who is running third, will not be able to attend the event the group’s leadership meeting this weekend in Las Vegas. Both had conflicts, an official said. That leaves Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who is running second behind Trump, as the only candidate to address the forum.

2016-04-05 08:53 www.jpost.com

30 Wives of policemen from Mumbai, Thane call off stir after govt assures redressal Mumbai: Wives of police personnel from Mumbai and Thane today called off their 20-day demonstration seeking better working conditions, including fixed duty hours, for their husbands after the state government assured them of resolving their issues. Yashashree Patil, wife of a Mumbai Police personnel, also ended her 20-day- long hunger strike after the MoS for Home, Ram Shinde offered her juice. The stir, held at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai, was withdrawn after Shinde assured the women that government will look into their problems once the Assembly session gets over. "We have gone through your demands very seriously and sympathetically and believe me our government is very much committed to solve your woes. Let the ongoing session get over, we will sit immediately to chalk our the plan to meet your demands," Shinde said while addressing the agitators here. The minister said he will apprise Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of their demands. "I will share your demands and feelings with Chief Minister and we will work out a plan after (holding) a detailed discussion with stake-holders, including DGP, (a) Chief Secretary-ranked officer and you all," he said. Shinde said the government is committed to the cause of the police personnel who provide safety and security to people. Wives of policemen have been demanding social, economical, physical and psychological welfare for their husbands and the family. Among their demands is fixed eight-hour shift for policemen who sometimes have to clock more than twelve hours on duty during festivals and bandobast. They also wanted better housing facilities, permanent job to sons of police personnel, implementation of Seventh Pay Commission and availability of conducive and stress-free working atmosphere for the policemen. The issue of job stress and suicide by the police personnel cropped up many times in past. Senior cabinet minister and Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, local MP Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena) and BJP leader Shaina NC also visited the site. Terming the Fadnavis-led government as "most sensitive" towards the welfare of the police force, Shaina said, "Please be confident that you all are in the safe hands and our government would do every bit to make you feel safe and secure. Patil said, "we decided to end our protest after our delegation called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in afternoon who gave assurance to us. "We are very much hopeful that he will keep his word," she said, adding that they will decide their future course of action depending upon whether their demands are met.

2016-04-05 08:48 By PTI www.mid-day.com

31 Impressions paintings show in Raleigh Museum March 19, 2016 – June 19, 2016 Joyce W. Pope Gallery; Ticketed America’s finest impressionist painter, Childe Hassam spent many summers painting on the Isles of Shoals six miles off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire. This exhibition features 39 of the artist’s finest Shoals paintings in oil and watercolor, borrowed from distinguished museums and private collections. Taken together, these paintings offer a sustained reverie on nature and the pleasure of painting. They possess a rapturous sense of place: the blue Atlantic breaking against rocks and swirling in tidal pools, dense thickets of laurel wedged in granite crags, a splendid island garden with its gemlike blossoms, and the whole island world suffused with a silvered northern light. The exhibition is jointly organized with the Peabody Essex Museum of Salem, Massachusetts, with the cooperation of the Shoals Marine Laboratory. American Impressionist and Marks of Genius are ticketed together.

2016-04-05 07:22 www.thetribunepapers.com

32 Cambodia lawmakers pass proposed law making rules for unions PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian lawmakers have approved a proposed law setting rules for creating and running trade unions, which rights groups decried Tuesday as designed to curb workers' rights and limit their ability to stage strikes. The law has been a fiercely contested issue for years by factory workers, who have protested repeatedly for higher pay, and by rights groups who say the garment industry is rife with abuse and this law does little to help workers. Cambodia's largest industry employs about 700,000 people working in more than 700 clothing and shoe factories, including those that supply major Western brands such as Gap, H&M, Adidas and Nike. In 2015, the Southeast Asian country shipped about $7 billion worth of products to the United States and Europe. The government of Prime Minister Hun Sen says the law is intended to better regulate unions. It cleared the lower house of parliament Monday evening with all 67 lawmakers from the ruling Cambodian People's Party supporting it and 31 opposition lawmakers voting against it. Approval from the senate is considered a formality. Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia, was one of many labor activists who said the new law does not reflect the interests of workers. He said it strictly limits workers' ability to strike or protest. According to the new law, workers who have been abused or mistreated at their factories and want to stage a protest must ask permission from their factory owners or can be arrested for blocking the factory's production, he said. The law also sets numerous conditions that obstruct workers from freely forming unions, he said. "This law is total nonsense. It does not serve the benefit of workers or the Cambodian people," Cheay Mony said. "Once the law is officially implemented, workers will not be able to freely protest to demand their rights or benefits. " Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch said the law "marks a further downward slide for labor rights in Cambodia. " The proposed law has been in the drafting stage for eight years and has undergone revisions but activists say that none of their demands were accounted for in the final version. Factory workers in Cambodia are generally better organized and more militant than in other low-cost manufacturing countries. Aggressive labor strikes around the capital, Phnom Penh, in 2014 were suppressed with deadly force. Protests continued into 2015 as labor unions sought to hike the minimum wage to $160 a month up from the prior level of $128. Most agreed to accent an increase to $140.

2016-04-05 06:01 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

33 Puerto Rican boxer Alexander de Jesus shot dead San Juan : Young Puerto Rican boxer Alexander "El Pollo" de Jesus was shot multiple times and killed on a street in San Juan's Hato Rey district, where he lived. Alexander de Jesus Police said on Sunday the body of the 33-year- old fighter was found on Belmonte Street after he was taken by force from his home nearby, reports Efe. According to the local dailies, a few hours earlier on Sunday the boxer, who represented Puerto Rico in the 2004 Athens Olympics as well as in many other international competitions, had been accused in absentia of mistreating an elderly female neighbour. Local authorities have asked for the public's cooperation in trying to identify his killers. De Jesus won medals at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Sal Salvador in 2002 and at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo the next year. When he launched his professional boxing career in 2005, De Jesus won his first 19 bouts before suffering his first defeat in 2009 at the hands of Argentina's Cesar Rene Cuenca. Later that year, he was sentenced to four years in prison for domestic violence against his wife and children. While serving his sentence, he received special permission to face countryman Jose Angel Roman in the ring in 2010, defeating him easily. He tried to resume his professional career when he was released from prison in December 2013. In February 2015, De Jesus won a unanimous decision against Javier Garcia, although he had lost a fight the month before. His final career tally was thus 21-2 with 13 knockouts.

2016-04-05 08:24 By IANS www.mid-day.com

34 Refugee backers switch after hearing Mark Steyn Contact WND Mark Steyn delivered a stinging rebuke of the progressive stance on mass migration of mostly male Muslim refugees into Europe at a recent debate in Toronto. Steyn faced off April 1 with opponents in the Spring Munk Debates on the issue of refugee resettlement and whether Western countries should welcome thousands of Muslims from the Middle East and Africa. The Munk Debates , founded by Peter Munk, allow the audience to pick the winners based on online voting. When the dust had settled, Steyn’s team was declared the winner. The scores are based on how many viewers report their positions being changed on the issue from pro to con or vice versa. When the debate started, 77 percent of viewers reported being in favor of refugee resettlement as put forth by the Emma Lazarus poem on the Statue of Liberty: “Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” By the end of the debate, only 55 percent agreed with that position and the “cons” moved from 23 percent to 45 percent. Steyn, author several books including “ America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It ,” teamed up with U. K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage to debate former U. N. Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour of Canada and Columbia University history professor Simon Schama. After Steyn described the culture of rape against women being imported by Germany, Sweden, France and Belgium, among other countries, rattling off statistics and anecdotes that included a child as young as 3 being raped in Germany, Schama accused him of being “obsessed with sex.” The audience broke into laughter. Arbour accused Steyn and Farage of being “new-born feminists” for their focus on sexual assaults against women. Steyn delivered a rebuttal that saw Arbour shaking her head like a dazed fighter who’d just been hit with a right hook. “I’m slightly amazed at our colleague’s ability to get big laughs on gang rape,” Steyn said. “Madam Arbour scoffs at the newfound feminists over here. I’m not much of a feminist but I draw the line at the 3-year-old getting raped and the 7-year-old getting gang-raped in a basement. And when Simon tells us that ‘oh we’re all obsessed with sex,’ and maybe we don’t get enough action in the Toronto singles bars. “Madam Arbour, as she said, is a feminist of a certain generation, and those feminists were very clear, as Madam Arbour was very clear (with a study of rape) in Sudan, that rape is not about sex, whatever Simon may say. Rape is about power, which is what Madam Arbour says.” Watch video clip of Mark Steyn delivering knock-out blow to Louise Arbour and Simon Schama at Munk Debate in Toronto. Watch the entire debate Friday in Toronto. Steyn provided a random sampling from 10 days of German migrant crimes in January. “A 16-year-old boy raped inside Wolfsburg City Hall, a 13-year-old girl sexually assault near a railway station in Erlangen, three girls sexually assaulted in a swimming pool in Amsbeck, a 15- year-old girl raped at a railway station in Wupper Town. Attempted rape of a 15-year-old girl in Gelsenkirchen. I could go on and on,” he said. “These are all rapes and gang rapes in public places. Trains, streets, parks, and even city hall. And I congratulate you on getting big laughs on that Simon because if I’d known that I’d be doing open-mic night on gang rape at a comedy club. It isn’t funny. It isn’t funny. And it gets to the heart of the question.” Arbour described a situation of desperate families fleeing war, which Steyn said is not the current reality in Europe. “Are they really yearning to be free or are they just wanting to avail themselves of the economic rights?” he said. “The people who have entered Europe are not refugees in the traditional definition.” Men represented 61 percent of refugees entering Europe in 2015. In most civil wars this is the demographic that would be back home fighting for their country, Steyn said. “What does it mean to breathe free?” he continued. “For a woman in Afghanistan it’s literally a crime to feel the sunlight on her face. “So what happens when you put a man from that society into a Western democratic town?” Steyn described the situation in Sweden where the country’s 100-year-old tradition of men and women sharing public bathhouses turning disastrous when invaded by Muslim men. “Female patrons of public baths are now routinely assaulted. They are forced to segregate in the hot tubs,” he said. “So goodbye to a century-old custom.” Swedish authorities responded with pictographs that instruct the migrants not to touch the breasts of women bathers. In Sweden and Germany the authorities warn women not to go out alone at night in certain areas and tell young women to dress modestly. “Migrant rights trump female rights,” said Steyn, who pointed out that Arbour had once documented the rape crisis in Sudan. “More than 500 in just one night in just one town, Cologne, on New Year Eve were sexually assaulted with victims as young as 3. A 7-year-old girl was gang-raped by migrants just a few days ago, and on Wednesday a girl was gang-raped on the train from Finland to Sweden. But she’s not interested in documenting that rape epidemic,” Steyn said. Get the must-read field manual, Pamela Geller’s “Stop the Islamization of America,” which explains how you can stop Shariah from establishing a foothold in your community. Of the unaccompanied minors 90 percent are males, he said. That gives Sweden a more distorted gender differential than China after 40 years of its one-child policy during which most Chinese aborted girls. Among Sweden’s adolescents it’s now 123 males for every girl (China is 119 to 1). “That’s a fact. And I hope tonight we’ll put off the sentimentalism and stick with the facts,” Steyn said. Madam Arbour said some things I agree with. She said recently ‘why are we always talking about the danger that these people will transform us? They may transform us for the better. So she and I agree that Immigration on this scale is transformative. The only difference is that Madam Arbour thinks it’s for the better, and I don’t. And I’m genuinely curious to know what aspects of Afghan and Syrian and Sudanese culture that she’d like us to be transformed by: women’s rights, fast-track justice whereby gays get thrown off rooftops, polygamy, child rights, (female genital mutilation), the bracing commitment to free speech, I’d like an answer on that tonight from Madam Arbour.” Schama, the Columbia university professor of history, argued that the migrants are not part of the culture they are native to but rather trying to flee that culture. “They are desperately fleeing the Isamofascists that Mark accurately describes,” he said. “They’re not their friends. They’re not their secret co-conspirators. They’re horrified. They’re trying to get away from that culture.” He characterized the backlash against the migrants as little more than white supremacism, similar to anti-immigration movements that found traction in the U. S. and Britain between 1880 and 1890 “They were described as the unwashed, those who don’t share our values,” Schama said, citing a book popular around the turn of the 20th century, “The Suicide of the White Race.” “The populist Tom Watson described the millions of distressed as the scum of creation. Nonetheless the U. S. admitted 5 million of those refugees between 1880 and 1890 from Eastern Europe and Central Europe,” which he said included many anarchists and communists. Now another refugee crisis has enveloped the world and the West must do what it can to alleviate the crisis, Schama said. “The issue is, are they all kind of the ravening sexual monsters of Mark Steyn’s X-rated horror,” he said Schama then echoed President Obama’s contention that violent jihadists are not true Muslims but rather work to “pervert” the faith. “You know they’re not all Salafists. And not all Salafist are jihadists, either,” he said. “Do Salafist jihadists pose a mortal threat? You bet your life they do. There is a real war of that kind going on. But what do we do to actually resist the poison of apocalyptic millenarians? The answer is not to demonize all Muslims but actually to engage with them. Who are we engaging with? After the attack on Brussels, 150 imams got up and made a statement on their abhorrence of the act. There are even Quranic scholars such as Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, who is absolutely dedicated to denouncing jihadism as a perversion of the Quran. It can’t possibly be true that you can’t have a pluralist Muslim adoption of Western norms. In Britain we’ve lived with that for years and years before jihadism became the monstrosity that it is now.” Nigel Farage said the debate must start with a question: What is a refugee? According to the 1951 Convention, it’s a person with a “well-founded fear pf persecution” because of their religion, their race, or political opinions who are outside their own country and fear returning to it. And there are no persons more fitting of that status then the Christians of Syria and Iraq, yet so few of them get admitted as refugees into the U. S. or Europe. From Syria, especially, the refugees coming to the West have been 97 percent Sunni Muslims. “It sells wonderful: ‘Give us your poor youâre your huddled masses’ and in doing so it can perhaps make us feel a sense of our own moral superiority. But just look where that idea has gotten the E. U. over the past year,” Farage said. He then took to task the E. U., which has embraced the recently expanded definition of “refugee” put forth by the United Nations and its so-called 2030 Agenda. “Jean-Claude Juncker, the unelected president of the European Commission, has changed the definition of what a refugee is, to include people who come from war-torn areas, and given that the U. N. High Commissioner for Refugees says there are currently 59 million people displaced in the world, that’s quite a big number but Juncker has taken it even broader, to include people who come from extreme poverty, and that would mean perhaps 3 billion people could possibly come to Europe,” Farage said. “All of this was massively compounded by Chancellor Merkel, who effectively did say ‘give us your weak and your poor and your huddled masses,’ in what I think has proved to be the worst foreign-policy decision in Europe since 1945, because her moral superiority was in my view based on a level of war guilt that still exists in Germany,” he added. “But she opened up the doors and a million came in last year. But virtually none of them would qualify as refugees in any classical definition. And, in fact, most of them that came were somewhat aggressive young males, who when they arrived and got through the border punched the air, and chanted (Allahu Akbar), rather like football supporters.” That contrasts to earlier immigrants to the U. S. and Britain, he said. “I remember as a young man, watching the BBC, and seeing Ugandan Asians, landing on the tarmac at Heathrow, humble, thankful and promising that they would repay the debt Britain had shown them and they would repay the debt by integrating and becoming part of our society. “We’re not saying all Muslims are bad. But what we are saying, is that if you allow a very large number of young males to come to European countries, and if they come from a culture, where women are at best second-class citizens, don’t be surprised to see the abominations such as we saw outside the Cologne train station on New Year’s Eve, and don’t be surprised that the formerly rather sleepy town of Malmo (Sweden) has now become the rape capital of Europe.” Farage said he suggests that Europe take seriously the words of ISIS operatives who have said they plan to use the refugee system to infiltrate the West and could already have more than 4,000 trained fighters in Europe. “Never before in any migration wave have we had a fifth column living within our communities, that hates us, and wants to kill us and wants to overturn our complete way of life,” he said”. I believe we in the West should give people refugee status, but not one person in a serious level of politics has dared to speak up for the Christian, for the Christians of Syrian and Iraq, who are only 10 percent of what they were only a few years agoâ¦.they qualify for refugee status because they’ve been persecuted for who they are. I want us to welcome genuine refugees not the disaster that is engulfing much of Europe today.” Arbour said her definition of a “refugee,” based on the current state of armed conflict, should include “virtually every civilian who is not a combatant unless he is a war criminal.” Schama said, “There’s nothing to be ashamed of about having an emotional response to the suffering of 4 million Syrian refugees.” Farage said that emotion glosses over the facts of rapes and assaults sweeping many European countries. “We’d all rather pretend it isn’t happening, but it is happening. Simon, you’re in denial,” Farage said. “I’ll tell you what’s sad… We’ve lived through 100 years of female liberation and emancipation, and now we have the mayors of towns in Germany, and Sweden and other part of northern Europe telling women not to walk out after dark on their own, and in the wake of the Cologne sex attacks the mayor of Cologne said to those women, they really ought to dress differently, and behave differently in public. That, Simon, is what is sad, and actually I find the sheer hypocrisy of those of you who have stood up and said you were going to defend female rights, when actually, you think migrant rights are more important than female rights in our own community. Shame on you!”

