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Total 100 articles, created at 2016-04-06 12:03 1 Niira Radia now surfaces in 'Panama Papers' Niira Radia, the founder of Vaishnavi Communications whose taped telephone chats with some prominent people in India around eight years ago, has now surfaced in the (2.00/3) 2016-04-06 10:04 5KB www.mid-day.com 2 Reuters: U. S. - powered by FeedBurner AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The body of a woman in her 20s was found in a creek on the main University... 2016-04-06 06:20 549Bytes feeds.reuters.com (2.00/3)

3 CBS New York Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Knicks, Nets, Devils, Rangers and more. 2016-04-06 07:58 5KB scoresandstats.newyork.cbslocal.com

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4 LIVE BLOG: Zuma impeachment motion in Parliament Follow RDM.co.za editor Ray Hartley on our live-blog of proceedings in Parliament as opposition parties argue for the impeachment of President Jacob Zuma. REFRESH PAGE FOR UPDATES 2016-04-06 12:03 16KB www.timeslive.co.za 5 Savvy home sellers turn to smart technology Even in a sellers' market, outdated homes are hard to move, so homeowners are turning to smart technology to update their property. 2016-04-06 12:03 4KB www.cnbc.com 6 Cambodia to repopulate forests with tigers from abroad Cambodia has unveiled a plan to reintroduce tigers from abroad into the dry forests of the country, where the big cat has become virtually extinct thanks to poaching. 2016-04-06 12:03 1KB mynorthwest.com 7 Plaque to Honor Slaves Who Once Lived, Worked at Harvard Harvard's president is dedicating a plaque in Harvard Yard to the slaves who played a role in the university's history. The college says that until recently, those slaves and their contributions have been "all but invisible" on the campus. University President Drew Faust is to be joined... 2016-04-06 12:03 1KB abcnews.go.com 8 Cubs 6, Angels 1 Chicago Los Angeles ab r h bi ab r h bi Fowler cf 4 1 2 Y. Escobar 3b 4 1 0 Heyward rf 4 1 0 1 Gentry lf 3 0 1 1… 2016-04-06 12:03 844Bytes wtop.com

9 Senate to probe Kidapawan incident DROUGHT-HIT farmers who had implored the government for aid would have a chance to speak before the Senate on Thursday as it looks into the violent dispersal of their protest action that led to 2016-04-06 12:03 8KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 10 Saudi state TV says Yemen shelling kills 3, including child Saudi state television is reporting that two people and a child were killed and a foreigner was wounded by shelling from neighboring war-torn Yemen. 2016-04-06 12:03 1KB mynorthwest.com 11 Public safety officials to outline plans for Boston Marathon BOSTON (AP) — Public safety officials will hold a news conference to discuss planning for this year’s Boston Marathon. Leaders from the Boston Athletic Association, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and law enforcement officials will… 2016-04-06 12:03 1KB wtop.com