2016-04-05 08:16 Leo Hohmann www.wnd.com

35 U. N. resurrects 'Zionism is racism' motif Contact WND UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations’ “Zionism is racism” sentiment surfaced briefly this week when the international organization insisted in censoring an exhibit on the history of Israel on display at the New York headquarters, then abruptly reversed itself when criticism erupted. The exhibition sponsored by the Israeli Mission to the U. N. and the non-profit organization StandWithUs opened on Monday. The exhibit is touring U. S. campuses to counter anti-Israel propaganda efforts seeking to undermine the Jewish state and promote the Arab boycott of Israel. The Israeli mission was informed on Friday shortly before sundown that three of the exhibit’s 13 panels would be censored by the U. N. The three panels initially banned by the U. N. include one that identifies Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish people and holy to all three monotheistic religions. A revisionist history promoted by anti-Israeli elements seeks to deny the ancient and persistent presence of Jews in the Holy Land. “When a Jew Rules the World: What the Bible Really Says About Israel in the Plan of God” – a chance for Christians to rediscover their true identity as fellow heirs of promise with the House of Israel. Get your copy of this important book today at the WND Superstore! Another panel censored in the exhibit celebrates Arab Israelis as the largest minority in Israel, enjoying full rights in the democratic country. It describes Israel as the only true democracy in the Middle East. The third and most controversial, panel defines Zionism – the vision of the Jewish people to return to its historic homeland. Forty years ago the U. N. General Assembly approved Resolution 3379 equating Zionism with racism. The resolution was reversed 16 years later but the sentiment judging it as racism has never left. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, slammed the U. N.’s initial move to censor the display. Declaring the decision amounted to reinstating discredited Resolution 3379, Danon said, “The U. N. must reverse this outrages decision and apologize to the Jewish people. Zionism and Jerusalem are the foundation stones and the moral basis upon which the state of Israel was founded.” When the exhibit went on display Monday morning, the panel on “Zionism” was emblazoned with a banner saying “Censored.” But shortly thereafter, the U. N. reversed itself and allowed the Zionism panel to be included. “This is a step in the right direction, but the U. N. must reverse its earlier decision entirely and allow the exhibit to be displayed without censoring the truth about Israel and Jerusalem – the eternal capital of the Jewish people,” Danon stated. Shahar Azani, the executive director for the northeast U. S. region for StandWithUs, added: “The UN’s reversal of its decision is an important victory that sends a clear message about the importance of standing strong for what you believe in. We thank Ambassador Danon and Israel’s Mission to the UN for their leadership, and we at StandWithUs, will continue to stand by the people and the State of Israel against lies and any attempt to censorship the truth about the vibrant and diverse democracy that is the modern State of Israel.” Even though the formal description of Zionism as “racism” by the U. N. had been reversed, WND Editor and CEO Joseph Farah reported in 2001, “We’ve been down this road before. One of the most shameful episodes in the U. N.’s shameful history came in 1975 when the General Assembly first adopted a resolution equating Zionism with racism. The U. N. adopted that resolution annually until 1991 when the Madrid ‘peace process’ began.” He reported at the time on another “conference on racism” … “in which there will be calls for labeling Israel as a nation involved in ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.” “What do Israel’s enemies want? Over and over again, we hear, from their own mouths, that they want to destroy the Jewish state and replace it with an Arab state. ‘Palestine – from the sea to the river’ is the favorite expression of this movement. In other words, there is no room for a Jewish state in the Middle East – no matter what the borders are, no matter what concessions Jerusalem is willing to consider, no matter what rights Arabs are granted within Israel. Isn’t that racist?” he wrote at the time. Not quite 10 years later, WND columnist Ilana Mercer wrote about the issue again. “By popular demand, the enemies of civilization and their patrons at the United Nations Human Rights Council plan to re-enact the wildly successful ‘anti-racism’ conference, which was held in South Africa in 2001,” she wrote. “The word ‘anti-racism’ I hold between the tongs of quotation marks, because, as Alastair Gordon of the CCD reminded the amnesic, ‘the last U. N. anti- racism conference held in Durban … degenerated into a hate-fest of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel vitriol, while the most egregious human rights violators escaped criticism.'” “When a Jew Rules the World: What the Bible Really Says About Israel in the Plan of God” – a chance for Christians to rediscover their true identity as fellow heirs of promise with the House of Israel. Get your copy of this important book today at the WND Superstore! Is Isaiah 17 soon to be fulfilled in Damascus? Contact WND wnd.com

Why 'hyphenated-Americans' a problem long ago Contact WND wnd.com

Numbers game Contact WND wnd.com A note to conservatives who are secular Contact WND wnd.com 2016-04-05 08:15 Curtis Ellis www.wnd.com

36 Trevor Bayliss hails Ben Stokes as "heart and soul" of England team England coach Trevor Bayliss expects Ben Stokes to continue putting himself in pressure situations despite his harrowing experience in the World Twenty20 final. Stokes, who stood tall at the death throughout the tournament, was the fall guy at Eden Gardens after taking the ball for the decisive final over of the tournament. West Indies still needed 19 to win but Carlos Brathwaite tore into Stokes with four successive sixes, leaving the Caribbean side jubilant and the bowler crumpled in a heap. It was immediately clear that the 24-year-old would not bear his burden lightly, as he stared disbelieving and vacant into the Kolkata night, but Bayliss is confident there will be no lasting damage. "He is one of those blokes - if we had a game tomorrow, he'd put his hand up to bowl the last over again," said the Australian. "No-one is blaming Stokesy for anything. To be honest, he is the heart and soul of this team. "If everyone put in half as much as Stokesy does, we'd go a long way. "You can't fault Ben's leadership in the team or the effort he puts in. It doesn't matter whether he is batting, bowling or fielding, he gives you 100 per cent until there's nothing in the tank. "The more of those type of cricketers we can produce, the better for England cricket. " Stokes, not for the first time, found himself in an angry exchange with West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels as the drama reached its conclusion. Samuels might have had the last laugh this time, and stressed as much in an inelegant press conference, but Bayliss will not look to calm Stokes' nature. "I think there is a bit of history between those two from the last England tour to the West Indies," he said. "Ben's one of those players that feeds off that. Some players sometimes say things and they can't really back it up. But Stokesy is one of those players...that's what turns him on, that's what gets his juices flowing and makes him as good as he is. "He's not the only one around the world. There are a number of other players who do the same thing - almost create their own controversy, or whatever you want to call it, to psyche themselves up and get their head in the game. "It brings the best out of him. " The Three Lions outstripped all expectations to reach the final of the competition and come within a few balls of lifting the trophy. They arrived as a team still in the early stages of transition under Bayliss, with limited tournament experience and several players who had never before set foot in India. But they never stopped believing they could achieve something remarkable, leaving their coach heartened both by what he has seen on the field and what he has heard from back home. "We've had so many texts and emails already saying that cricket is back on the front page almost, back in people's minds where maybe in the last year or two it hasn't been," he said. "I think that support will carry on over into the players, the players will feel that and we're looking forward to the summer now, and feeling that support. "We certainly set out at the start of the tournament to play some good cricket and knew if we did that we would give ourselves one hell of a chance. That's how it panned out. "Obviously the final was disappointing but I'm extremely proud of the way they played through this last few weeks. "As long as we keep playing good cricket and someone has to do something remarkable to beat us, we'll win a lot of games. "

2016-04-05 08:03 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

37 editorial: Windies cricketers deserve a toast Their present was made exciting on Sunday, firstly by the women’s team, which stopped Australia’s World T20 domination by beating them by eight wickets. A few hours later, under the Eden Gardens’ floodlights in Kolkata, the men’s team led by Darren Sammy did what their predecessors couldn’t achieve — a world limited overs title triumph on Indian soil. Going by their celebrations on the field, the partying would have spilled into the wee hours of last morning. And who can grudge them that. For long now, poor performance from a West Indies team has been followed by ridicule. Past greats have pointed to a lack of passion apart from ability; lack of hunger besides technique, and invariably, the players have been accused of being intoxicated by Twenty20 franchise cricket. Headline writers have been trigger-happy too, what with lines like ‘Waste Indies’ and ‘Gone with the Wind’. In all this, they probably forgot the players’ financial insecurity and their constant battle with a cricket board which has seldom put the interests of the game first. What Sammy & Co have achieved cannot be underestimated. To beat favourites India took some doing. And then, to win against England at a huge ground in Kolkata whose long boundaries cynics thought would be difficult to clear, was quite extraordinary. Their self-belief came shining through when they didn’t give up on the dream of scoring 19 in the last over against England. The under-19 team’s triumph in Bangladesh recently has contributed in no small measure to West Indies’ current cricketing credibility. The young guns have more reason now to seek inspiration from their senior counterparts — women and men. There is no better sight in world cricket than a West Indian team displaying an attacking brand of cricket and winning in the end. The players have done their best. They deserve a better deal — on par with the very best. Having spent the best part of Sunday and Monday smiling, they now must smile their way to the bank.

2016-04-05 08:01 By MiD www.mid-day.com

38 Dodgers thrash Padres 15-0 in lopsided opening day shutout SAN DIEGO (AP) — Clayton Kershaw was brilliant on opening day, holding San Diego to one hit in seven innings and striking out nine to lead rookie manager Dave Roberts and the Los Angeles Dodgers to a record-setting 15-0 victory against the Padres on Monday. It was the most lopsided opening day shutout in major league history. The previous mark was a 14-0 win by the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Cincinnati Reds in 1911, according to STATS. Kershaw (1-0) allowed Jon Jay's single with two outs in the third and then retired his last 13 batters. The lefty improved to 4-0 in six opening day starts. Adrian Gonzalez had three of Los Angeles' 17 hits and three RBIs, and A. J. Ellis also drove in three runs. Chase Utley had three hits and two RBIs. It was the worst opening day loss in the Padres' 48-year history. San Diego had only four hits. ROCKIES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 5 PHOENIX (AP) — Trevor Story became the first player to hit two home runs in his major league debut on opening day as Colorado spoiled Zack Greinke's initial start for Arizona. Greinke (0-1), who signed a $206.5 million, six-year contract with the Diamondbacks, had his worst outing in nearly four years, giving up seven runs — six in one inning. He allowed three homers in a game for the first time since Aug. 19, 2009. Story also became the first National League player to hit multiple home runs in his first game. Four have done it in the American League. CUBS 9, ANGELS 0 ANAHEIM, California (AP) — Jake Arrieta yielded two hits over seven dominant innings while Miguel Montero homered and drove in three runs as Chicago opened a season of high expectations with an easy victory over Los Angeles. Anthony Rizzo and Jorge Soler drove in early runs and Villanova product Matt Szczur added a three-run double in the ninth for the Cubs. Garrett Richards (0-1) gave up three runs over five innings in his first opening day start for Los Angeles. The Angels managed just three hits while getting shut out on opening day for the first time since 2002 — the year of their only World Series championship. They had never lost an opener by more than seven runs. NATIONALS 4, BRAVES 3, 10 INNINGS ATLANTA (AP) — Daniel Murphy was a huge hit in his Washington debut with a home run and a go-ahead double in the 10th inning as the Nationals rallied past Atlanta in their season opener. NL MVP Bryce Harper homered in his first plate appearance of the season as the Nationals made a winner of Dusty Baker in his first game as their manager. Washington tied it in the ninth on Michael Taylor's sacrifice fly to shallow center field. Atlanta nearly escaped with a game-ending double play but Jayson Werth scored when catcher A. J. Pierzynski dropped Ender Inciarte's accurate throw that beat Werth to the plate. GIANTS 12, BREWERS 3 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Denard Span homered and drove in five runs in his San Francisco debut as the Giants beat Milwaukee in their opener despite a sluggish start from under-the-weather ace Madison Bumgarner. Span hit a three-run shot in the eighth inning and Joe Panik and Buster Posey followed with home runs off Ariel Pena. It marked the first time the Giants had connected for three straight homers on opening day. It was the first time any team had done it in an opener since the Padres in 1997, the Giants said in citing the Elias Sports Bureau. RANGERS 3, MARINERS 2 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cole Hamels handed Seattle ace Felix Hernandez his first opening day loss as Texas managed to win with just one hit. Prince Fielder blooped an RBI single off Hernandez during a three-run fifth inning that included three walks and two errors. Seattle had a chance to join the Boston Beaneaters (1887-96) as the only major league clubs to win 10 straight openers. Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager homered early for the Mariners, but the midgame mistakes cost them the lead in the debut of manager Scott Servais. ORIOLES 3, TWINS 2 BALTIMORE (AP) — Matt Wieters singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning as Baltimore withstood two long rain delays in a season-opening victory over Minnesota. A game that was scheduled to start at 3:05 p.m. finally ended at 8:44, even though the playing time was only 2 hours, 48 minutes. With the score tied at 2-2, Chris Davis drew a two-out walk from Kevin Jepsen (0-1). After newcomer Mark Trumbo followed with his fourth single, Wieters lined a single up the middle. Zach Britton (1-0), the sixth Orioles pitcher, worked a perfect ninth. Baltimore has won 13 of its last 16 openers, including six straight. Minnesota hasn't won on opening day since 2008. REDS 6, PHILLIES 2 CINCINNATI (AP) — Zack Cozart had three hits and drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning while Joey Votto followed with a bases-loaded single that sent Cincinnati over Philadelphia in an opener matching the majors' two worst teams from last season. The Reds scored five times in the eighth against Philadelphia's work-in-progress bullpen. Jay Bruce completed the rally with a two-run single in front of 43,683 fans, the largest regular-season crowd in Great American Ball Park history. Votto struck out in his first three at-bats but singled off left- hander James Russell for a 4-2 lead. BLUE JAYS 5, RAYS 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (AP) — Josh Donaldson, Michael Saunders and Josh Thole homered to help R. A. Dickey and Toronto beat Tampa Bay. All three home runs were hit off Drew Smyly (0-1), with Donaldson connecting for a solo shot in the fifth inning, Saunders delivering a two-run homer in the fourth and Thole going deep on a third-inning drive that umpires initially ruled was a double after a fan interfered by catching the ball before it reached the stands. The call was reversed after a replay review, erasing a 1-0 Tampa Bay lead. Dickey (1-0) gave up three runs in five-plus innings. Roberto Osuna worked a perfect ninth for his second save. WHITE SOX 4, ATHLETICS 3 OAKLAND, California (AP) — Chris Sale struck out eight in a solid season debut to build off his franchise record last year, pitching Chicago past Oakland. Adam Eaton hit an RBI triple and Jimmy Rollins drove in a run during a four-run third inning in his first game with the White Sox playing back home in the East Bay. What had been planned as a marquee matchup between two American League aces never happened. Oakland right-hander Sonny Gray was scratched because of food poisoning that sent him to the emergency room. Sale (1-0) went seven innings, giving up three runs and seven hits. The left-hander set a team mark with 274 strikeouts last season.

2016-04-05 07:59 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

39 Vietnam warns of dire impact from planned Mekong dams HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has predicted "very high adverse effects" on the Mekong River environment and economy if 11 proposed dams are built on its lower mainstream. The warning is the result of a 2 1/2 year study submitted by Vietnam to the Mekong River Commission comprising Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. A commission statement released Monday said the study, which includes 800 pages of impact-assessment reports, indicates "high to very high adverse effects on some of the key sectors and environmental resources in Cambodia and Vietnam. " The commission said it considers the report an internal document and is not yet releasing it. Vietnam has not released it publicly. Laos is behind most new dams proposed for the lower Mekong. It wants hydropower exports to become a mainstay of its economy, which is among the least developed in Asia. The river commission, which was set up to mediate the conflicting water priorities of Mekong countries, said the Vietnamese report will help its own study, which was commissioned in 2011 and expected to be completed next year. Much of Southeast Asia is suffering a record drought due to El Nino and officials in Vietnam have said the effects are exacerbated by existing Chinese dams on the upper Mekong. The rice-bowl- sustaining river system flows into Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The Mekong is also one of the world's largest inland fisheries, providing a livelihood to millions of people. Existing research on dams worldwide shows they significantly diminish fishing grounds by creating barriers to breeding-cycle migrations and creating river conditions that destroy habitat and food sources.

2016-04-05 07:31 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

40 McCann, Miller lead Canucks over Kings VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Canucks are hoping wins now translate into success down the road. Jared McCann scored the winner in the second period, Ryan Miller made 40 saves and the Canucks beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 Monday night. Emerson Etem and Jannik Hansen also scored and Vancouver got its first three-game winning streak this season. Tyler Toffoli and Kyle Clifford had a goal each for Los Angeles, which dropped its fifth straight game on the road in regulation and fell to 2-6-0 over its last eight. "It's more execution than anything else," Kings forward Anze Kopitar said. "Just too much sloppy play on our part and some penalties we just can't take. " Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots for the Kings, who remain a point back of the Anaheim Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division and have three games left on their schedule. The Ducks play four more times, including a massive game in Los Angeles on Thursday. Vancouver, meanwhile, has three games remaining as it limps to the finish line of a lost season but now owns victories over the San Jose Sharks, Ducks and Kings in a five-day stretch. "We're happy with the wins, but we know where we stand," Miller said. "We know it's not good enough and we're on the outside looking in. At least on my part, I feel like there's a foundation. " Veteran forward Hansen said closing out strong will hopefully keep bad habits from creeping in, especially with the younger players, as the Canucks look to next season. "You're playing for jobs, opportunities, families, lives," Hansen said. "You can't do that to your teammates if you just check out and say 'OK we'll see you in October.' You have to approach the games like it matters. " The Canucks led 3-2 after two periods, and the Kings pushed hard in the third, including a scramble near the midway point where Miller had to pounce on a loose puck that rattled off the glass and tumbled in front. The Vancouver goalie then made another great stop on Toffoli's redirect before defenseman Christopher Tanev had a key block and Miller made two more excellent stops. The Canucks, who had lost five in a row at home in regulation, killed off a late penalty to Nikita Tryamkin as Miller held the fort in a barrage that included 20 shots in the third. Tied 1-1 after the first period, Bo Horvat and Daniel Sedin had great chances to put the Canucks ahead early in the second, but it was the Kings who grabbed a 2-1 edge at 9:15 when Clifford tipped home his third of the season on a 2-on-1 rush with Andy Andreoff. Vancouver got that one back with 4:38 left in the period on the power play when Hansen ripped his 21st of the season on a nice cross-ice feed from Henrik Sedin. The Canucks then took their first lead of the night with 32.4 seconds left in the second when McCann raced in on a breakaway and beat Quick with a nice move after intercepting a weak pass from Kings captain Dustin Brown in the Vancouver zone on a sequence during which Los Angeles defenseman Brayden McNabb fall down. The goal was the rookie's ninth of the season, but first in 10 games and second in his last 36. The Kings opened the scoring exactly 6 minutes into the first. Miller was unable to corral Jeff Carter's shot from the corner and the puck spilled into the crease, where Toffoli swept home his 30th. Toffoli had a great chance on a short-handed breakaway with about 4 minutes left in the period, but Miller made a nice save on his backhand deke. That left the door open for the Canucks and they struck with just 13 seconds left on the clock when Derek Dorsett's shot hit Etem in front and beat Quick for his fifth. NOTES: Dorsett returned to the lineup after missing nine of the last 10 games with an upper-body injury. ... Rookie forward Jake Virtanen suited up for Vancouver after serving a two-game suspension for a late, blindside hit on San Jose's Roman Polak.

2016-04-05 07:24 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

41 US judge OKs $20B settlement from 2010 BP oil spill NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge in New Orleans granted final approval Monday to an estimated $20 billion settlement over the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, resolving years of litigation over the worst offshore spill in the nation's history. The settlement, first announced in July, includes $5.5 billion in civil Clean Water Act penalties and billions more to cover environmental damage and other claims by the five Gulf states and local governments. The money is to be paid out over roughly 16 years. The U. S. Justice Department has estimated that the settlement will cost the oil giant as much as $20.8 billion, the largest environmental settlement in U. S. history as well as the largest-ever civil settlement with a single entity. U. S District Judge Carl Barbier, who approved the settlement, had set the stage with an earlier ruling that BP had been "grossly negligent" in the offshore rig explosion that killed 11 workers and caused a 134-million-gallon spill. In 2012, BP reached a similar settlement agreement with private attorneys for businesses and residents who claim the spill cost them money. That deal, which didn't have a cap, led to a protracted court battle over subsequent payouts to businesses. A court-supervised claims administrator is still processing many of these claims. BP has estimated its costs related to the spill, including its initial cleanup work and the various settlements and criminal and civil penalties, will exceed $53 billion. "We are pleased that the Court has entered the Consent Decree, finalizing the historic settlement announced last July," BP spokesman Geoff Morrell said in an email. U. S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch praised the settlement. "Today's action holds BP accountable with the largest environmental penalty of all time while launching one of the most extensive environmental restoration efforts ever undertaken," Lynch said in a statement. In Louisiana, where delicate coastal marshes were damaged by the oil, Gov. John Bel Edwards said the decision clears the way for the state to receive critical coastal restoration funding. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, who acted as a coordinating lawyer for the five Gulf states, also was among those touting the settlement. David Uhlmann, a University of Michigan law professor and former chief of the Justice Department's environmental crimes section, said Barbier's ruling "ends a long sad chapter in American environmental history. " "The question that remains is whether we have learned enough from this tragedy to prevent similar environmental disasters in the future," he said. While overall reaction to the settlement has been positive, there were lingering complaints that some of the BP payments may be tax-deductible for the oil giant. Court documents state that the civil penalties will not be tax deductible, although other settlement costs could be. "We are saddened to learn that the gross negligence of BP continues to enjoy taxpayer subsidies," Lukas Ross of Friends of the Earth said in an emailed news release. ___ Associated Press Writer Michael Kunzelman in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.

2016-04-05 07:20 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

42 The Times & The Sunday Times Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12 With analysis from Henry Winter, Mike Atherton and Stuart Barnes. Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12 From the FTSE 100 to SMEs to entrepreneurs. Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12.

2016-04-05 06:04 www.thetimes.co.uk

43 CBN News Showcase: Ferguson Effect - April 3, 2016 CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 147 countries and territories, with programs and content in 62 languages. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-945-5640. CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners.

2016-04-05 10:18 www1.cbn.com

44 National Assembly to debate motion to remove Zuma Parliament - The National Assembly on Tuesday is set to debate a motion tabled by the Democratic Alliance to have President Jacob Zuma removed from office. This follows last week's Constitutional Court ruling that Zuma failed to uphold the Constitution when he did not comply with Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's remedial action regarding payment for the upgrades to his Nkandla homestead. It ruled that the National Assembly also failed to uphold the Constitution when it set aside Madonsela's report. Since the judgment, calls for Zuma to step down or have the ANC recall him have increased. This is set to be a arduous week for the ruling party as it deals with the backlash following the ruling by the highest court in the land. The party held an extended National Working Committee meeting at the President Hotel in Cape Town on Monday. On Friday, Zuma apologised to the nation during a live address on the SABC in which he said he had not "knowingly or deliberately" violated the Constitution. Shortly after his apology, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe expressed the party's support for the president saying he had "humbled himself" when he apologised. He said opposition parties' calls to have Zuma removed were intended to tear the ANC apart, which he said would not happen. ANC's officials to meet parliamentary caucus But it's not only the opposition which have called for his removal. Some ANC stalwarts have called for Zuma to step down or be removed. They include Ahmed Kathrada, SA National Defence Union (Sandu) members as well as some ANC Gauteng members. The day the Constitutional Court handed down judgment, the ANC's top six officials - the president, deputy president, secretary general, deputy secretary general, treasurer and chairperson - met in Pretoria to discuss the way forward. Before the debate on Tuesday, the ANC's officials are expected to meet the parliamentary caucus. The party's political committee, chaired by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, is also expected to meet. Opposition parties - the DA, Economic Freedom Fighters, United Democratic Movement and Congress of the People - are also said to be meeting before the debate. National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete and National Council of Provinces chairperson Thandi Modise addressed the media on Sunday, saying they appreciated the Constitutional Court's ruling on Nkandla as there was now legal certainty on reports by Chapter Nine institutions, such as the Public Protector. Unclear whether ANC MPs would be given free vote However, Mbete said Parliament did not owe Madonsela an apology following the court ruling. Tuesday's debate on the removal of the president in terms of section 89 of the Constitution will culminate in a vote. The motion has to be supported by at least a two-third majority of MPs. Opposition parties are said to be calling for a secret ballot, however, Parliament said a secret ballot was only used when electing a president, speaker or deputy speaker. It was unclear though whether ANC MPs would be given a free vote. A free vote is when MPs are given the opportunity to vote according to their own conscience instead of according to an official party line. Modise on Sunday said there would not be any influence over how MPs should vote.

2016-04-05 06:49 www.news24.com

45 Indian police receive life sentences for 1991 Sikh killings Forty-seven police officers have been sentenced to life in prison by a special court in India for killing 10 Sikh pilgrims in 1991 and then lying in an attempt to justify the shootings. Another 10 police officers also charged in the case have already died. The policemen were found guilty of staging a pre- arranged extrajudicial killing known as a fake encounter. Encounters are partly a response to India's slow and dysfunctional criminal justice system, correspondents say. Police often see cases evaporate as trials are delayed and witnesses turn hostile. The latest high-profile case to come to court dates back 25 years ago to when a group of Sikh families, including children, was travelling by bus through the state Uttar Pradesh in northern India after visiting holy sites. Police officers stopped the bus in Pilibhit and forced some of the men to get out. Later, joined by more policemen, they divided the Sikh men into groups, led them into the jungle and shot them dead. Why India's 'fake encounters' are shockingly common Afterwards, police lied about what happened. They claimed that the men were militants and armed - at the time, there had been a spate of attacks in the region by Sikh groups fighting for a separate homeland. The Central Bureau for Investigation (CBI) said that the motive for the killings was to earn awards and recognition for killing "terrorists", NDTV reported . The court in sentencing the men said that police officers who were holding important posts must be behind the killings , but the CBI had kept them away from the investigation, The Indian Express reported, The court said that the CBI officer investigating the case was not fully free to take decisions relating to it without constantly referring to his senior officers and that several people who should have been accused were instead set free or not charged. Relatives of those killed protested outside the courtroom against the sentences, which they argued were too lenient. "We are not satisfied with the judgment. The accused should be given death sentences. We will file an appeal," Balvinder Jeet Kaur, whose husband Baljeet Singh died in the encounter, told the Indian Express.

2016-04-05 02:46 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

46 Wisconsin up for grabs as Trump, Clinton seek upsets Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and his Democrat counterpart Hillary Clinton are underdogs to their feisty rivals as the Midwestern state of Wisconsin votes Tuesday in the US presidential primary race. The potentially pivotal contest is the first after a 10-day lull in the process that determines the parties' nominees for the November general election. Trump's main rival Senator Ted Cruz is eyeing the Badger State as a crucial firewall against the celebrity billionaire's march to an outright nomination victory. But should Trump, who is riding a wave of anti-establishment anger, manage to snatch a surprise victory there, he could snuff out Cruz's campaign. "If we do well here, folks, it's over," he claimed at a campaign stop Monday in the town of La Crosse. Like Trump, Clinton risks losing Wisconsin, where she faces a surging Bernie Sanders who has won five of the last six contests. But April could ultimately prove a sunny month for the former secretary of state. She leads Sanders by double digits in New York, which votes April 19, and Pennsylvania, which casts ballots a week later. Trump, the 69-year-old real estate mogul from New York, also leads handily in those states. Wisconsin, the birthplace of the Republican Party, is seen as Ground Zero for the anti-Trump movement. Halting him there would bolster Cruz, the 45-year-old conservative senator from Texas. For Cruz, "it's a very important win. For Trump, it's not a critical loss," University of Iowa professor Timothy Hagle told AFP. However, Trump has been in damage control this past week. Although his campaign had recently seemed bulletproof, his latest controversial statements -- on abortion, Cruz's wife and a journalist who said she was roughed up by Trump's campaign manager -- have further alienated women voters, polls indicate. - 'He treats everyone equal' - Cruz tried to cash in on Trump's recent campaign gaffes that seem to be alienating women voters. "He seems to have a problem with strong women," Cruz said on a Town Hall edition of Fox News Channel’s “Kelly File.” With polls showing Cruz leading in Wisconsin, Trump's wife Melania -- a former model of Slovenian origin -- joined him Monday at the Milwaukee Theater for a rare campaign trail speech, part of a likely effort to boost flagging support among women. "He's fair," insisted Melania Trump, 45. "As you may know by now, when you attack him, he will punch back 10 times harder," she said, but added: "No matter who you are, man or a woman, he treats everyone equal. " Trump doubled down on some of his recent controversial comments -- that the United States should consider leaving NATO and that Japan should be responsible for its own nuclear defense. He also offered a fresh economic doomsday prediction. "We're going to go into a massive recession," he warned. "But I also say, if I'm president that's not going to happen. " The winner of Tuesday's Republican primary will take most of the 42 delegates on offer. If Cruz wins, he will claim the victory as a turning point in the race, although he will have to struggle to overcome his delegate deficit. Currently, Trump has 739 delegates, Cruz 466 and Ohio Governor John Kasich 145, according to CNN's tally. A candidate needs 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination outright. Trump on Monday called for Kasich to "get the hell out" of the race. But Kasich has refused, insisting he would be the logical mainstream choice in the event of a contested convention in July. Trump predicted he could sew up the nomination before the confab in Cleveland. "I think we're going to get there on the 1,237 if you want to know the truth," he said. Cruz was also positive, telling Wisconsin voters that "our campaign still has a clear path" to crossing the delegate threshold before the convention. Some experts contested that assertion. "There's no chance he can get to 1,237," veteran election watcher Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia said of Cruz. "It's simply a matter of whether Trump gets to 1,237. If he does, it's over," he added. "If he doesn't, then we go on to other ballots (at the convention) and anything can happen. " Clinton spent Sunday and Monday morning in New York, returning only Monday night to Wisconsin, a possible sign of how she sees her chances there. "Between you and me, I don't want to get Hillary Clinton more nervous than she already is," Sanders quipped to voters in Janesville. "She's already under a lot of pressure. " "So don't tell her this, but I think we win here," he added, "we win in New York state, we're on our way to the White House. " Grassroots enthusiasm for the self-proclaimed democratic socialist remains high. But in order to prevail, he would need to win at least 60 percent of all remaining delegates.

2016-04-05 03:32 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk

47 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Azerbaijan threatens to shell Stepanakert Azerbaijan has threatened a "major attack" on the capital of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, amid clashes with ethnic Armenian separatists. Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov said troops had been instructed to target Stepanakert if the separatists did "not stop shelling our settlements". Nagorno-Karabakh warned that it would be met with a "very painful" response. Armenia, which backs the separatists, earlier warned that the fighting could spark a large-scale war in the region. President Serzh Sargysan said a renewed conflict would "affect security and stability not only in the South Caucasus, but Europe as well". US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, also expressed serious concern and called on both sides to stop fighting. The conflict that refuses to go away Azeris dream of return Nagorno-Karabakh profile The BBC's Rayhan Demytrie in Stepanakert says tensions are on the rise following the latest exchange of charged rhetoric between the warring parties on Monday. Mr Hasanov warned that Azeri forces would begin an artillery barrage on Stepanakert, which is home to about 50,000 people, if Armenian forces did not shelling populated areas. "Despite repeated warnings from the defence ministry, Armenia leaves no other way to Azerbaijan but take appropriate retaliatory measures in response to its inhuman steps," a statement on the Azeri defence ministry's website said. In response to the threat, the defence ministry of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh republic promised a crushing response. The Azeri defence ministry said Armenian forces had continued to shell military positions and villages near the frontline despite the ceasefire declared unilaterally by Azerbaijan on Sunday. Up to 170 Armenian troops had "neutralised" and 12 Armenian armoured vehicles destroyed, it added. However, an Armenian defence ministry spokesman dismissed the claim as a product of the Azeri military's "wild imagination", according to the Associated Press. The Armenian defence ministry reported that an Azeri drone had attacked a bus carrying Armenian "volunteers" to Martakert district, killing five people. Hundreds of people from across Armenia have reportedly signed up in recent days to join the conflict. A Nagorno-Karabakh military spokesman meanwhile said 20 Armenian troops had been killed since the fighting escalated on Saturday, while 26 others were missing, the Mediamax news agency reported. None of the claims could be independently verified. Fighting between the two sides began in the late 1980s and escalated into full-scale war in 1991 as the Soviet Union collapsed, killing about 30,000 people before a ceasefire in 1994. Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies inside Azerbaijan but is controlled by ethnic Armenians, has since run its own affairs with Armenian military and financial backing, but clashes break out on a regular basis. Nagorno-Karabakh profile

2016-04-05 02:46 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

48 Panama Papers leak not specifically directed against Russia – ICIJ head “As you see now, it wasn’t a story about Russia. It was a story about the offshore world,” Gerard Ryle, the head of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) told TASS. Ryle’s statement comes in stark contrast to international media coverage of the “largest leak in offshore history.” Although neither Vladimir Putin nor any members of his family are mentioned in the papers, many outlets chose the Russian president’s photo to illustrate the revelations when leading with the story. For instance, the British media appeared unified in their efforts to bash Putin, while at the same time turning a blind eye to the fact that Prime Minister David Cameron’s father was included in the lists of those allegedly complicit in tax evasion. Some 76 percent of British media outlets mentioned the Russian president by name in their stories, while only 24 percent noted Cameron’s family role in the illicit offshore dealings. “Such ‘leaks,’ in our view, are meant to target audiences overseas. It is also clear that the degree of Putinophobia has reached a point where to speak well about Russia, or about some of its actions and successes, is impossible. One needs to speak [about Russia] in negative terms, the more the better, and when there's nothing to say, you need to make things up. This is obvious to us,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, commenting on the mass anti-Putin media hysteria triggered by the publications. Speaking about the extent to which the information on secret offshore deals will be revealed, Ryle stressed that the consortium and its media partners will not make all the data they possess public. “We haven’t disclosed the whole database and we’re not going to,” said Ryle. ‘Unfortunately no info on American politicians’ The papers unveiled the offshore assets of some 140 politicians and public servants all over the world, including 12 incumbent and former world leaders, but will not provide a glimpse into the life of the US political elite, as there’s no such information in the batch, Ryle confirmed. “[The] Panama documents do not contain data on American politicians,” he told TASS, adding that they won’t be publishing any material on US politicians in future. “Unfortunately, we do not have such data,” he said. However, Ryle did hint that the consortium is yet to publish info on “many Americans” when addressing the surprising absence of US citizens’ names in the leak. Following the publication of the papers by several major outlets on Sunday, the Panama authorities announced they would be launching an investigation into the offshore activities of companies registered by the Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca. “The facts described in national and international communication media publications under the term ‘Panama Papers’ will be the subject of criminal investigation,” the state prosecutor’s office stated on Monday. The country’s president, Juan Carlos Varela, pledged to cooperate with “whatever government and whatever investigation” in an attempt to “defend the image of the country,” which has long been known as a “tax haven.” READ MORE: Panama Papers: German paper publishes ‘biggest leak in history’ on corruption In Iceland, thousands of people took to the streets of the capital Reykjavik to rally for the ouster of PM Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, who had reportedly failed to declare his stake in an offshore company, jointly owned by him and his wife. Despite the PM’s claims that the company was in fact paying taxes to the state budget, enraged citizens demanded a no-confidence vote and new elections. The documents, which have been making headlines since Sunday, were initially leaked to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) a year ago by an unknown hacker. According to the paper, the hacker wasn’t interested in financial compensation. SZ then forwarded the documents to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists for closer analysis.

2016-04-05 06:27 www.rt.com

49 Tokai murder accused apply for bail Cape Town - The four men charged with killing Franziska Blöchliger in the Tokai Forest in Cape Town, are expected to formally apply for bail in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. The body of Blöchliger, 16, was found in Tokai Forest on March 7. The teen had been robbed of her iPhone, watch, headset and diamond ring. Prosecutor Kepler Uys said at their first appearance that the accused were linked via witnesses and were found in possession of her belongings. During their second appearance last month, people in the courtroom spat, hissed and shouted at the four. Uys said they had obtained bail information and would oppose bail for all four. The defence had raised concerns about accused number four facing all charges. He was initially arrested on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property. However, Magistrate Hafiza Mohamed said he could not be excluded from the crime of murder and rape. He confirmed that all four faced charges of murder, rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Following Blöchliger's murder her father announced on Facebook that the family was leaving South Africa to find inner peace.

2016-04-05 06:20 www.news24.com

50 Livonia - News This feed's current articles are shown below. Subscribe for updates to all the content available in this feed, or click through here to see the original article. From organization to advocacy, here’s how to be successful Police say Joshua Palmer has been found. He was reported missing Thursday. Documentary film aims to understand the pain of social rejection A judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Canton cops in a murder- suicide case Family-business still has several hurdles to clear before property is sold to developer Veteran soccer refs blame social media, culture of disrespect and ‘win-at-all-costs’ mentality for dwindling pool of officials College player — also a ref and coach — says education ‘from the top’ is key to giving fan anger a red card. Shocking headlines dominate the news as a murder trial unfolds. Dark secrets are revealed. Pain turns to sorrow. Questions linger. What went wrong that day? What if? Reporters Aileen Wingblad and David Veselenak search for answers in interviews with convicted murderers Nancy Seaman and Lakeshia Valdez. This is the third and final month of the summer with a Supermoon. It's when a full or new moon coincides with the moon's closest point to Earth in its orbit. Basically, the moon appears bigger and brighter than usual in the night sky. The Farmington Hills council Monday approved a PUD for the Sarah Fisher property. Windows of four vehicles shattered at Telegraph Road dealership in Redford. Four suspects were sentenced to jail and/or probation. The council will take up the proposed development at the former school on April 4. The Farmington Art Foundation festival features more than 200 paintings. Angels Above has made more than 10,000 care packages. There’s plenty of activities taking place at the library. A teen says her father threatened her with a metal broom and a knife Westland’s Wild chosen for fellowing to train at Harvard Business School

2016-04-05 05:10 rssfeeds.hometownlife.com

51 Analysis: Choice of Jewish PM undercuts long-held accusations of state anti-Semitism in Ukraine A prominent Jewish politician in Ukraine has been tapped to replace the embattled and increasingly unpopular Arseniy Yatsenyuk as prime minister, a move that does much to undercut persistent Russian propaganda over the past several years aimed at painting Kiev as being ruled by a junta of Nazis and fascists. Late last month, President Petro Poroshenko announced that he was considered parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Groysman to take the job as part of a far-ranging government shakeup that this week saw him dismiss Prosecutor- General Viktor Shokin and enter into a new coalition with the People’s Front and Batkivshchyna parties. The choice of Groysman has not been without controversy, with the Kyiv Post calling the Jewish politician a “loyalist” who “has pushed for legislation that plays into the hands of corrupt politicians, including bills reducing the anti-corruption prosecutor’s independence, exempting corrupt officials from responsibility for fraudulent property declarations, and allowing party leaders to get rid of elected members.” As for the Jewish community, they showed little excitement when he was chosen as parliamentary speaker two years ago. At the time, sources within the community confided in the Post that they did not believe that his appointment would have any significant impact in on Jewish issues. The ascension of the former Mayor of Vinnytsia, Regional Development, Construction and Communal Living Minister and Deputy Prime Minister was proof that Ukraine has become a more open and multi-ethnic country in which “every person can get any position independent of his ethnic origin,” Eduard Dolinsky, the Executive Director of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee, a lobbying organization, said at the time. “I think that it is just another proof that Ukraine is a normal multi-cultural society,” he told the Post. There is no reason to believe that anything has changed since 2014 but the matter still bears significance due to the propaganda barrage against Ukraine launched by Moscow in the wake of the 2013-2014 Maidan Revolution, which deposed a pro-Russian President. The Kremlin took pains to paint Ukraine as an anti-Semitic state abusing its Jewish population while as recently as last December, Poroshenko has lobbed back allegations of Russian state anti-Semitism. And while parliament under Groysman has passed laws honoring members of nationalist militias which western historians have stated collaborated with the Nazis (allegations denied by Ukrainians) and some of Kiev’s forces fighting Russian backed separatists have been linked to neo-Nazi groups, violent anti-Semitic incidents remain rare and the government has repeatedly promised to defend its Jewish citizens. In the end, the fact that a Jew can be nominated to serve as Prime Minister without his Judaism being a major issue shows just how far Ukraine has come.