12 Strong earthquake rattles Vanuatu; no tsunami threat A strong earthquake rattled the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Wednesday, but there was no tsunami threat and no immediate reports of injuries or damage. 2016-04-06 12:03 1KB mynorthwest.com 13 San Francisco Approves Fully Paid Leave for New Parents San Francisco became the first place in the country Tuesday to require businesses to provide fully paid leave for new parents in what was hailed as the latest move to address income inequality in the nation. The measure approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors will give new mothers... 2016-04-06 12:03 4KB abcnews.go.com 14 Report says Bangladesh gov't wells not fixing arsenic crisis Arsenic-tainted government wells are still poisoning an estimated 20 million people in Bangladesh, a number that is unchanged from 10 years ago despite years of action to dig new wells at safer depths, according to a report released Wednesday. 2016-04-06 12:03 4KB mynorthwest.com 15 Shiv Sena wins two BMC committees with BJP on its side Shiv Sena today won chairmanship of the crucial Standing Committee and the Education Committee of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in an election it fought with its ruling partner BJP despite bickering between the two saffron allies 2016-04-06 12:03 1KB www.mid-day.com 16 Conflicting testimonies noted BUSINESSMAN Kim Wong, former Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito and Philrem Services Corp. officials on Tuesday offered conflicting testimonies on how 2016-04-06 12:03 8KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 17 Four-Peat: UConn Beats 'Cuse for 4th Straight National Title Breanna Stewart and UConn stand alone. Geno Auriemma, too, after another flawless season by the dominating Huskies. UConn won an unprecedented fourth straight national championship Tuesday night, capping another perfect season by routing Syracuse 82- 51. Until now, only the UCLA men's team... 2016-04-06 12:00 7KB abcnews.go.com 18 Battle between religious and gay rights splits GOP states Republican lawmakers upset about the Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage have advanced measures in about a dozen states this year that could strengthen protections for those who refuse on religious grounds to provide services to same-sex couples. 2016-04-06 10:23 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 19 Las Cruces mom, daughter featured on TLC’s ‘My First Home’ Las Cruces is about to get a little more exposure on the small screen, as the national television network TLC launches a new season of “My First Home.” 2016-04-06 10:25 3KB www.washingtontimes.com 20 PIL against IPL: Preserving water bigger priority than cricket, Bombay HC tells MCA The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) also asked the Bombay High Court for some time to respond to a PIL asking for matches to be shifted out Maharashtra due to water scarcity 2016-04-06 11:13 3KB www.mid-day.com 21 Mumbai: HC questions BMC and police on MNS rally at Shivaji Park The Bombay High Court asked the civic body and cops how could permission be granted for the rally under the silence zone norms in the Noise Pollution Rules, 2000 2016-04-06 11:13 2KB www.mid-day.com 22 Mumbai's dabbawallas wait for date with Will-Kat Mumbai dabbawallas, famous for association with Prince Charles have their gift dabbas ready for William and Kate... but they're waiting for an invite 2016-04-06 10:54 4KB www.mid- day.com 23 Mumbai: 9 more rakes to follow in first AC local's footsteps While the first AC local train arrived in the city on Tuesday, 9 more AC rakes will be brought soon, but only after the success of the trial runs on this one 2016-04-06 10:51 4KB www.mid-day.com 24 Mumbai: Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide moves cops to focus on live-in couples TV star's suicide prompts cops to get word out on its counselling services for live-in couples. Till date, only married couples have visited the police counselling cell; staff trained by NGOs 2016-04-06 10:44 3KB www.mid-day.com 25 BJP, RSS have stabbed Mother India in the back: Arvind Kejriwal Delhi CM accuses PM Modi of shaming India in front of Pakistan 2016-04-06 10:28 1KB www.mid-day.com 26 Nitish keeps poll promise, declares Bihar a dry state Bihar was declared a dry state yesterday after the Nitish Kumar government imposed a total ban on saleand consumption of alcohol, including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), with immediate effect 2016-04-06 10:26 1KB www.mid-day.com 27 Foreigners attacked, molested in Ajmer Four foreigners were allegedly attacked and looted by six unidentified youths who also molested one of them 2016-04-06 10:26 1KB www.mid-day.com 28 Rare triplet calves born on Montana ranch A cow on a Montana ranch has delivered healthy triplet calves, a rare occurrence that happens only once in 105,000 live births. 2016-04-06 10:24 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 29 Crow Tribe war chief to be buried in veterans cemetery Funeral services are planned Wednesday on Montana’s Crow Indian Reservation for the tribe’s the last surviving war chief, Joe Medicine Crow. 2016-04-06 10:24 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 30 Yield of Noor Jahan mango variety likely to be down this year The yield of rare variety of mango called Noor Jahan, cultivated only in Alirajpur district in Madhya Pradesh, is likely to remain low this season due to unfavourable weather conditions 2016-04-06 10:23 1KB www.mid-day.com 31 Family of missing Detroit-area man hopes reward nets info A missing Detroit-area man’s family hopes a $2,500 reward will garner information leading to his location. 2016-04-06 10:23 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 32 Gillette, or bust Some are saying now may be one of the nation’s worst energy downturns, with oil, natural gas and coal all seeing historically low prices at the same time. 2016-04-06 10:22 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 33 Crews again fighting wildfires in Oklahoma, Kansas Authorities are responding to wildfires in Oklahoma and Kansas that have led to evacuations, scorched mostly rural land and destroyed an unknown number of structures. 2016-04-06 10:22 3KB www.washingtontimes.com 34 Concussions, hits to the head landed atop NHL agenda in 2007 During the 2006-07 season, a concussion sustained by Sabres co-captain Chris Drury - as a result of a blindside check by Ottawa’s Chris Neil - placed hits to the head at the forefront of the NHL agenda. 2016-04-06 10:22 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 35 OSU working to contain possible norovirus outbreak Oregon State University officials say they are taking steps to contain a possible norovirus outbreak after up to 60 students fell ill with symptoms. 2016-04-06 10:22 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 36 In Pakistan, tackling extremism is a political minefield Tackling extremism is a political minefield in Pakistan, where politicians openly consort with leaders of banned militant groups and sympathy exists within the security forces and civil administration for perpetrators of crimes committed in the name of religion. As a result, many remain skeptical of the state’s... 2016-04-06 10:22 6KB www.washingtontimes.com 37 Six held for thrashing, stripping minors in Chittorgarh Three minor boys were allegedly stripped and beaten by villagers after they were caught with a stolen motorcycle in Chittorgarh district yesterday 2016-04-06 10:18 1KB www.mid- day.com 38 More women than men voted in first phase of Assam polls Women voters registered a higher polling percentage than men in the first phase of elections for 65 assembly constituencies in Assam yesterday 2016-04-06 10:13 2KB www.mid-day.com 39 'defend to score points' The Sharks are expecting the Lions to play a similar game to the Crusaders in Durban this weekend. 2016-04-06 10:10 3KB www.sport24.co.za