2016-04-05 06:17 SAM SOKOL www.jpost.com

52 Health tourism is costing UK millions, say Brexit campaigners Health tourism from the European Union is costing the UK hundreds of millions a year, Brexit campaigners have claimed. Analysis by the Vote Leave campaign indicates that the UK pays an average of £723 million a year more to EU countries for treatment of UK nationals than it receives back for treating their citizens in British hospitals and surgeries. Figures released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request show that since 2007-2008, the UK has paid £6.18 billion to other EU member states for the treatment of British citizens in the EU, but received just £405 million from other EU countries for the cost of treating their citizens in the UK, a gap of £5.78 billion. Vote Leave claimed the £5.78 billion could have paid for the construction of 17 new hospitals or trained more than 70,000 nurses or almost 15,000 GPs. The Remain camp warned that the Brexit group's plans would mean Britons being forced to pay for emergency medical treatment they receive while on holiday in Europe. Under the present system, British nationals are entitled to a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), giving them the right to access state-provided healthcare on temporary stays at a reduced cost, or sometimes free in EU countries, while citizens of other member states can access NHS treatment. The Department of Health figures show that in 2014-2015 alone, the UK paid £667.4 million to other EU countries for the treatment of British citizens, but was able to recoup just £49.3 million for the cost of treating EU citizens in the UK, a deficit of £618 million - enough to employ an additional 4,458 NHS hospital consultants or to abolish prescription fees in England. Vote Leave chairwoman and Labour MP Gisela Stuart said: "The UK has been getting short changed by the EU for years. We hand over £350 million to Brussels every week but get less than half of that back - with strings attached. "On top of that, health tourism from the EU has cost us billions. This money could have been much better spent - it could have been invested to improve care for NHS patients. "If we vote Leave we will be able to stop handing over so much money to the EU and we would be able to spend our money on priorities here in the UK like abolishing prescription charges and investing in the NHS. " In 2014, there were 23 million visits by EU citizens to the UK and 43.8 million visits by British citizens to the EU and Vote Leave conceded it could be expected that the scheme would cost more to the UK. But Vote Leave cited 2014 figures showing there were 2.7 million EU citizens in the UK and just 1.1 million UK nationals in the other member states, suggesting the scheme should result in Britain receiving more money for their healthcare. The Remain campaign group Britain Stronger in Europe said Ms Stuart's comments showed the Brexit group wanted to end the EHIC system. Chief campaign spokesman James McGrory said: "I congratulate Vote Leave for their honesty in admitting that they would leave British holidaymakers out of pocket by forcing them to cover the cost of treatment in EU countries. "Falling ill away from home is worrying enough, and the European Health Insurance Card allows British families to access the best available care without having to worry about the costs. "Vote Leave clearly think that this policy is a price worth paying. But to leave Brits to face a massive bill on their sickbed miles away from home would be damaging and inhumane. "The millions of British people who holiday in, or go on business to Europe every year are safer and better off thanks to our membership of the EU, while leaving would put travellers at risk. " Former health secretary and Labour In For Britain chairman Alan Johnson said Brexit would put the NHS "in serious danger" and dismissed the Vote Leave analysis. " This is simply more desperate scaremongering from the Vote Leave campaign," he said. "These figures are hugely misleading and ignore the fact there are far more British pensioners choosing to retire in European countries than EU citizens retiring here. "As the governor of the Bank Of England and almost every reputable survey has pointed out, leaving the EU risks damaging our economy severely. It is upon a robust economy that a successful taxpayer funded health service depends. "

2016-04-05 06:17 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

53 Winners of Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion award announced Former foreign minister Moshe Arens – who was born in Kaunas, Lithuania but moved as a teenager to New York – will receive a special lifetime achievement award next month during a ceremony at the Knesset honoring exemplary olim, Nefesh B’Nefesh announced on Monday. Six other immigrants were named as the recipients of this year’s Sylvan Adams Bonei Zion (Builders of Zion) prize by the organization, which promotes aliya in North America and England. The $10,000 prize, which honors those who have excelled in the fields of science and medicine, education and nonprofit work, national or military service, business, technology and culture, and arts and sport, was established in 2013. Arens, spent his first years in Lithuania and Latvia before coming to America, served in the US Army and studied at MIT prior to making aliya in 1948 and joining Menachem Begin’s underground Irgun military organization. He subsequently helped to found the Herut party, the forerunner of the Likud. During his distinguished career, he served as both defense and foreign minister, and ambassador to Washington. He has published two books and served as chairman of the Teuza venture capital fund. Longtime Jerusalem Post cartoonist Yaakov Kirschen, whose daily strip Dry Bones has run in the paper for four decades, won the prize in 2014 for his contributions to Israeli arts and culture. Jerusalem Post columnist and solar energy pioneer Yosef Abramowitz was also recognized that year for his work in the technology sector. The other winners this year include: Science and Medicine: Prof. Howard (Chaim) Cedar of the Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Cedar discovered a layer of “annotation” that marks the genetic text passed down from one’s parents which “marks genes as being either active or silent, and constitutes the cornerstone of human development.” Entrepreneurship and Technology: Scott R. Tobin is general partner at Battery Ventures, a venture capital firm, who was named to Forbes’s Midas List of top venture capitalists. Community and Non-Profit: Dr. Rachel Levmore is being honored for her work as the director of the Agunah and Get-Refusal Prevention Project of the International Young Israel Movement and the Jewish Agency for Israel, an initiative which she founded. Her work involves freeing woman who are “chained” in marriages by husbands who refuse to provide the required Hebrew divorce document, known as a “get”. Education: “Barbara Levin began, in 1976, as principal of the First Traditional School, where pluralistic Jewish subjects were included in the curriculum for children from both secular and observant families. The school grew from a group of 33 to 300 pupils and served as the prototype for schools that wanted to adopt its unique curriculum. Today, there are 96 schools, 134 nursery classes, and some 35,000 pupils in the TALI educational system,” wrote Nefesh B’Nefesh. IDF and National Service Young Leadership: Former lone soldier Staff Sgt. Sahar Elbaz served in the Givati Brigade, with which he fought in Gaza, defending his comrades by refusing an order to take cover, and killing four out of five terrorists who attacked his unit. Culture, Sports and Arts: Estelle Friedman was the longtime producer of the television show More About English before becoming director of production at Israel Educational TV, where she “touched the lives of millions of young people and adults, and contributed to the education of Israelis as well as the creation of a culture of values of Israeli society.”

2016-04-05 06:12 SAM SOKOL www.jpost.com

54 Cancer patient shares graphic photos in call for pot to be legalised 'I wasn't functioning as a parent. They were making me ill. They were literally killing me,' Mr Lawrence said. 'I had a hangover for 2.5 days and vomited violently and sweated (for days) for taking sleeping pills and painkillers for too long. 'I couldn't get out of bed to take the kid to school.'

2016-04-05 06:04 Daniel Piotrowski www.dailymail.co.uk

55 Thermomix competitor Magimix is coming to Australia For the past decade, Thermomix has been untouchable. But this month, the cult kitchen appliance is set to get some fierce competition from a similar product. French company Magimix has announced it will be launching its own 'thermo-machine' to rival the Thermomix, called the Cook Expert. The new thermo-competitor is being launched this month and will retail for $2099, $10 more than the price of the original Thermomix. Scroll down for video The company even claims that its Cook Expert has two more functions than the Thermomix, as well as a full food processor attachment. 'The Cook Expert has many more additional features to the current competition, offering food processor, juicer and dicer capabilities as well as professional quality and a 30-year motor warranty which is one of the highest of any small appliance in the market,' a Magimix spokesperson told News.com.au. The Thermomix is well known for its 10-in- one nature and functions that include chopping, whipping, kneading, blending, steaming and precise cooking. Unlike the Thermomix, which is only sold through consultants having Thermomix 'parties' and inviting friends, Magimix will be sold in retail outlets. It hasn't been confirmed which retail outlets will stock the Cook Expert, but other Magimix products are currently sold in specialty cooking stores and chain Wheel and Barrow. Magimix launched the Cook Expert in France a year ago, where they quickly gained market share in the country. Magimix may prove to be a serious competitor for the Thermomix given the recent incidents of the machines exploding and seriously injuring those cooking. Earlier in the year Danika Jones, a mother from Perth, suffered horrific burns and had to be rushed to hospital when her Thermomix lid burst off. Other customers have claimed the have experienced similar malfunctions and been silenced by Thermomix.

2016-04-05 06:04 Lauren Ingram www.dailymail.co.uk

56 Poland - Factors to Watch April 5 Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours): BONDS Poland's finance ministry will publish bond supply for Thursday auction at around 1300 GMT. CONSTITUTIONAL COURT The paralysis in Poland's constitutional court puts Warsaw at risk of a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights, the head of the rights body the Council of Europe said on Monday. CCC, LPP March was a relatively bad month in terms of sales for the leading Polish retailers LPP and CCC, and the whole first quarter may show weak results, Parkiet daily said, citing analysts and companies monthly reports. GE The medium-sized mutual fund Altus may be again interested in buying its rival BPH TFI, which still owned by General Electric after it sold its Polish unit Bank BPH, excluding the fund and mortgage portfolio, Parkiet daily said. AMAZON Amazon plans to hire 1,000 people in Poland in 2016 on top of 4,500 workers it already employs, its operational director for Europe Steven Harman told Rzeczpospolita daily. ****Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.**** For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E. Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX ($1 = 3.7962 zlotys)

Romania - Factors to watch on April 5 dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 06:01 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

57 Social media has a field day with sad Michael Jordan Twitter users waited on baited breath to see who would be victorious in the NCAA March Madness championship game between Villanova and University of North Carolina on Monday night. Not to see who would walk away on top - but so they could unleash crying Micheal Jordan memes. On Monday night Jordan, who was at the game in Houston, Texas, watched his alma mater come up short in a buzzer beater win by Villanova, 77- 74. Within seconds, Twitter was having a field day posting the infamous Michael Jordan crying meme. The meme was born from Jordan's 2009 basketball's hall of fame induction when he gave a tear-stained speech. A few years later, at the hands of the Internet, the meme rose to fame. And on Monday night Twitter was at the ready to unleash the Space Jam star's meme as soon as UNC lost. 'UNLEASH YOUR CRYING JORDANS,' one Twitter user wrote. Another said: 'Gonna be a record-setting night for Jordan cry faces.' Immediately the image of Jordan's crying face superimposed on to the heads of the UNC team was tweeted out. Another showed Jordan in the crowd, with the weeping face photoshopped on to his head. One Tweet showed the 'crying piccolo girl', a band member from Villanova who became a meme in her own right last year, juxtaposed with Jordan's tearful face. 'The tournament didn't decide this matchup. Fate did,' the user wrote. An interview shot with Jordan showed his crying face as the top of the reporter's microphone. Jordan scored the late jumper in 1982 that helped UNC beat Georgetown in the national championship game and give the late Dean Smith his first title as Tar Heels' coach. Jordan described his game-winning shot as 'where it all started' for him. 'That was birth of Michael Jordan,' he told Craig Sager. 'Before that I was Mike. All of a sudden I make that shot and I'm Michael.' Some clever Twitter users even photoshopped the Villanova piccolo player's face on to an image of Jordan sitting in the crowd. Another picture showed the Wikipedia page for UNC with Jordan's crying head in the center of the university's logo. Even though Villanova claimed the championship over UNC, the real winner of the night was the Internet thanks to the Jordan meme. 2016-04-05 05:59 Kalhan Rosenblatt www.dailymail.co.uk

58 In a nutshell: NATO chief vows to make US allies ramp up defense bills citing ‘Russian aggression’ While never mentioning the maker of the latest “obsolete NATO” remarks by name, on Monday both Barack Obama and Stoltenberg did their utmost to dismiss Donald Trump’s recent statements and defend the Cold War-era block’s supposedly crucial role in assuring the allies’ security. Obama described NATO as “a linchpin, a cornerstone of US security policy,” while Stoltenberg said it was “important as ever,” while ramming home the story that NATO “has been able to adapt” to a “more dangerous world.” The comments were made after a bilateral meeting in Washington, DC scheduled to mark the 67th anniversary of NATO – the first such high-level talks since the Paris and Brussels attacks. “Together, we are now implementing the biggest reinforcement through our collective defense since the end of the Cold War,” Stoltenberg said . The challenges discussed at the meeting ranged from countering Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorism in Libya, Syria, and at home, and training security forces in Afghanistan for “pushing back against the Taliban,” to dealing with the European migrant crisis and helping resolve the conflict in eastern Ukrainian. However, the reinforcements in question boiled down to one perceived threat: containing “a more assertive Russia, responsible for aggressive actions in Ukraine.” Indeed, Obama has backed quadrupling the budget of the so-called European Reassurance Initiative, as the Pentagon has announced a plan to deploy additional US Army troops and equipment in Eastern Europe in 2017, meaning that US military presence in Europe could soon amount to three fully operational army brigades. “This is really a strong example of the Transatlantic bond, how the United States is important for the security of Europe,” claimed Stoltenberg. The “reassurance” would come at a price, however, with US taxpayers potentially on the hook for the $3.4 billion requested by Obama from Congress, and the alliance’s chief now pushing European NATO member states to step up their commitment by coughing additional funding up for the block from their coffers. “I will work together with all the NATO allies to make sure that they make good on the pledge they made together to increase defense spending. And this is about that we have to invest more in our security when tensions increases, and therefore we have to make sure that we do what we promised, and that is to invest more in defense in the following years.” The US and NATO have been increasingly active in pushing for a stronger military presence in Europe, particularly in regions close to Russia’s border. They argue that this deployment is necessary to deter Moscow from making aggressive military moves. Commenting on the latest developments to Izvestia daily, Russia’s permanent representative to NATO, Aleksandr Grushko, noted on Thursday that alliance’s new advances contradict the spirit of the international treaties on mutual relations and military activity, which state that the Western military bloc is not to permanently station additional forces near Russian borders. He added that the plan to deploy new armored units in Eastern Europe would lead to “a significant deterioration of the situation in the military sphere,” vowing a “totally asymmetrical” response from Russia. “We are not passive observers, we consistently take all the military measures we consider necessary in order to counterbalance this reinforced presence that is not justified by anything,” Grushko said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama told reporters on Monday that NATO is currently in contact with Russia with regard to resolving the crisis in Eastern Ukraine, but only in the form of consultations. “NATO is consulting with Russia to reduce tensions and potential escalation,” the White House announced in a pool report. Obama then noted that both the US and NATO plan to further train and support the Ukrainian military in order to enhance its defense capabilities. “[US and NATO will] continue to be united in Ukraine in the wake of Russian incursions in the Ukrainian territory, [working in] a ‘train and assist’ fashion to help Ukraine develop its military capabilities defensively.” “That does not mean we are not continuing to work with Russia to try and find a resolution to the problems in Ukraine. We think it’s important to maintain a dialogue with Russia and in a very transparent fashion indicate the firmness of our resolve to protect our values and our allies,” the pool report quoted Obama as saying. The US has accused Moscow of military engagement in Ukraine, while Russia has repeatedly denied these claims. Kiev launched a military operation against militias in eastern Ukraine in April 2014 after they refused to recognize the new coup-installed government in Kiev. The confrontation has claimed over 9000 lives to date, according to UN estimates. Despite the second Minsk agreement of February 2015, which was aimed at suspending hostilities in the region and facilitating a political solution to the conflict, both sides occasionally breach the agreed upon ceasefire.

2016-04-05 05:55 www.rt.com

59 Rights groups condemn junta police powers for Thai soldiers An order by Thailand's junta giving sweeping police powers to soldiers is part of the "steady erosion of human rights protections", campaigners said on Tuesday, calling for the law to be rescinded. Last week the junta government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha issued an executive order awarding all soldiers ranked sub- lieutenant or higher the power to detain suspects for up to a week for a raft of different crimes. The military said the order was necessary to follow through on their vow to crack down on "mafia figures", adding there were not enough police officers to do the job. But the move has been criticised by rights groups who say it is a new judicial power grab by a military government that has clamped down on dissent since seizing power just under two years ago. In a joint statement released Tuesday, six groups, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists, condemned the move. "We have observed a steady erosion of human rights protections in Thailand since the military coup of 22 May 2014 and this order signifies another jarring movement in the same direction," said Wilder Tayler, secretary general of the ICJ. The comments were echoed by Brad Adams, Asia Director at HRW. "Instead of paving the way for a return to democratic rule, the Thai junta has broadened its powers to do almost anything it wants, including committing abuses with total impunity," he said. Prayut made the order under Section 44, a controversial power he granted himself allowing him to issue any executive order in the name of national security. Under the terms published in the Royal Gazette last week, soldiers can detain suspects without arrest warrants as well as seize assets, suspend financial transactions and bar suspects from travelling abroad. The order also says soldiers are not covered by laws monitoring police abuses, effectively handing them immunity from prosecution. Analysts say the order is the latest effort by the junta to chisel away at the powers of the police. Prayut seized power in May 2014 promising to tackle corruption and end the kingdom's damaging cycle of street protests, coups and toppled governments. But critics say the move was a power grab by arch-royalist generals jostling for power as the reign of the country's venerated and ageing King Bhumibol Adulyadej enters its twilight years.

2016-04-05 05:52 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk

60 AP Deleg Count-GOP Regions, 3rd Add,400 NORTHEAST Santorum +- Uninstructe +- Conn. 0 0 0 0 Maine 0 0 0 0 Mass. 0 0 0 0 N. H. 0 0 0 0 N. J. 0 0 0 0 N. Y. 0 0 0 0 Pa. 0 0 0 0 R. I. 0 0 0 0 Vt. 0 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 0 SOUTH Santorum +- Uninstructe +- Ala. 0 0 0 0 Ark. 0 0 0 0 Del. 0 0 0 0 D. C. 0 0 0 0 Fla. 0 0 0 0 Ga. 0 0 0 0 Ky. 0 0 0 0 La. 0 0 0 0 Md. 0 0 0 0 Miss. 0 0 0 0 N. C. 0 0 0 0 Okla. 0 0 0 0 S. C. 0 0 0 0 Tenn. 0 0 0 0 Texas 0 0 0 0 Va. 0 0 0 0 W. Va. 0 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 0 MIDWEST Santorum +- Uninstructe +- Ill. 0 0 0 0 Ind. 0 0 0 0 Iowa 0 0 0 0 Kan. 0 0 0 0 Mich. 0 0 0 0 Minn. 0 0 0 0 Mo. 0 0 0 0 Neb. 0 0 0 0 N. D. 0 0 0 0 Ohio 0 0 0 0 S. D. 0 0 0 0 Wis. 0 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 0 WEST Santorum +- Uninstructe +- Alaska 0 0 0 0 Ariz. 0 0 0 0 Calif. 0 0 0 0 Colo. 0 0 0 0 Hawaii 0 0 0 0 Idaho 0 0 0 0 Mont. 0 0 0 0 Nev. 0 0 0 0 N. M. 0 0 0 0 Ore. 0 0 0 0 Utah 0 0 0 0 Wash. 0 0 0 0 Wyo. 0 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 0 OTHER Santorum +- Uninstructe +- Am. Sma. 0 0 0 0 NoMaIs 0 0 0 0 Guam 0 0 0 0 PrtoRco 0 0 0 0 VirgIsl 0 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 0 TOTALS 0 0 0 0

AP Deleg Count-GOP States, 2nd Add,400 dailymail.co.uk

AP Deleg Count-Dem States, 1st Add,400 dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 05:52 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

61 Bizarre moment flight attendant deploys emergency slide and walks away A flight attendant inexplicably deployed the emergency slide of an airplane and left on foot after landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Monday morning. The woman's employer United Airlines said her decision flew in the face of the company's code of conduct. 'We hold all of our employees to the highest standard,' the airline said, and added that the flight attendant was removed 'from her flying duties,' according to Mashable . 'The unsafe behavior is unacceptable and does not represent the more than 20,000 flight attendants who ensure the safety of our customers.' The Boeing 737 departed from Sacramento, California and landed in Houston, Texas at 11:26am. Five minutes later, after the plane had taxied, the flight attendant made her surprising escape. 'When we landed ... we were told to stay in our seats as de-planing would take a bit longer,' passenger Jonah Vella told local news station Click 2 Houston . 'Everything seemed to be pretty standard.' The flight attendant was one of six crew members on board the plane, which carried 159 passengers. Click 2 Houston reported there was an ongoing medical emergency involving a passenger at the back of the plane at the same time as the stewardess skedaddled. After the incident, the plane was delayed for 40 minutes before it continued onto Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

2016-04-05 05:51 Anton Nilsson www.dailymail.co.uk

62 PP-GOP-Delg-All,100 0 of 3,852 precincts - 0 percent 0 of 42 Delegates allocated Donald Trump 0 - 0 percent Jeb Bush 0 - 0 percent Ben Carson 0 - 0 percent Rand Paul 0 - 0 percent Ted Cruz 0 - 0 percent Carly Fiorina 0 - 0 percent John Kasich 0 - 0 percent Marco Rubio 0 - 0 percent Chris Christie 0 - 0 percent Jim Gilmore 0 - 0 percent Mike Huckabee 0 - 0 percent Rick Santorum 0 - 0 percent Uninstructed 0 - 0 percent

PP-GOP-Pres-All,100 dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 05:43 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

63 AP Delegate Count,100 ------Changes------Total ElecDay 7days 30days Clinton 1,712 0 0 +576 Sanders 1,011 0 +2 +499 Uncommitted 158 0 -2 -13 O'Malley 0 0 0 0 Uninstructed 0 0 0 0 Needed to nominate..: 2,383 Total Delegate votes: 4,765 Chosen thus far.....: 2,881 Yet to be chosen....: 1,884 ------Changes------Total ElecDay 7days 30days Trump 737 0 0 +348 Cruz 475 0 +10 +171 Rubio 171 0 0 +18 Kasich 143 0 0 +106 Uncommitted 23 0 +14 +15 Carson 9 0 0 +1 Bush 4 0 0 0 Fiorina 1 0 0 0 Huckabee 1 0 0 0 Paul 1 0 0 0 Christie 0 0 0 0 Gilmore 0 0 0 0 Santorum 0 0 0 0 Uninstructed 0 0 0 0 Needed to nominate..: 1,237 Total Delegate votes: 2,472 Chosen thus far.....: 1,565 Yet to be chosen....: 907

2016-04-04 20:13 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

64 Report notes lapses between UN, groups linked to bribery scandal A UN report obtained by AFP highlighted regulatory lapses between the United Nations and outside groups linked to a Chinese real estate mogul who is accused of bribing former General Assembly president John Ashe. Ashe, who was General Assembly president for a year from September 2013, was arrested in October by US authorities for allegedly accepting $1.3 million in bribes from a billionaire developer Ng Lap Seng. Ng, from China's semi-autonomous city of Macau, is accused of using a foundation and non-governmental organisations to funnel bribes to UN diplomats in exchange for help promoting the construction of a proposed UN conference center in Macau. The confidential report by the Office of Internal Oversight Services obtained by AFP found that several groups linked to Ng's Sun Kian Ip group "had partnered with departments/offices of the secretariat in various ways. " The review gave the UN secretariat a rating of "partially satisfactory" for its compliance with UN rules and procedures regarding such partnerships. "A rating of 'partially satisfactory' means that important (but not critical or pervasive) deficiencies exist in governance, risk management or control processes," the report said. Among those lapses, OIOS investigators found that an official UN document had been modified without clearance from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon's office. And a UN employee and his wife went on a trip paid by a non-governmental organisation accused of being a front for the bribery scheme. A exhibition at the United Nations sponsored by one of the NGOs "could lead to the perception that the NGO was given preferential treatment of favor," the report added. Some UN staff members who received free iPads at an event co-sponsored by one of the NGOs finally gave them back after the audit was ordered, the report noted. This indicates "the need for dissemination of additional guidance to enhance staff members' awareness of their obligations in regard to gifts," it added. Ashe was arrested along with Francis Lorenzo, the UN deputy ambassador from the Dominican Republic, who heads South-South News, a UN-accredited media outfit that reports on development issues. The arrest of Ashe was a major blow to the United Nations, which is seeking to promote corruption-free good governance worldwide.

2016-04-05 05:38 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk

65 Harry Styles's secret air hostess girlfriend is pictured in New York Harry Styles ' alleged secret air hostess girlfriend was spotted out and about in New York for the first time since it was claimed that he cheated on her with Kendall Jenner. Megan Smith, 24, of Colorado, claims she struck up a romance with the One Direction star after she worked on his private jet during the band's On The Road tour last summer, The Sun reported. And in shocking claims from the flight attendant's friends, the 22- year-old's relationship with Megan allegedly overlapped with his tryst with 20-year-old Kendall. Scroll down for video Megan, who was reportedly unaware that he had spent New Years on a yacht in St Barts with the model, was seen leaving an apartment building in the Big Apple. Wearing a red jacket over a simple white tee with matching red lipstick, Megan smiled for the cameras as she walked down the street. With her long blonde locks loose around her face, she teamed fringed black boots with black jeans and a black scarf to complete her casual look. Earlier, a source told The Sun that Megan had been 'gutted' to find out about Harry's New Year's plans after he told her he had spent the holidays with friends and family. Speaking to the newspaper, the friend claimed Megan said: 'He blatantly lied to me about it.' See more on Harry Styles as his secret air hostess girlfriend is pictured in New York The reported love interest is believed to have won over Harry by not falling for his charms, with Megan reportedly saying: 'I fought with him and he really had to convince me otherwise and I don’t think he’s come across a girl who has been so hesitant to date him.' The turning point in their relationship came when the stewardess' mum suffered from a stroke and the History hitmaker became a shoulder to cry on. Harry reportedly took over her duties on the plane whilst she struggled to get her head around the tragic news which Megan reportedly claimed was 'part of the reason I fell in love with him.' A representative for Harry Styles declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. See more of the latest on Harry Styles and his secret romance with an air hostess The friend of the stewardess claims that when the alleged tryst began to grow serious 'he started referring to her as his girlfriend.' They added: 'Megan never asked him about other women because she accepted he was a rock star but she was madly in love and believed Harry felt the same.' Harry is reported to have ended his romance with the stunning blonde after she discovered his tryst with Kendall, negating earlier claims that they ended their relationship after a steamy picture sent to the star began to circulate on the internet, prompting him to believe that their tryst would be discovered. The insider said: 'Harry started hearing there was a chance the relationship would go public and he decided it was the right time to end things.' Megan, who toured with One Direction team between June and October, sizzled in her stunning social media snaps. In one pouting selfie, the stunning star appeared to be in air hostess garb, with a jaunty lilac neckerchief sitting at an angle on her slender neck. A navy crew neck top alluded to the uniform idea, while her hair was neatly and elegantly styled into a sleek side ponytail falling from a side parting. Far from her elegant air hostess look, Megan then shed her clothes and slipped into just a pair of tights while ditching her top for the busty image. Meanwhile, whilst Harry or Kendall have yet to confirm whether they are dating, rumors of their romance first began in 2013 when they were spotted enjoying a string of outings together. In an interview with the band in the same year, dubbed 1D Day to promote third album Midnight Memories, Piers Morgan asked Harry: 'Are you dating Kendall Jenner, yes or no?' The singer tentatively replied: 'I mean, we went out for dinner, but no. I guess.' Pushing for more, Piers continued: 'Did I hear in Los Angeles, a hot date? Budding romance?' while a flustered Harry responded: 'Dunno', before a male voice off-camera shouted 'move on! move on!' Prompting Harry to say: 'Yeah, let's move on shall we?' The pair were also photographed enjoying a steamy smooch on board of a luxury yacht in St Barts over the 2015/2016 New Year celebrations.

2016-04-05 05:34 Dailymail.com www.dailymail.co.uk

66 Police and sniffer dog at Sydney Central Station 'hassle' man filming The ‘nanny state’ debate has reignited after a man filming police and a sniffer dog ‘wasting’ resources was then 'hassled' by an officer. A man was changing trains at Sydney's Central Railway Station when he came across 10 police officers with a sniffer dog and began filming what he believed to be the use of excessive resources. Video then shows a Senior Constable approach the man and ask to see his ticket, before questioning the man's movements, suggesting he was 'suspicious' in light of the 'current terrorism climate', and even asking whether he had a mental health issue. According to the man filming, the exchange was evidence of ‘a real police state’. NSW Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia it was a 'drug detection operation'. Scroll down for video Video of the exchange about two weeks ago has been viewed more than 420,000 times since it was posted to the Save New South Wales Facebook page on Sunday. The man said he’d arrived at the train station from Gosford and was carrying luggage to head to Circular Quay for a cruise. He decided to film the police and dog, before an officer photographed him and another came over to check his ticket and ‘generally throw his weight around’, according to the man filming. ‘Is there any reason why you’re filming us, sir?’ the Senior Constable said. ‘Given the current terrorism climate and stuff sir, I’m just saying.’ The officer then asked for the man’s name, where and why he was travelling. ‘I respectfully decline to answer that question,’ the man said – pointing out he was not reasonably suspected to have committed a crime, witnessed a crime, nor had he been given an order to move on. The Snr Const then asked whether the man had ‘any mental health concerns’, before abruptly walking away with another uniformed officer. ‘Welcome to the fascist police state that we have in NSW. Well done Mike Baird,' the man wrote alongside the video. In his Facebook post, the man said he’d been made to feel as though he was doing something wrong. ‘I don’t for one minute believe this has anything to do with terrorism. The dog’s there to sniff out drugs, and if I had any, do they really think I’d stop and film the operation, thus opening myself up to this humiliation and scrutiny?’ However, not all viewers agreed with him. ‘So despite the recent terrorists acts across the world your [sic] complaining about police showing a presence in a major train station,’ one person wrote in the comment section. ‘Of course they are going to ask a guy with baggage standing in the middle of the station filming them for no reason a few general questions.’ Another mentioned it was not illegal to film in public, and said the Snr Const appeared to view the man ‘as being guilty until proven innocent’. Another commented the man was ‘being treated with suspicion for exercising his rights, also known as our rights’. A further commenter wrote she accepted ‘police need to be policed’ but couldn’t ‘see any value in this particular video’. She agreed the man filming had done nothing wrong, but that the video showed nothing more than that the Snr Const ‘needs more training’. NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge told Daily Mail Australia it was 'grossly inappropriate' for police to question a person's mental health 'simply because they are filming with a mobile phone in public'. 'It is perfectly lawful and reasonable to film police in a public place, especially in circumstances that demonstrate the waste of police resources in drug dog operations. 'Most people would want these police officers out there tracking down serious crime and apprehending violent offenders, not all standing around the one dog,' Mr Shoebridge said. 'To have 10 police officers and a drug detection dog on duty all to identify small scale drug possession offences is by no means an effective use of resources.' He called the incident 'aggressive policing'. In a statement from June 2015, Mr Shoebridge said the dogs were an ‘ineffective and resource-intensive police power’. ‘The inaccuracy of the drug dog program, the violations of civil liberties, and the inappropriate targeting of vulnerable people mean it should be stopped,’ the statement said. According to figures provided by NSW Police last year, ‘drug dogs falsely indicate the presence of drugs 64-72 per cent of the time’, according to the Greens MP. NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia the officer's questions 'were appropriate and all above board'. 'The officer's comments regarding terrorism were based on the current heightened alert level,' police said. NSW Police replaced RailCorp transit officers to provide security on public transport in May 2012.

2016-04-05 05:30 Rachel Eddie www.dailymail.co.uk

67 Bomb squad called out for strange device in Price PRICE, Utah — The Utah County bomb squad investigated a possible bomb last week, which turned out to be a homemade sex toy, the Sun Advocate newspaper reported Monday. On Friday, children found the strange-shaped object with batteries and wires behind the Pinnacle Nursing and Rehab Center, according to the newspaper site. Capt. Bill Barnes with Price police, told the Sun Advocate the kids were going through an unoccupied tent when they found the suspicious device and took it to adults at the nursing home. Staff at the center couldn’t identify the object. At that point, Sun Advocate reports, they took it to a field across Cedar Hills and called police. Police weren’t sure what the item was either so they called the Utah County bomb squad. “It was better to be safe than sorry,” Barnes told the Sun Advocate. Utah Highway Patrol and Carbon County Sheriff’s deputies also responded to assist while Cedar Hills Drive was blocked as authorities investigated the unidentifiable object. After inspection of the item it was determined the device was not a bomb. Barnes told the Sun Advocate the device was a homemade vibrating sex toy the occupant of the tent had fashioned. The item was returned to its owner, Barnes added.

2016-04-05 05:24 Tiffany DeMasters fox13now.com

68 Grassroots democracy feels the strain in Venezuela Every Tuesday night in the little mountain village of Monte Carmelo, in Lara state in eastern Venezuela, people crowd into the community hall. Toddlers sit on their mothers' laps. A gaggle of older children play on the pavement outside while latecomers stand at the doorways listening. This is a community council, where topics of discussion can range from national coffee prices to complaints about a farmer who lets his cows wander into the road. There are more than 30,000 community councils in Venezuela, according to government figures. These neighbourhood committees help to run government social projects and can apply for state funds for improvements to their local area. Supporters of Venezuela's Bolivarian revolution, the name given by the late President Hugo Chavez to his brand of socialist government, believe that community councils are a new form of grassroots democracy. But critics say they are part of a parallel state, which is unaccountable and undermines Venezuela's democratic institutions. Guadi Garcia comes from a family of rural labourers. She says the community council has given them a voice. "It's a way of organising ourselves so we can channel our demands to the government," she says. "It's participatory democracy. " The community council has helped get a new school and better homes for villagers. Most people in Monte Carmelo back the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro and his PSUV party but opposition supporters also participate in council meetings, she says. In the neighbouring village of Palo Verde, the split between government and opposition supporters is more evenly balanced. But unusually for a country as politically polarised as Venezuela, both sides work together. The community council helps to run a local clinic, which is part of a government scheme that puts doctors in poor areas. It is held on the porch of Maria Torres' home. Ms Torres supports the opposition and is a spokeswoman for the council. "We don't care what party anyone belongs to, we are all working together for the community," she says. But council members here are unhappy because their responsibility for distributing desperately needed state-subsidised food to villagers has recently been taken over by the PSUV's electoral campaigning wing, the Unidades de Batalla Bolivar-Chavez (UBCh). They allege that this organisation has been withholding food from people who voted for the opposition in parliamentary elections held in December. Milagro Colmenares is a PSUV member but says she was angered by what she saw other PSUV members doing. She says that even though the UBCh brought about 300 food vouchers, the council was given fewer than 30 to feed 120 families. "We made a complaint about this because food is something sacred, food should be for everyone," she says, but they have not yet received a response. Locals say that since their complaint food distribution has become fairer. The case illustrates the arbitrary and makeshift nature of Venezuela's new local power structures. Margarita Lopez Maya is a professor at the Central University of Caracas. She says that when the community councils were first set up they had to report to the elected local municipalities. But after 2006, when President Chavez's socialist revolution entered a more radical phase, they started reporting directly to the presidency. Prof Lopez Maya says that with the responsible power far away in Caracas, accountability was lost. "The government began building a state that was parallel to the state outlined in the constitution," she says. Under new laws passed by the socialist government, the councils were given more and more powers, by-passing the traditional municipal and regional authorities, she says. Some people have been pressured by their neighbours to join the PSUV and then become council members so that their council stands a better chance of getting funds, she alleges. Freddy Guevara, an opposition lawmaker in Venezuela's National Assembly, is also convinced that the government favours councils which back it politically. "It's a good idea that's been perverted and used only to subjugate the people to the will of the ruling party," he says. He says that because the definition of what constitutes a community council is not clear, the government can pick and choose which ones it recognises and which ones it does not. "You can be elected by your neighbours and follow all the steps outlined in the law, but the government has the last say," he explains. "If it doesn't recognise you, you can't have funds, you can't do anything. "

2016-04-05 02:46 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

69 Confused reality These notes reproduce themselves. Correspondents send me items I haven't seen, and provide material for another session on the keyboard. Monday morning there were several items in my inbox that led to this item in my outbox. Nothing provided anything new about issues that have been developing for some time, but the concentration of items provided further indications that the world can be a strange place, where up is down, black is white. One dealt with conditions on the better campuses of the US, where anti-Israel movements that come along with anti-Semitism receive better protection from university authorities that efforts of Jewish students to defend themselves. The item appeared in Arutz 7 , the settlers' media. No surprise that it was more shrill than other reports of the same phenomenon, but it does appear reliable. Another came from two separate sources, and reminds us of the bizarre nature of several of the organs associated with the United Nations. The report originated with one of the Jewish organizations that sees news of madness as the best way of combating it. There is a substantial industry of International Jewish and Israeli organizations dedicated to countering political animosity. There may be no easy victories in this war by resolution countered by exposure of the absurd. So far, however, we are not losing where it counts. "The UN Commission on the Status of Women concluded its 60th annual session in New York by condemning only Israel – and no other nation in the world – as an abuser of women’s rights. . .. (What the Commission did not condemn were) Palestinian women . . . murdered and subjugated for the sake of male honor, Saudi women (who) can’t drive, Iranian women . . . stoned to death for so-called ‘adultery,’ Egyptian women (who) have their genitals mutilated and Sudanese women give (who) birth in prison with their legs shackled (on account of) . . . being Christian ,” Also in my mail during the most recent 24 hours was an announcement of a conference organized by an institute associated with Bar Ilan University. Among the topics would be Current Threats International Constraints and Opportunities Intelligence Challenges Retaining Conventional Superiority While Countering Unconventional Threats Israeli Resilience On Conscientious Objectors, Rabbis, and Unnecessary Panic Order of Battle Operational Concepts Changes Needed in the IDF American Influence on the IDF Another item, also received Monday morning, reported on a speech given by the prominent French intellectual, Bernard-Henri Lévy. While receiving yet another award from an international Jewish organization, Levy described three prominent themes in the current popularity of anti- Semitism. Demonetization and delegitimazation of Israel Denial of the Holocaust Assertions that Jews are preoccupied with their own suffering and are blind to the suffering of others Jews have described what is now labeled anti-Semitism and have pondered its source at least since Josephus described its appearance in the Greek community of Alexandria during the first century. His Against Apion indicates that it existed before the stories of the New Testament began to promote Christian anti-Semitism. Historians argue whether Christians or Muslims were more prone to blame Jews for their own problems. It's generally thought that Christians were more hostile prior to modern times, but Jews from Muslim countries also have stories of family suffering. A late friend who was a neighbor in French Hill told of growing up in Mashhad, Iran, where his family was one of those in the 19th century that chose Islam rather than death, but lived secretly as Jews and married only other secret Jews until freed from the masquerade by a governmental reform in the 1920s. While the Holocaust may have brought about a renunciation of anti-Semitism by Christian Churches , the independence of Israel and its defense against Arab animosity produced the ascendance of anti-Semitism among Muslims. And even more recent is the signing on to the Palestinian narrative by some of the more upscale Protestant Churches. It may be in bad taste to claim that Israelis and other Jews are crying all the way to the bank. However, the reality is that this country, and Jews generally, are living better than those who cannot tolerate us. Jealousy was always part of the enmity. Jews as a group may not have been more well to do than their neighbors throughout history, but there were often Jews who were prominent, and targets of enmity, due to their wealth and their closeness as financiers, advisers, physicians, or lawyers to powerful non-Jews. It's not hard to find articles via Google about Jews' successes in life expectancy, economic, cultural, and academic achievements. The International Monetary Fund ranks Israel as the 22nd most wealthiest country according to its GDP per capita. Currently it ranks on that measure higher than Japan and several countries of Western Europe. Rankings of universities generally show the Hebrew University, Technion, Weizmann Institute, and Tel Aviv University among the leading universities of the world. They may not rival the most prestigious American or British universities. According to one prominent ranking, however, the Hebrew University scores ahead of several prominent European universities, and two Ivy League institutions where tuition is 15 times higher what it is here. Modesty has never been among our faults. The creation stories of numerous tribes put themselves at the center of history, but it's our claims of being God's Chosen that has gotten the most publicity. It's also one of the items that provokes ridicule and worse. But here we are, many of us looking at the Bible's view of history with more than a grain of salt, and doing what we can to keep the rabble at bay. It adds to the irony and our cynicism that the rabble includes professional colleagues in distinguished universities, with some of them being Jews. Comments welcome -- Ira Sharkansky (Emeritus) Department of Political Science Hebrew University of Jerusalem [email protected]

2016-04-05 05:16 IRA SHARKANSKY www.jpost.com

70 Marisa Tomei wears white as she's honoured at MCC Theater Miscast Gala Marisa was effortless in a head-to-toe cream ensemble, complete with wide leg trousers. The 51-year-old beauty played up her ageless features with a deep, smokey eye and nude lip. The Captain America: Civil War star made a bold statement with a set of chandelier earrings and a maroon, fringe bag. In a statement to Playbill, the actress was appreciative of her honouree status. 'My experience with MCC has guided me ever since [her role as Blue in Beirut],' she sad. 'The relationships I made, the knowledge I gained – so much of that is still a part of my life today. 'I am thrilled to be honored at the Midcast Gala and play a role in this celebratory night supporting the essential work that defines MCC Theater.' 2 Broke Girls star Beth Behrs, who was set to perform that evening, wore a sheer, Victorian-inspired top complete with floral appliques. The blonde beauty, 30, tucked in her frilly blouse into a pair of high waist pants, and accessorized with a gold clutch. For make-up, the star highlighted both her eyes and lips, opting for a smokey look for her peepers and a red shade for her pout. Also present was Vinyl star Bobby Cannavale. The talented actor, whose 20-year-old son Jake is a Broadway star, was sharply dressed for the evening. The 45-year-old father-of-two looked dapper in a grey jacket suit and vest, layered over a black dress shirt.