40 De Allende, Elstadt back for and are both set to make their first appearances for the Stormers this season. 2016-04-06 10:10 2KB www.sport24.co.za

41 Mumbai: With reevaluation results still not in sight, law students plan on reexamination Students who have asked for photocopies of answer-sheets are also waiting for them; Some say they will reappear for the papers 2016-04-06 09:55 3KB www.mid-day.com 42 Mumbai: A 5ft-long wire found in Aarey forest Patrol team of volunteers makes the discovery. It’s unclear whether the wire was to be used to make a snare 2016-04-06 09:49 2KB www.mid-day.com 43 Mumbai: Senior citizen takes on BMC over rogue tenant's property tax dues An Andheri resident plans to file a writ petition in court against BMC for seizure of his property for non-payment of taxes amounting to Rs 13 lakh, a large chunk of which is owed by his tenant 2016-04-06 09:48 4KB www.mid-day.com 44 Thane Water Crisis: Day after launch, no one answers helpline Several calls to toll free number introduced to help people file water complaints went unanswered a day after its launch 2016-04-06 09:47 2KB www.mid-day.com 45 After Pratyusha Banerjee's mother's complaint, Rahul Singh booked The police booked TV star Pratyusha Banerjee’s boyfri-end Rahul Raj Singh for abetting her suicide after her mother, Shoma, registered a complaint against him on Tuesday 2016-04-06 09:39 2KB www.mid-day.com

46 Samsung Galaxy S7 strategy a 'hit' Samsung Electronics is deploying a new strategy that’s being credited for making the Galaxy S7 smartphone a surprise hit. 2016-04-06 09:31 5KB www.fin24.com

47 Grim day for SA motorsport: 2 riders die in 2 crashes South African motorsport is in mourning after two young racers were tragically killed in two separate crashes. 2016-04-06 09:28 4KB www.wheels24.co.za 48 ED conducts searches at Nashik infra firm over Chhagan Bhujbal link Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department today conducted joint searches at the office of an infrastructure firm here and the residence of its head in connection with allegations that it financed certain construction by family of ex-deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, arrested last month in a money laundering case 2016-04-06 09:16 2KB www.mid-day.com 49 Marauding monkeys to now face bullets in Shimla No monkey business any more - at least in tourist hotspot Shimla. Declared vermin, the marauding monkeys will be shot down in areas outside forests to check their menace 2016-04-06 09:15 4KB www.mid-day.com 50 Bayern edge resolute Benfica with early Vidal goal Bayern Munich will take a slender lead into the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Benfica after Arturo Vidal's early goal earned a 1-0 win over the resolute Portuguese side on Tuesday. 2016-04-06 09:04 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 51 Partially blind SA athlete graduates with masterâ​s degree "You must never give up. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. " That's the motto of a partially blind athlete who will soon graduate with a master's degree in Recreation and Sport Management. 2016-04-06 08:57 3KB www.news24.com 52 I am living proof that TB is curable survivor After losing three family members to tuberculosis (TB), Ellen Nthoba says she has beaten the odds by surviving it herself. 2016-04-06 08:57 1KB www.news24.com

53 Lambie back on the training field Sharks flyhalf Pat Lambie is back on the training field as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury. 2016-04-06 08:56 1KB www.sport24.co.za 54 Turkey Season Safety KMorgan 1183 posts 2016-04-06 09:04 4KB www.thetribunepapers.com

55 Shuttle Endeavour lands at California air base - CNN.com Space shuttle Endeavour landed safely Sunday afternoon at California's Edwards Air Force Base after NASA waved off two opportunities for a Florida landing because of poor weather. 2016-04-06 04:22 3KB rss.cnn.com 56 Probing the cosmos: Is anybody out there? - CNN.com From a remote valley in Northern California, Jill Tarter is listening to the universe. 2016-04-05 20:11 6KB rss.cnn.com 57 Indian lunar orbiter hit by heat rise - CNN.com Scientists have switched off several on-board instruments to halt rising temperatures inside India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft. 2016-04-06 04:22 2KB rss.cnn.com