2016-04-05 05:15 Brittany Valadez www.dailymail.co.uk

71 Unions to present plan to save steel jobs The Business Secretary will travel to Mumbai today to meet the chairman of steel giant Tata as efforts to save thousands of jobs are stepped up. Sajid Javid will hold talks with Cyrus Mistry to discuss details of the sales process for the firm's UK steel operations. The Indian conglomerate made a shock decision last Tuesday to sell its loss making UK business, threatening thousands of redundancies. Mr Javid was in Australia on a business trip when the announcement was made, leading to union claims that he had "taken his eye off the ball. " Mr Javid will take part in meetings in London before flying to India. He will join the Prime Minister in Downing Street in the morning at a meeting with the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones and later is expected to hold talks with union leaders. They are drawing up a plan to keep steelmaking, especially in Port Talbot, the country's biggest steel plant which employs 4,500 workers. Mr Javid held "productive " talks with Tata on Monday, saying that progress was being made. Meanwhile, unions will present a plan aimed at saving jobs in the crisis-hit steel industry as efforts continue to find a buyer for Tata's UK plants. Community, Unite and the GMB are also planning to meet Mr Javid to outline their proposals to ease the threat of mass redundancies. Opposition parties will step up calls for Government action, while potential buyer the Liberty Group will have further discussions with Tata and Government ministers. Mr Javid said he had a "productive" meeting with senior Tata executives on Monday, insisting that progress was being made. Sanjeev Gupta, the head of the Liberty Group, said he had "very encouraging" talks with the Government and raised the possibility of taking over the Port Talbot steelworks without huge job losses. Mr Gupta said he believed jobs at Port Talbot could be saved if at least 700 workers in its blast furnaces were retrained. "We've never undertaken anything which requires redundancies - I won't undertake something which will require mass redundancies," he said. The unions will set out demands to the Government including helping to secure Tata's customer base, and guaranteeing production of its steel operations so that customers are not lost following the company's shock announcement to sell its UK assets. The Government will also be urged to work to ensure the integrity of the business is guaranteed, because allowing Tata or other investors to cherry-pick assets will put steelmaking at risk, unions believe. The business needs the investment originally planned by Tata - understood to be £1.5 billion over 10 years - said a union statement, adding: "This level of investment should be achievable given that any buyer would be gaining control of assets worth £4 billion. "But Government support is needed to bridge the 2-3 years it will take to get back to self-sustainability. " The unions have engaged steel industry advisers Syndex UK to help develop its plans. David Cameron will come under fresh pressure to nationalise the Port Talbot steelworks until a private buyer can be found when he holds face-to-face talks with First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones in Downing Street. The Prime Minister insisted the UK is doing all it can to find a long-term solution for the giant South Wales plant and the Government would make it "as attractive as possible" to investors. But Mr Jones said he would be asking Mr Cameron to provide an assurance that the Government would take Tata Steel's plants in Wales into public ownership until an investor comes forward. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will insist that the Government should put taxpayers' money into the industry. He will tell a campaign meeting in Harlow: "We are calling on the Government to accelerate investment for £35 billion of already agreed infrastructure projects and to build them using British steel. "

'Steely' Clark seen as a natural for UN top job dailymail.co.uk 2016-04-05 05:13 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

72 Demining Palmyra: Russian experts defuse over 100 mines in ancient Syrian city (VIDEO) READ MORE: Missing monuments: Before & After pics of Palmyra show what ISIS has destroyed “Within last 24 hours, the engineers have cleared 4 hectares of the historical part of the city. They have defused 108 explosive devices,” reads a statement from the Russian Centre, which is aimed at reconciling the opposing sides and tasked with overseeing compliance by all parties to the Syrian conflict’s cessation of hostilities agreement. It was reported earlier that experts from the International Mine Action Centre of the Russian Armed Forces had successfully detected and defused explosive devices that had been planted inside vital infrastructure in Palmyra, such as power stations and hospitals, as well as historic sites. In total, 120 explosive devices were rendered safe and 1.1 kilometers of roads were cleared of explosive devices. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, which once attracted over 150,000 tourists per year, now lies in shambles. Since its capture by Islamic State in May of 2015, the city has suffered a lot. Its famous Arch of Triumph, a major lure for sightseers, was blown up, and many temples and gravesites were looted or destroyed in so-called “cultural cleansing.” The city was finally liberated by Syrian ground troops on March 27. The Russian Air Force struck some 2,000 IS positions, destroying the terrorists’ artillery and preventing convoys from Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor from reinforcing the ailing Islamic State forces there. In the course of the joint Syrian-Russian operation, Aleksandr Prokhorenko, a 25-year-old Russian special forces serviceman, called fire upon himself when he was compromised by the militants. The officer, dubbed “Russian Rambo” by the media, was tasked with guiding Russian warplanes to terrorist targets. In total, nearly 3,000 explosive devices, many hidden under roads, were rigged in Palmyra, according to the sappers working on the ground. If they all went off at once as intended, they could theoretically blow up the entire city. The recapture of the historic site, which is of strategic importance due to its location, is considered to be Damascus’ most significant recent military achievement in its civil war with opposition and jihadist forces.

2016-04-05 05:08 www.rt.com

73 Monaco wins first-round match at US Clay Court Championship HOUSTON (AP) — Juan Monaco beat Gerald Melzer 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4 on Monday night in the first round of the U. S. Men's Clay Court Championship. Monaco won the tournament in 2012. It was Melzer's 2016 Tour debut after winning three Challenger Series titles. American Denis Kudla also advanced, fighting off Germany's Mischa Zverev 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (2). South Korean teenager Hyeon Chung squandered a second-set match point, then made short work of Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-0. Chung, 19, played in just his fifth ATP World Tour main-draw match. Currently ranked 71st, he was named the ATP's Most Improved Player of the Year for 2015.

2016-04-05 05:07 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

74 Horrifying video shows Miami man attempting to run biker off the road A new video shows a man from Miami, Florida, trying to run a motorcyclist off the road three times as they speed through traffic. The video, originally posted to YouTube by user Roni G, shows the motorcyclist driving when a red car swerves in front of him. It is unclear if 'Roni', who commented on the video saying it was him on the motorcycle, did something to provoke the driver. Commenters on the video say he previously had a video on his page called 'messing with cars', which he has since deleted. 'Please understand everyone, that I'm not an experienced rider. 'I will admit when I am wrong. All of this stuff wasn't on purpose but an attempt to get away. I didn't chose to (go into) on coming traffic, he blocked my path in both lanes. 'I didn't want to harm myself or other people. No one got hurt. Everyone, even the guy, goes home. 'A police report is the most I will do. No one got hurt and everyone goes home. That's the end goal. 'If I was more experienced then, yes, it could have been different, but I was in fear for my life and panicking,' Roni wrote. The video starts showing Roni driving between a semi-truck and a sedan before he makes it on to an open road. Then, a red Ford Focus swerves into his path. As Roni tries to get away, but the car continues to weave into his path. Once he makes it past he starts to speed and turns right down a road before the Ford driver catches up. Again, he tries to swerve into the path of Roni. A bald man in a long-sleeve orange shirt sticks his head out of the window and appears to say something to Roni as he again drives past. Roni flees and then begins driving on the wrong side of the road in an attempt to prevent the man from swerving into him. Eventually he changes back into the correct lane and the man catches up to him again. The man in the car holds a phone out the window, seemingly recording Roni as he drives. They both exchange words, which are not intelligible in the video, but they give each other rude gestures and middle fingers. The video ends with Roni speeding away. It is unclear if a police report has been filed against the men.

2016-04-05 05:05 Kalhan Rosenblatt www.dailymail.co.uk

75 The Bachelor Richie Strahan does weights session shirtless He's just started on his quest for true love as Australia's latest Bachelor. And Richie Strahan has shown what the lucky ladies will be vying for, sure to get hearts racing with his rugged good looks, sweet personality and incredibly muscular body. On Tuesday, the hunky 30-year-old showed just how he maintains his jaw-dropping physique, partaking in a weights session without his shirt on while at the show's private compound in Sydney. Scroll down for video Wearing nothing but blue shorts, the reality star flexed as he lifted 20kg dumbbells in each hand as his rippling biceps and veins protruded under the strain of his effort. The mining technician went barefoot for his workout too and appeared to not even break a sweat as he conditioned his muscles. News broke that Richie would be Australia's fourth Bachelor four weeks ago, making his announcement to The Daily Telegraph on March 9. See Bachelor updates as Richie Strahan does weights session shirtless 'To be honest I couldn't believe they called me up to ask,' he told the newspaper. 'I'm a very private person and it's a really big decision to put yourself out in the public arena again.' His appearance on the hit dating series comes following being placed as runner-up while competing for Sam Frost's heart on The Bachelorette. Several hours later Richie posted a new promotional snap of himself holding a rose on Instagram, along with the caption: 'Can't wait to start this adventure as The Bachelor! 'I hope to meet someone amazing. This will be a wild experience, get excited!' The hunk will follow in the footsteps of previous incumbents, Tim Robards, Blake Garvey and Sam Wood - all of whom have found love on the show.

2016-04-05 05:00 Sophie Goulopoulos www.dailymail.co.uk

76 Donaldson homers as Blue Jays beat Rays 5-3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Kevin Pillar chased a drive deep into the left-center gap and extended his arm above his head before leaping to make the catch and falling into the wall. The high-scoring Toronto Blue Jays hit three home runs to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Monday night, but the center fielder's defensive gem — robbing Steve Pearce of an extra-base hit in the eighth inning — was the highlight of the game. "Does it get any better than that? But I've seen it before," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "Nothing surprises me. He's that good. ... That's how you win games. Not only do you have to make plays but you have to take away hits. " Josh Donaldson, Michael Saunders and Josh Thole homered for the Blue Jays. R. A. Dickey (1-0) allowed three runs and six hits over five-plus innings, and Pillar's catch helped the bullpen prevent the Rays from rallying late. "Right when I took my last step, I knew it was going to be a tough play, and I knew diving was out of the question; the wall was there," Pillar said. "I think just athleticism and body awareness took over and I was able to tip my head just in time" to avoid hitting the wall face-first. "As soon as you have a moment of fear, you don't make a play like that," Pillar added. "That's what I'm out there to do; I'm out there to make plays. " All three of Toronto's home runs were hit off Drew Smyly, with Donaldson connecting for a solo shot in the fifth inning, Saunders delivering a two-run homer in the fourth and Thole going deep on a third- inning drive that umpires initially ruled a double after a fan interfered by catching the ball before it reached the stands. The call was reversed after a replay review, erasing a 1-0 Tampa Bay lead. Roberto Osuna, the fifth Blue Jays pitcher, worked a perfect ninth for his second save. Smyly (0- 1), limited to 12 starts a year ago when he spent much of the season on the disabled list due to left shoulder tendinitis, allowed five runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. "He just got beat up by the long ball," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. The left-hander walked one and struck out five. "I can't let that happen, two home runs to two different lefties in the lineup," Smyly said. "They have enough hard-hitting righties. I can't let those lefties beat me. " Donaldson hit.297 with 41 homers and 123 RBIs in 2015. The reigning AL MVP helped the Blue Jays win 93 games and advance to the AL Championship Series in their first playoff appearance since 1993. Troy Tulowitzki had a sacrifice fly after homering during the Blue Jays' 5-3 victory on opening day. Monday night's game drew a crowd of 15,116 to Tropicana Field, a little less than half of Sunday's announced sellout of 31,042. Steven Souza Jr. homered for the Rays. Kevin Kiermaier had three hits and drove in a run. TRAINER'S ROOM Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (back) pitched in a minor league game in Dunedin, Florida, and remains on schedule to pitch Sunday's game in Toronto against Cleveland. ... Gibbons said Thole will work most of Dickey's starts because it will help regular catcher Russell Martin physically avoid the stress of handling knuckleballs. GOING RIGHT The Blue Jays' lineup featured six straight right-handed hitters at the top of the order against Smyly. Gibbons finished it with three lefties, even though the manager acknowledged constructing the lineup that way figured to make it easier for the Rays to set up their bullpen "with us going right-right-right. " FOR NAUGHT Rays ace Chris Archer is one four pitchers to strike out 12 or more batters on opening day and lose. He was the first do it since Bob Gibson fanned 12 for St. Louis against Montreal in 1975. UP NEXT Blue Jays RHP Aaron Sanchez, who was 7- 6 with a 3.22 ERA in 2015, starts Tuesday in the third game of the four-game series between AL East rivals. The Rays counter with RHP Jake Odorizzi, who was 9-9 with a 3.35 ERA last season.

2016-04-05 04:49 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

77 Government accused of prioritising trade over human rights Ministers are giving a clear impression that the UK is increasingly putting trade and security above human rights concerns, MPs warned. There was "plainly a perception" that the issue had been downgraded in the Government's dealings with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain, the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee said. The omission of Egypt and Bahrain from a Foreign Office list of countries requiring special attention helped foster the idea it "has become more hesitant in promoting and defending international human rights openly and robustly", it said. Last year, the FCO's most senior civil servant made a frank admission to MPs that human rights "is not one of our top priorities" and that the "prosperity agenda is further up the list". Ministers deny the issue has been downgraded but a string of trade-focused, red carpet visits to the UK by the leaders of countries with some of the worst records of rights abuses has reinforced the perception of a shift of diplomatic emphasis. Middle East Minister Tobias Ellwood was singled out as a culprit, criticised for telling Parliament he couldn't recall whether he raised human rights while leading a business delegation to Egypt and that relations between London and Cairo were "in a very positive place". "We are disappointed by (his) choice of language on this occasion and others which raises questions about how energetically the Government is raising human rights issues", the committee concluded. His "tone" in a debate about the death of Cambridge University student Giulio Regeni - and a visit to Egypt by the committee - suggested the UK "has not been supporting the Italian authorities as forcefully as his murder deserved", the report said. The Italian national's body was found in a ditch days after he disappeared on the January 25 anniversary of the 2011 Egyptian uprising. The official explanation that he was the victim of robbers is disputed by experts. They say the killing - which an Italian autopsy found came after "protracted torture" - bears the hallmarks of the state. The Foreign Office, the report concluded, should be "more mindful of the perceptions it creates at ministerial level, especially when other interests are engaged such as prosperity and security, as is the case with China, Egypt and Saudi Arabia". The MPs welcomed the doubling to £10.6 million of a dedicated human rights fund - renamed after Magna Carta - but criticised its restriction only to countries receiving overseas aid. It also called for a relaxation of rules barring groups which were not registered in their own countries, saying it "acts against an intelligent deployment of resources". While there were concerns about the consequences of funding for such groups - and a need to ensure taxpayers' money was properly spent - funding should be considered for those "which have been suitably vetted but face genuine restrictions". The MPs also suggested the FCO should set "headline targets" for human rights work. complaining that at present it was hard to evaluate effectiveness, and work harder on engaging campaigners and charities. Some organisations, especially smaller outfits, reported finding it harder to get access to ministers and officials and perceived engagement "to be more about box ticking than genuine consultation", the MPs noted. Sonya Sceats, director of policy and advocacy for Freedom from Torture, said Sri Lanka was another country where the promotion of "UK PLC" appeared to trump concerns about abuses. "We are increasingly concerned that the UK government puts flying the flag for business over and above human rights. "Nowhere is this mercenary approach more likely to directly cause loss of life or limb than in Sri Lanka. "At a parliamentary reception just two weeks ago, Foreign Minister Hugo Swire reluctantly acknowledged our evidence of recent torture before inexplicably urging British Tamils to get on planes back to Sri Lanka to boost trade for the UK. "No matter how inconvenient it is, the UK government should take our clinical evidence of torture more seriously when shaping its policies towards states which are notorious for abusing human rights. " Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: "I do not recognise this characterisation of our human rights work. "Improving human rights is a core function of the Foreign Office and is the responsibility of every British diplomat around the world. "The UK supports over 75 human rights projects in more than 40 countries and this year we are doubling the funding available for human rights projects to £10 million - a true measure of the importance we attach to this agenda. "By mainstreaming human rights within the Foreign Office, we have ensured it will always be a central part of our diplomacy, delivering tangible results. " Crispin Blunt, the Conservative MP who chairs the cross-party committee, said: "The actions and words of ministers in the Foreign Office have undermined the excellent human rights work carried out by the Department. "This needs to be remedied. "Perceptions, and the symbols that reinforce them, matter, particularly in the context of the UK's soft power and international influence. " 2016-04-05 02:02 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

78 Telstra boss reveals reasons for outages – as network goes down A Telstra executive has tried to put their users’ worries at ease after the three major outages that took place in the past two months - as customers complained the network was down again. Telstra has already had to offer two 'free data' days to compensate users for three significant outages since the start of the year, with the most recent being on Sunday, April 3. IT News reports that Telstra's chief operations officer Kate McKenzie said the company was making every effort to make sure these incidents did not happen again: just as customers were taking to social media to say that they still were. Scroll down for video A number of Telstra customers took to Twitter on Tuesday saying that they had suffered more problems, and complaining the network was out again. However, an initial review into the individual matters found the outages were not related McKenzie explained, although two came about due to problems processing the mass registration of mobile devices. Despite this customers were still taking to Twitter on Tuesday complaining that he still had no network or that it was coming and going. 'Sort your $&@! out please. Pronto. Not good enough. National carrier,' tweeted an angry Justin Kelly on Tuesday. While for Ian Adams the technical difficulties he was experiencing was affecting his work as he tweeted: 'Now my Messagebank is not available after missing an important call - Telstra is getting seriously random.' But McKenzie was at lengths to emphasise that the Telstra network did not suffer a system-wide failure. ‘[However] each of these events did impact varying numbers of our customers, and we are working to ensure this does not happen again,’ she said. ‘We have already progressed short to medium term actions to improve resilience and robustness in the network. ‘Changes have been implemented to increase the capacity and path diversity of critical signalling channels, and a temporary layer of traffic management protection has been added to minimise the impact of events like that we saw in March and February.’ Although Telstra customers were offered a free data day on Sunday, April 3, because of the recent outages, many customers were still angry and demanding further compensation. They also questioned if Telstra deliberately chose a day users would be at home using their own Wifi. This was the second 'free data Sunday' after an outage in February. It was the third widespread outage affecting Telstra customers in the past two months.

2016-04-05 04:49 John Carney www.dailymail.co.uk

79 Rangers investigate vandalism at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument ESCALANTE, Utah — Officials are working to identify individuals responsible for graffiti carved on a canyon wall at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. In the Zebra Slot Canyon, someone etched into the rock a heart with the names Kenny and Aryn. Above the names was the year 2016. “It’s obvious they wanted to leave a loving message,” said Larry Crutchfield with the Bureau of Land Management. Despite the intent, Crutchfield added, it is illegal and spoils the outdoor experience for everyone. Vandalism in national parks is a growing problem, Crutchfield said. Last year, rangers found, cleaned up and investigated 1,400 cases of vandalism at the monument. If anyone sees vandalism on public lands, it can be reported by calling 800-227-7286.

2016-04-05 04:47 FOX 13 fox13now.com

80 Halle Berry hits ground running after holiday with ex Olivier Martinez

Just a few days ago she was sitting on the beach, now it is back to the daily grind of an actor. Halle Berry was spotted out and about in West Hollywood, California, on Monday popping into a costume design showroom. The 49-year-old star made getting back to work look easy, despite a rather enviable vacation just a few days earlier. Halle looked effortlessly stylish as she left Bill Hargate Costumes - who are responsible for creating some of Hollywood's best superhero outfits. The Mobster's Ball star wore a loose-fit tie-dye T-shirt with a pair of distressed jeans and slip-on sandals. Obviously there for a fitting for a mystery upcoming project, the star kept her head down as she left the studio and made a phone call on her way to her car. The Oscar winner was solo and without her children, Maceo, two, and daughter Nahla, eight, for a change. The family, along with Halle's ex Oliver Martinez, were just in Mexico on holiday last week where Halle and Oliver looked more than just friendly exes. Halle was seen lounging next to the actor with her hand on his bare chest and right over his heart while he gazed back at her adoringly. While neither have commented on whether their relationship status has changed since when they announced they were getting a divorce late last year, People have revealed that the French star is not ready to give up on their marriage. A source told the magazine: 'If Halle wants to call [the divorce] off, Olivier would be fine with it because he never wanted the divorce in the first place.' A second source reiterated that point with People: 'When they first filed for divorce [last October], things were not good. However, the anger went away and Olivier is just very upset about the divorce. He never wanted the divorce and still doesn't.' But before fans get too excited about a reconciliation, yet another source told the magazine nothing has changed and 'as always they are friends'. On Monday, the actress declared the couple's son Maceo as her Monday Man Crush and not her estranged husband. Posting a picture of her son's tiny shoes on her new Instagram account, Halle said: '[Love] my little #MCM.'

2016-04-05 04:42 Chelsea White www.dailymail.co.uk

81 Brynne Edelsten shows off body transformation in bikini at the beach She's spoken at length about her incredible body transformation after shedding 15kg and three dress sizes over the past 12 months. So you couldn't blame Brynne Edelsten for wanting to show off her trim physique as she hit the beach in Melbourne on Monday. The 33-year-old stepped out onto the sand flaunting her ample assets in a push-up floral bikini and her flat abs while playing fetch with her fluffy white dog Juddy. Scroll down for video The former wife of Sydney Swans owner Geoffrey Edelsten paired the busty swimsuit with a pair of tiny blue running shorts showing off her super toned stomach. She also matched her bikini with over-sized floral sunglasses and accessorised with a loose-fitting threaded headband to keep her blonde locks out of her face. Brynne played fetch with her little white dog using a crocodile squeaky toy and gave Juddy affectionate kisses and cuddles while kneeling on her pink towel. Upon her arrival in Port Melbourne, the blonde bombshell donned a sheer beach with embroidered white flowers and sliver platform heels. Adding to her 'Malibu Brynne' look, she wore bright, Barbie pink lipstick. At one point, Brynne leaped up off the stand to chase after her pooch who had run off to say hello to another dog who was passing by, and Brynne had a laugh with the other dog's owner. Since officially splitting from her businessman husband of four years at the end of 2013, Brynne has quietly been reinventing her look. She has also become a shadow of herself after a jaw-dropping 15-kilo weight loss that has seen her go from a curvy size 12 to a more petite size six. The blonde's shrinking frame has also affected her famous chest, which has dropped from a 12G to a smaller 8E - leaving her with 'nothing but implants' now that her natural body fat has vanished. Speaking about her new shape on Sunrise Brynne explained she had been striving for 'years' to slim down. 'I've spent the last three and a half years at the gym and just trying to be healthy. It's taken time but it's finally paying off,' she said bashfully. Claiming to now visit the gym 'three days a week', the My Bedazzled Diary star said cutting out 'sugary drinks' had also helped her new regime.

2016-04-05 04:37 Sophie Goulopoulos www.dailymail.co.uk

82 Ex-New Zealand leader Clark announces bid for top UN post WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Helen Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister who is now a senior U. N. official, announced Tuesday she is running for the top position at the United Nations, saying she would bring nearly 30 years of leadership skills to the job of secretary-general in a world of increasing challenges. Clark is the eighth candidate, and the first from outside Europe, to enter the race to succeed Ban Ki- moon, whose second term expires at the end of this year. Some in the U. N. are pushing for a woman to take the top role for the first time and some, including Russia, are arguing that Eastern Europe has never had a secretary-general and it's their turn. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said he had personally raised the possibility of her candidacy with President Barack Obama and other senior U. S. officials when he was in Washington last week and didn't get any pushback. Key said he will make the case to President Xi Jinping when he visits China later this month. The New Zealand government has formally nominated Clark. "I think the position is open," Clark said in an interview with The Associated Press in New York. "The New Zealand government is responding to that saying they think Helen is the best person for the job. So I go into it believing that at this time the critical thing for member states to look at is: What are the challenges? " The U. N. secretary-general is chosen by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the 15-member Security Council, which means it's crucial to get support from its five veto-wielding members known as the P5: the U. S., China, Russia, Britain and France. "I could make a very strong case to you that Helen Clark's credentials are far better than any other candidate that is currently on the list, or anyone that I'm aware that might put their name forward," said Key. "But unfortunately, in the world of multilateralism, things aren't quite as simple as that. There is a lot of horse-trading that goes on. It will depend enormously on the views of the P5 and ultimately if they feel it's the turn of the Eastern Europeans or someone else. " Clark was prime minister for nine years until 2008 and has headed the U. N. Development Program for the past seven years. In the AP interview, Clark said she thought the position was open. "I think on the basis of what I've done in my life I've got the skills to do this," she said. "I have led a small country in the South Pacific for nine years. I've been in leadership positions really going back close to three decades. " She said that if she were to win the post, a top priority would be dealing with conflict caused by civil wars and violent extremists, something which would call for taking another look at the U. N.'s toolkit. She said she thought she could bring a modernizing touch to the organization. "I think it's probably fair to say that as an administration it can be a little clunky and a little old fashioned," she said. She said she came from a diverse region of the world and wasn't campaigning as a woman but rather as the best person for the job. "So I know a lot about working with diversity and embracing diversity, and seeing whether it's possible to find some unity and consensus," she said. Key said New Zealand's current role as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for a two-year term probably helps Clark's candidacy because its diplomats are mixing in those circles. The U. N. General Assembly will begin preliminary meetings with candidates in New York from April 12-14 but there is no closing date for nominations and more are expected. ___ Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

2016-04-05 04:34 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

83 Vietnam confirms first 2 Zika virus cases HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has confirmed the country's first two cases of Zika virus. The online Vnexpress newspaper quoted Vice Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long as saying two women, aged 64 and 33, tested positive for the virus. The two suffer from fevers, rashes and red eyes, it said, adding the younger woman is eight weeks pregnant. The newspaper said the two were among 1,215 samples taken for testing from suspected cases in 32 provinces throughout the country. The World Health Organization has said the virus has been reported in 61 countries and territories, mostly in Latin America and Western Pacific region. Most people who get the virus have no symptoms. Others may suffer from a mild and brief illness, but infections in pregnant women have been strongly linked to fetal deaths and to potentially devastating birth defects such as babies born with abnormally small heads. That has been common in Brazil. Vietnamese health officials have called for stronger surveillance to fight the virus and urged people to sleep with mosquito nets.

2016-04-05 04:34 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

84 Rockies' Story sets MLB record with 2 homers PHOENIX (AP) — Monday night marked a storybook beginning for Trevor Story's major league career. The 23-year-old Colorado Rockies shortstop became the first player in major league history to hit multiple home runs in his big league debut on opening day. Both came off Zack Greinke — a three-run shot in the third inning and a solo home run in the fourth. Story is the first National League player to hit at least two homers in his first major league game. Four American League players have done it.

2016-04-05 04:33 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

85 Tokyo dreams fuel Cambodia's first disabled basketballers Slamming into each other with a metallic crunch, Cambodia's first women's wheelchair basketball team are changing attitudes to disability in a nation where unexploded landmines claim new victims every week but physical impairments are scorned. Under a baking sun in the western city of Battambang, two all-female sides are battling it out. Yelps and laughter fill the air, but the game is as ruthless as any professional bout with sweat-drenched players dexterously manoeuvring their chairs to block an opponent or find a crucial opening. At one point a player is knocked from her chair and sent sprawling to the floor. But she quickly dusts herself off, pulls herself back in and scores minutes later. A few years ago most of these women languished at home, unable to find work, shunned by their own communities in a country where the disabled are often seen as a burden. "The first type of discrimination is discouragement from families," explained Sieng Sokchan, the team's captain, who was paralysed at 10 when she was struck in the back by a stray bullet outside her home. To this day she does not know who fired the weapon. "They look down on us disabled people as incapable of doing anything or of working -- or they feel ashamed when they go out because they have a disabled kid or relative. " Many of the players had little confidence when they started, she explained. But sport has helped to change that -- and has also affected the way people view them. Last year some team members jetted off for a tournament in Malaysia, a move that Sieng Sokchan said astounded her neighbours. "They said to us 'Oh you are better, you boarded a plane, you visited a foreign country'," the captain said, breaking out into a grin. - Loss and loneliness - Three decades of war has left impoverished Cambodia awash with mines. And while significant steps have been taken to clear unexploded ordnance in the last decade, the country still has one of the world's highest proportion of amputees. An estimated 25,000 people have lost limbs in explosions, according to figures from the mine clearance charity Halo Trust. At a Red Cross run prosthetics factory just a short walk from the basketball court where the women are practising, some 80 percent of patients seeking replacement limbs are still landmine victims. Lors Nimol, a 34-year-old mother of one and now regular team member, lost a leg while clearing forest in an area close to the Thai border that was once a Khmer Rouge guerilla stronghold. She knew the work was dangerous, but needed the cash. "When I was not disabled, people employed me to pick beans," she told AFP in a break between practice. "Suddenly I had no job and no money. " In a country where one in five remain below the poverty line, the loss of a single earner through injury can deliver a significant financial shock to a family and often leaves the disabled shunned even by loved ones. Lors Nimol says basketball has given her a reason to get out of the house. "Before when I did not play basketball, I was at home lonely," she explained. - Hoop dreams - Buoyed by their enthusiasm for the game, the women are now setting their sights on a lofty goal: qualifying for the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo. "It's definitely something we can aim for. Why not? " said Philip Morgan, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross' physical rehabilitation programme in Cambodia, which helps run the women's team, as he watched and cheered from the sidelines. Japan is more than just wishful thinking, Morgan insisted. Last year the ICRC got a men's basketball team from Afghanistan to compete in the qualifiers for Rio. They didn't make it through but it was a major milestone in a tournament many impoverished nations feel is skewed in favour of wealthy countries. The charity has been helping a women's team get up and running both in Battambang and the southern town of Kampong Speu for the last two years, organising the Malaysia tournament and visits from foreign coaches. They are currently preoccupied with the crucial task of setting up the country's first official wheelchair basketball federation, a move that will enable them to begin competing professionally. "It's not enough for them to just train, I want them to get a bit more exposure, both internally but also internationally as well," said Morgan. While bringing home an Olympic medal may be a long ways off for Sieng Sokchan's squad, basketball is already transforming their lives off the court. "Since I started playing sport my life has changed from loneliness and hopelessness to one filled with hope and joy," she said. "And there is now no discrimination in the family. " 2016-04-05 04:32 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk

86 Categories Archives Fetty Wap is ready to say “Hey, what’s up, hello” to the people of Athens this month. The “Trap Queen” rap artist will perform at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 26 at UGA’s Stegeman Coliseum according to Online Athens. Tickets for students are $10 will go on sale for students at 10 a.m. this Wednesday, April 6. Tickets for non-students are $20 and will go on sale Monday, April 11. For more ticket information, click here . Fetty Wap, whose given name is Willie Maxwell II, secured a record deal after the success of “Trap Queen” in 2015. He also garnered attention late last year after throwing $2,000 onto a crowd at a mall in his native New Jersey . Rappers who previously performed at UGA include Ludacris, Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar. There are no comments yet. Be the first to post your thoughts. Sign in or register.

2016-04-05 01:38 music.blog.ajc.com

87 ‘Californians rose to the occasion’ but miss water conservation target by 1.1%, penalties coming “Twenty-four percent savings shows enormous effort and recognition that everyone’s effort matters,” said Felicia Marcus, Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board, in a released statement . “Californians rose to the occasion, reducing irrigation, fixing leaks, taking shorter showers, and saving our precious water resources in all sorts of ways.” Residents statewide used 23.9 percent less water in February compared to the same period in 2013. February was the ninth and final month of reporting under the governor’s 25 percent savings mandate. Californians will now be required to use at least 20 percent less water under a new emergency regulation signed by Governor Brown in February that will continue the reductions through October. The state water board said Californians saved 368 billion gallons of water – enough to supply nearly six million people for a year. There are 38.8 million Californians. Officials have said it is unlikely that the state as a whole will face any consequences for missing Brown’s standard by such a small margin, but individual water suppliers could still face penalties. Since June of 2015, the state water board has issued 98 warning letters, 118 notices of violation, and 12 conservation orders, as well as four complaints, of which one has been paid and three are still in negotiations. Water officials blamed the lower February savings partly on warm and dry conditions that Marcus called “just horrid.” They urged Californians to keep conserving, harping on an increasingly common refrain. “The drought is not over,” Max Gomberg, the water board’s climate and conservation manager, told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. “Conservation habits are still important heading into this summer. And so is keeping trees alive.” While El Niño promised record-breaking rainfall, which was fulfilled primarily in Northern California, Southern California saw about half as much as in a normal year last winter, when measured in downtown Los Angeles. The state is now in its fifth year of drought, but an El Niño weather system delivered a near- average year of rain and snow to some parts of the state. The Los Angeles Times reported that the snowpack survey “showed that conditions had improved since 2015,” but the “water content within the snow was still below average.” Once the snowpack melts, it will fill the state’s reservoirs to provide water for farmers, as well as residents in Los Angeles. As it is April, however, California is nearing the end of its rain and snow season. “We need people to keep saving,” Marcus said, according to the Associated Press.

2016-04-05 04:24 www.rt.com

88 Layton police investigate SWAT hoaxes in neighborhood LAYTON, Utah -- One Layton Neighborhood has recently been under attack by something called swatting. That’s when an emergency is called, the SWAT team shows up and it turns out it was a hoax. It’s happened three times in Layton since December and police are frustrated. “They have been pretty significant emergency calls that we received and responded to try and deal with and we come to find out that they haven’t been anything at all,” said Lt. Travis Lyman, spokesman for Layton Police Department. Layton police say rolling out the SWAT team is a major endeavor. It involves dozens of resources and disrupts an entire community. This happened three times between December and February in the area of 2250 North 10 West. “There was a bomb threat, four bombs were placed at this residence,” said Lyman about a situation on Dec. 17. Then on Feb. 14, Lyman said they received a report “several family members had been killed and they were threatening to kill another family member that was still alive.” Then just a few weeks later another incident: “There were two men with machine guns, they had killed members of the family and were holding others hostage.” It turned out each call was a hoax. “Our biggest concern is that we might be tied up on this type of a call and a real emergency may come up that we are delayed in responding to,” Lyman said. Police have determined two of the homes where the emergencies were allegedly taking place had one family member in common. Police say the man being targeted has his own YouTube channel that has gained more than two million viewers. “We suspect somebody associated with that is the one doing this, maybe someone who has not been happy with some of the things he has said on the YouTube channel,” Lyman said. Police don’t believe anyone is in danger, but they would like to catch whoever is responsible. They have no leads at this time. “They could be anywhere in the world -- it’s very difficult to find out where these things originate from,” Lyman said.

2016-04-05 04:23 Robert Boyd fox13now.com

89 Nepal risks fresh turmoil over flawed constitution - ICG By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU, April 5 (Reuters) - Nepal risks more turmoil if it fails to address the demands for greater representation of minority ethnic Madhesis in the new constitution, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said on Tuesday in a report that drew criticism from the government. More than 50 people have died in protests since September in the Tarai, or Madhes, a region in Nepal's southern plains bordering India, overshadowing the first post-monarchy constitution. The charter was the final condition of a peace deal between the government and Maoist rebels, which ended a decade-long rebellion in the Himalayan nation in 2006. But many Madhesis want the region, which is home to half of the country's 28 million people, to become an autonomous state within Nepal and not be broken up into parts of six of the seven federal provinces as envisaged in the new constitution. The ICG said in its report (www.crisisgroup.org) the depth of social discontent, lack of fruitful negotiations and disillusion among the Madhesis with the parties that represent them was creating room for radical positions. "Forcing acceptance of a flawed constitution could end the political transition and trigger unmanageable new conflict," the ICG, an independent non-governmental organisation, said. Information and Communication Minister Sherdhan Rai was critical of the report, which he said contained "unnecessary" comments. "We are ready to negotiate and address genuine demands of the Madhesis," he told Reuters. But Upendra Yadav, from Madhesi Front which organised protests, said the government was unlikely to convene early talks. "Lasting peace and stability are impossible without addressing our demands," he said. Several small Madhesi groups have given the government until April 12 to address their demands, warning of fresh action after a five-month border blockade caused severe fuel shortages. Covering 23 percent of landlocked Nepal, the Tarai is the country's bread basket, providing rice, wheat, and is home to industries like jute and sugar. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Douglas Busvine, Robert Birsel and Michael Perry)

2016-04-05 04:20 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

90 Grant Kenny relaxes with a drink and snaps a few shirtless selfies He's preparing to walk his daughter down the aisle in the near future. But while Grant Kenny wasn't invited to a bridal shower for Morgan, despite the fact it was at his home, he did appear to enjoy his own little party once the bash was over on Saturday afternoon. The 52-year-old former Ironman was seen sat outdoor shirtless and he snapped a few selfies as he enjoyed his beverage in the sunshine. Scroll down for video At one point Grant was seen lifting his glass, which appeared to contain red wine, up to his phone as he held it as far away from himself as possible. The former sportsman flashed his toned body as he leaned back and held up his mobile phone and appeared to snap a few pictures of himself. Grant wore just a pair of black shorts and a silver necklace and showed that he hasn't let his athletic figure go. Earlier in the day Grant's Sunshine Coast home had played party venue for his second daughter's bridal shower. But while Grant might own the property, and indeed be the father-of-the-bride, it was a girls' only bash that saw Morgan celebrate with her closest female friends and family. Morgan and her fiancé Ryan became engaged in early 2015 and her mother, Lisa Curry took to Facebook to announce the news to friends and family. The professional dancer who previously had a stint in Paris' famous Moulin Rouge, has been with her beau since high school. Commenting on his soon to be mother-in-law's post, Ryan wrote: 'Your kind words mean so much and I can not express how excited I am to be apart of such an amazing family.' Grant and his former wife Lisa split in 2009, and share two other children together, Jami 28, and Jett 21. They often reunite for their children, and their daughters bridal shower is another example of them putting their differences aside for family. Lisa has since moved on and has been dating Elvis impersonator Mark Tabone, however there appears to be no bad blood between the former couple.

2016-04-05 04:17 Amy Lyall www.dailymail.co.uk

91 91 Denver couple turns dirt lot and 9 shipping containers into dream home A Denver couple turned an empty lot and nine shipping containers into the house of their dreams. Libby and Regan Foster spent about a year building a seven-bedroom home with five bathrooms near the Colorado capital's Zuni Park, the Denver Post reported. 'I tried to dream up a new and creative way to build a house and this is what we came up with,' Regan told the Post. 'I liked the idea of building a house out of recycled materials.' Scroll down for video The 4,000- square-foot house has two stories, and an upstairs suite specially made for Libby's mother, accessible via 'a catwalk covered with panels sawed from a large catalpa tree,' according to the Post. The Fosters also share the house with another couple and their child. For an estimated total cost of $500,000, the Fosters paid for the lot, the containers and other materials, and the help of an architect, a structural engineer, and subcontractors. The containers cost $2,200 each and are eight feet wide, 40 feet long and 9½ feet tall. Regan, who works as a firefighter, built parts of the house with his own hands, and also constructed furniture. 'We knew we wanted more space but wanted to stay in Denver,' said Libby, a veterinary technician. 'We love this spot.' The couple told the Post that curious neighbors sometimes walk across the home's dirt lot - the garden has yet to be landscaped - and ogle at the container house's occupants. 'We'll have people walk up on the weekend and peek through the windows while we're sitting there in our pajamas,' Regan said. For their kitchen, the couple bought two Wolf ovens, a Sub-Zero fridge, and an Asko dishwasher. The rooftop has 360 views of the city's surroundings, including a western view of the Flatiron rock formations.

2016-04-05 04:11 Daily Mail www.dailymail.co.uk

92 Credit Suisse CEO Thiam targets bigger China presence By Denny Thomas and Lisa Jucca HONG KONG, April 5 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Chief Executive Officer Tidjane Thiam said on Tuesday the Swiss bank has been "underweight" in China and would look to build its wealth management capabilities in the world's second-biggest economy, despite slowing growth. Thiam told a media briefing on the sidelines of the annual Credit Suisse Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong that he was not concerned by the slower economic growth in China. The CEO said he saw this as a natural development as the country transforms itself into a consumption-driven economy rather than one led by investment. "We have been underweight (in) China and will continue to invest," said Thiam, 53, who joined the Zurich-based bank in July 2015. The banker said he would be spending five days in China as part of his current Asia trip, meeting clients and seeking to develop his understanding of their needs. Thiam's focus on China comes at a time when Credit Suisse has made wealth management a key plank for its future growth. The bank is also shifting its focus to the Asia-Pacific region, where it already has an important presence in Southeast Asia: Thiam aims to more than double Asia-Pacific pre-tax income to 2.1 billion Swiss francs ($2.19 billion) by 2018. China's blistering economic growth over the past decade has made it home to a million high-net-worth individuals, according to consultants Bain & Co, twice as many as in 2010. For foreign banks, Asia - and China in particular - has become the new battleground in developing wealth management business. But making money onshore in China has proved a challenge for most foreign banks, hampered by the heavily protected nature of China's financial services sector. Credit Suisse currently lacks an onshore licence to operate wealth management business in China, but is considering securing one. "Our strategy is primarily driven by wealth management and private banking," Thiam said. "We have a good customer base. Today we are offshore, but ultimately we will be onshore. " ($1 = 0.9587 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Denny Thomas and Lisa Jucca; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)

2016-04-05 04:04 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

93 Expansion of motocross track in Summit County town stirs controversy SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah -- Michael Legge moved to Hoytsville 15 years ago with his wife to retire and raise their horses. "We want a community where everything is compatible use," Legge said. Knowing the area was zoned for agriculture, he was surprised when his neighbors across the way starting building a motocross track. "Obviously a motocross track and that type of activity is not agriculture," Legge said. So when his neighbor came by with a petition, asking the county to step in, he signed. With about 80 signatures, the petition has influenced the county to order property owner Steve Luczak to stop building the upper portion of his track. "We’ve done everything by the letter of the law," Luczak said. Luckzak said the county already signed off on permits for everything he's doing. "They’re telling us what we can do with our own private property even though this has been permitted for this use and they’re reinterpreting what they did a year and a half ago," Luczak said. As far as agriculture goes, Luczak said, he's enhancing the landscape on his property. "We’re adding more pasture space, we’re adding ponds for the wildlife as well as our animals, which will be up here eventually," Luczak said. His neighbors have a different interpretation. "Were looking to the county to simply enforce zoning laws. It's very simple," Legge said. Luczak isn't giving up his passion without a fight. "We’ll be riding our motorcycles tomorrow up here. We’ll use our land as we see fit," Luczak said. Right now, Luczak is free to use his motocross track, which has already been built. It's the expansion on the upper part of his property that is being questioned. It lies in the hands of the Summit County council. Luckzak said he'll be showing up at future meeting with an army of supporters, but it's likely his neighbors will show up as well.

2016-04-05 04:01 Dora Scheidell fox13now.com

94 Jack Crawford re-signs with Dallas Cowboys to end speculation British-born defensive end Jack Crawford will remain with the Dallas Cowboys after re-signing with the NFL franchise. The 27-year-old, who - like Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi - was born in London, had been a free agent after a campaign where he had accrued four sacks in 16 appearances as part of the Cowboys' defensive- line rotation. Despite visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets during the free- agency period, Crawford had made no secret of his desire to stay with the NFC East team and he got his wish on Monday when coming to terms on a one-year deal. The ex-Oakland Raider uploaded a picture to Instagram of him signing a deal with the caption: 'So thankful to have the opportunity to play with my Fam under the blue star for another year. '#CowboyNation this one is for you! #BackAtItAgain #WasNeverGoinAnywhere' Crawford grew up near Wembley in Kilburn, north west London and recorded a sack in the capital when the Cowboys defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014.

2016-04-05 03:56 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

95 In Washington, there's more than politics on the menu Mary Ackley, who lives in the US capital, had to keep an open mind while pursuing her dream of becoming a farmer. So she went underground. It's in the cellar of a Washington pub that the 35- year-old grows microgreens, which are finding favor with local restaurants and residents. "That's some pretty beautiful basil," the founder of Little Wild Things City Farm said proudly as she pulled out a tray packed with a lush carpet of tiny plants from neatly-stacked shelves set up in the storage space alongside the beer. Ackley -- who also harvests produce outdoors at a monastery minutes away -- is one of a number of Washington start-ups tapping into demand for locally- grown and manufactured food in a city better known for power lunches of flown-in steaks and oysters. "I definitely could not do this without supportive restaurants -- that's an important part of it," said the former Peace Corps volunteer who is taking a year of unpaid leave from the US Foreign Service to focus full-time on her urban farm. Around town, others in the capital's food startup scene are toiling to see if they can make a living doing what they love. Some, including Ackley, have turned to Union Kitchen. The self- described food incubator has two locations in the city where members can, for a monthly fee, use a shared production space and equipment while taking advantage of services to help their business grow and get their creations to consumers. On a recent weekday morning, the sun-filled, multi-floor venue in a former warehouse in Washington's northeast Ivy City neighborhood was abuzz with activity. Among those chopping, peeling, mixing and measuring out ingredients was Adam Kavalier, owner of Undone Chocolate. The 37-year-old scientist, who got into chocolate-making during graduate school in New York, has since found Washington -- often referred to as DC -- to be a receptive place for his endeavor. "I have a lot of family and friends in the DC area and there was just a lot of opportunity," he said, sifting through cocoa beans as he demonstrated the process of making the chocolate bars using only organic cocoa and sugarcane and some additions such as Himalayan pink salt. "DC is a thriving place right now -- there are a lot of exciting things happening in the food community. " Kavalier, whose chocolate bars he says are available at a number of grocery stores, specialty shops, restaurants and breweries and sell for $8 to $12 online, is upbeat about the future. Currently, he said, the company is producing between 2,000 and 3,000 bars a month but "we're pushing to double that. " "We're growing a successful business," he said. And that can have a multiplier effect for the local economy. "It's about knowing that locally-spent dollars mean just a little bit more than dollars spent elsewhere," said Morgan H. West of Think Local First, a non-profit aimed at supporting and strengthening locally- owned businesses and a sustainable local economy in the District of Columbia. "For every $100 spent at a local business, $68 stay in the community. That drops to $32 for every $100 spent at a chain. " - Hunger to make it - But competition is fierce and has picked up over the past few years. "It's a growing food movement and that means more people come in, which means there's more competition," said Jonas Singer, co-founder of Union Kitchen. "I also think people realize that it's real, that they can actually run a successful business and that aspiration creates a hunger and you see more people being ambitious about it. " One aspect helping food startups land on their feet in Washington is the purchasing power in the city, Singer suggested. "I do think there is money here and there is a local interest and the combination of the two has allowed people here to be very successful. " - Slow food - But success can come at a cost and takes commitment. "You've got to just go all in -- everything has happened really organically for us and we've seen nice growth over the years but we also are working all the time, said Sarah Gordon of Gordy's Pickle Jar, which has been around since late 2011. "If you're not willing to make huge sacrifices for your small-batch company then it might not be for you. " Operating out of a bright space on a quiet street in the city's Petworth neighborhood, the company's products include "Hot Chili Spears", "Thai Basil Jalapenos" and a recently launched canned brine for cocktails. "Doing everything by hand in small batches, nothing's really quick," said Gordon as her partner and co- founder Sheila Fain worked away in the back production area. "It's definitely a slow food. " As for being "Made in DC", the Chicago area native noted it was something to be proud of. "It's not somewhere that you think that people are manufacturing so I think it's always a nice touch point for us. "

2016-04-05 03:52 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk

96 China squelches Panama reports on hidden wealth Reports based on documents leaked from a Panama-based law firm that name relatives of current and retired Chinese politicians, including President Xi Jinping, as owning offshore companies are "groundless," China's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. Spokesman Hong Lei said he would not comment further on the reports and declined to say whether the individuals named would be investigated. "For these groundless accusations, I have no comment," Hong told reporters at a regularly scheduled news conference. Internet censors and state media outlets, meanwhile, ignored or actively squelched reports on the revelations. Searches for articles on websites and social media postings featuring the words "Panama documents" could not be opened Tuesday to view their content. The blocking was not total, however, with some searches for Panama-related news resulted in stories mentioning soccer player Lionel Messi and others featured in the documents not related to China. The nationalistic tabloid Global Times published an editorial saying an unidentified "powerful force" was behind the document leak. It said the main targets were opponents of the West, especially Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The Western media has taken control of the interpretation each time there has been such a document dump, and Washington has demonstrated particular influence in it. Information that is negative to the U. S. can always be minimized, while exposure of non-Western leaders, such as Putin, can get extra spin," said the newspaper published by the party's flagship People's Daily. The paper made no mention of any involvement by Chinese figures. The reports by an international coalition of media outlets working with the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, or ICIJ, are based on documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, one of the world's biggest creators of shell companies. A lack of legal guarantees in China has motivated many of the country's newly wealthy to hide their riches through complicated legal arrangements placing them beyond the reach of the authorities. The ICIJ said Mossack Fonseca had arranged offshore companies for relatives of at least eight present or past members of the Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee, the apex of power in China. Among those it mentioned was Xi's brother-in-law.

2016-04-05 03:48 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com

97 Basketball-Dramatic late basket earns Villanova NCAA title April 4 (Reuters) - Kris Jenkins buried a buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift Villanova to a thrilling 77-74 upset victory over North Carolina in the NCAA Final to win the U. S. college basketball championship in Houston on Monday. Jenkins' jump shot from distance soared through the hoop with no time left on the clock, five seconds after Marcus Paige had rattled in an off-balance heave from outside the arc for the Tar Heels to tie the game. The victory gave Villanova a second NCAA Final Four title, adding to a 1985 upset victory over Georgetown. (Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by John O'Brien) 2016-04-05 03:46 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

98 Journalist to appeal after Seoul blocks site on North Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A Western journalist who has documented developments of North Korea's technology issues said Tuesday he will appeal a decision by South Korean authorities to block his website for violating a national security law. Martyn Williams, a British journalist who runs the northkoreatech.org website, said he believed it did not violate the law, which bans praising or promoting the North Korean regime. The website "doesn't seek to glorify or support North Korea," he said in an email. Many of its readers are researchers, journalists, diplomats, academics and others interested in North Korea. Since it was launched in 2010, his website has been frequently cited by media both Korean and international media, including South Korea's own Yonhap News Agency. It gets about 20,000 monthly visits. In his website, Williams has written about issues ranging from mobile phone usage in North Korea, its satellite technology, to a little-known computer operating system developed by North Koreans. He said much of the content on his website is based on announcements made by the North and South Korean governments and reports in the media. Since late March, users accessing the website from South Korea were redirected to a warning page saying it was "legally" blocked due to "illegal or harmful information. " Korea Communications Standards Commission confirmed that the commission decided on March 24 to block the website because it violated the security law. South Korean police official alerted authorities, according to Director Yeo Hyun-chul. The censorship body also blocks websites deemed illegal or harmful to the society, such as pornography, gambling or North Korea's official outlets.

2016-04-05 03:43 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

99 Alleged drunk driver loses dog out car window while doing U-turn, police say OREM, Utah -- A motorist, allegedly driving three times the legal limit, temporarily lost her dog when it fell out the car window as she attempted a U-turn on an Orem City road. The incident occurred Saturday at about 11 a.m. A woman made a U-turn at 800 East and 800 North when she lost her dog, Orem police say. Witnesses in the area reported to police the woman’s erratic driving. “The car was weaving unable to maintain a lane and then when they saw the U-turn that’s when we got a lot of calls,” said Lt. Craig Martinez of Orem Police Department. As the driver made the turn, her dog flew out the window, police say. “One caller said the driver did a U-turn and the dog that was in the passenger side seat had fallen out of the window and the driver just kept going,” Martinez said. Witnesses got the dog to safety and were able to get the drunk driver to stop. “One of the witnesses picked up the dog walked up to the window and the driver made the statement, ‘that’s a cute dog,’ and she didn’t realize one: it was her dog or two: that it had fallen out of the car,” Martinez said. Witnesses told police they could smell alcohol on the driver’s breath. After going through a field sobriety test, it was determined the woman was three times over the legal limit. “Fortunately for everyone the dog is just fine,” Martinez said. The driver was booked and taken to jail. “Very good job on their part who knows what could have happened,” Martinez said. Police are not releasing the driver’s name they don't want her to be a target of animal activists. The woman has been charged with a DUI. She doesn't have her dog now but police say she'll get it back.

2016-04-05 03:39 Kiersten Nuñez fox13now.com

100 Caitlyn Jenner to guest on “Transparent”: Lyrical drama gets a glam infusion in this inevitable match-up Topics: transparent , caitlyn jenner , Jill Soloway , amazon studios , TV , Keeping Up with the Kardashians , i am cait , Entertainment News This weekend at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, “Transparent” creator and showrunner Jill Soloway told the Associated Press that Caitlyn Jenner—the former Olympian and current reality star who came out as a trans woman last year and has quickly become an icon of trans visibility—will be a guest star on season three of the Amazon Studios show. Her episodes are taping next week. “Transparent,” my pick for the best show of 2015 , follows the story of a 70-something father of three who finally comes out as a transgender woman named Maura, played by Jeffrey Tambor. Jenner came out shortly after “Transparent”’s debut, and cited the show as an inspiration; since then, as her show “I Am Cait” focused on her new life as an out trans woman, Jenner visited the set of “Transparent” and became friendly with Soloway and Tambor (which maybe went towards erasing some of the ill will this Facebook post kerfuffle started). Given that history, it’s not too surprising that Jenner ended up on the show. But, it’s still a funny juxtaposition. The glitzy, bronzed, selfie-obsessed Kardashian-Jenner clan could not be more different from the sensitive, pasty-white, secularly Jewish Pfefferman clan of “Transparent,” and yet they are moving closer together—both because of this shared parental experience and because through Soloway’s expertise, the inner lives of the fictional Pfeffermans feel just as accessible as the over-exposed Kardashian-Jenners. Jenner’s appearance on the show adds an interesting thematic resonance to “Transparent”; so much of Maura’s journey has been about being isolated, except for her fraught connections to her family. Whoever Caitlyn Jenner plays on the show—probably a trans woman, maybe even herself in a cameo—she reminds both Maura and the viewer that Maura is not all that unique or isolated. At the same time, Jenner’s brand of trans activism is sometimes a bit suspect. Jenner is a Republican—a classic, fiscally minded Orange County Republican, to be sure, but that’s a stance that is more and more risible given the proposal and passage of bills like this from Republicans across the country. Last month voiced her support for Senator Ted Cruz, even while noting how bad he is on trans issues; to bridge that gap, she offered to be his “trans ambassador.” It’s a generous, high-minded offer, but one that seems incredibly naïve, too, in this political climate. Additionally, Jenner’s rise to icon status is not because she was the first trans woman or anything, but because she is the first trans woman who originally lived in the world as a famous, rich white man. Laverne Cox and Janet Mock, for example, were both out and active well before Caitlyn Jenner rose to prominence, but neither of them has been on the cover of the stylish and upscale Vanity Fair. Controversy and scandal dog the Kardashian-Jenners, but they also live a life saturated with privilege; most trans women do not, which makes Jenner’s status as unofficial representative for the trans community rather frustrating.

2016-04-04 20:24 Sonia Saraiya salon.com.feedsportal.com

Total 100 articles. Created at 2016-04-05 12:04