58 Yahoo - Introducing Fair Play on Yahoo Sports Daily Fantasy Yahoo Launches Key Changes in Daily Fantasy to Help Level the Playing Field for Fans Including Entry Limits, Labeling of Veteran Players and No... 2016-04-06 03:08 2KB investor.yahoo.net 59 SuperSport beat AmaTuks to reach quarterfinals Ronwen Williams ensured SuperSport United still have something to play for this season‚ making two saves in the penalty shoot-out to inspire Matsatsantsa into the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals. 2016-04-06 08:46 3KB www.timeslive.co.za 60 Dog microchipping becomes compulsory across UK All dogs in England, Scotland and Wales are legally required to be microchipped, under a new law that has come into force. 2016-04-06 10:07 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 61 Veteran with PTSD says he sleeps in his car Better support is needed for members of the armed forces who leave the military with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), one of the youngest recipients of the George Medal has said. 2016-04-06 10:07 5KB www.bbc.co.uk 62 Yahoo - Yahoo Sports Partners With NHL to Bring Fans Free, Live Out-of-Market Games & On-Demand Premium Content No Cable or Authentication Required, Alliance Offers New Opportunities for Advertisers to Connect with Fans --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ... 2016-04-06 11:27 4KB investor.yahoo.net 63 Yahoo - Yahoo Statement Regarding Starboard Announcement --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- today noted Starboard Value LP's announcement of its intention to nominate nine director candidates for election to Yahoo's Board of Directors at the company's 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Board's will review Starboard's proposed director nominees and respond in due course... 2016-04-06 11:27 4KB investor.yahoo.net 64 Yahoo - Yahoo to Participate at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- (NASDAQ:YHOO) CFO will participate in a question-and-answer session at the Morgan Stanley in. The session is scheduled to begin on , at /... 2016-04-06 11:27 1KB investor.yahoo.net 65 Yahoo - Yahoo Board of Directors Forms Independent Committee to Explore Strategic Alternatives --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ( : YHOO) today provided further details about its previous announcement that its Board of Directors is exploring strategic alternatives alongside its continued consideration of a reverse spin. The Board has formed a Strategic Review Committee of independent directors to lead this effort, with the assistance and support of management... 2016-04-06 11:27 6KB investor.yahoo.net 66 Asia Times News & Features – Asia Times The plot is breathtaking: It turns out a conga line of famous soccer players, prime ministers, presidents and billionaires had tucked their... 2016-04-05 23:03 6KB atimes.com 67 Like auto-tuning for your face: This is why those “shocking” paparazzi photos of celebs aging go viral A Vulture story likening film effects to "plastic surgery with a mouse click" shows how unreal images can be 2016-04-06 07:04 3KB salon.com.feedsportal.com

68 What a shame It is really disturbing to see our country getting eroded and infested with the mafias who continuously perpetuate the unlawfulness in the country. 2016-04-06 08:07 1KB www.news24.com 69 AP Deleg Count-Dem States, 2 Takes,450 State Clinton +- Sanders +- Uncommitted +- O'Malley +- Ala. 47 0 9 0 2 0 Alaska 4 0 13 0 3 0 Am. Sma. 8 0 3 0 Ariz. 49 0 32 0 2 0 Ark. 27 ... 2016-04-06 08:05 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 70 Hate wins again: Mississippi governor signs bill allowing businesses to deny service to gay customers The law allows state employees to refuse issuing same-sex-marriage licenses 2016-04-06 10:07 2KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 71 Mother and child, 3, killed in Potch hit and run A mother and her child, believed to be around 3-years-old, have been killed in an alleged hit-and-run in , paramedics say. 2016-04-06 08:02 1KB www.news24.com

72 Kerry: Russia has played 'constructive role' in Mideast US secretary of state defends Moscow's efforts in Syria and toward the Iran deal. 2016-04-06 07:58 2KB www.jpost.com 73 How Mapplethorpe won: The Jesse Helms art world culture wars are over We're still fighting over culture, but the terms have changed — visually, we're a lot less sensitive 2016-04-06 01:47 3KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 74 Hong Kong's best dim sum Dim sum for VIPs. For your cheap relatives. For first-time visitors. Our best-of list has you -- and Hong Kong -- covered 2016-04-06 07:52 850Bytes rss.cnn.com 75 How Muslim Americans are making their presence felt this election Voting as a bloc for the first time in over a decade, Muslims have shifted their support to Democrats. 2016-04-06 10:07 5KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 76 “Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet — he is a Trojan horse”: Spoiled Donald Trump throws a temper tantrum after losing Wisconsin primary Predictably, Trump lashes out at "Lyin' Ted" after suffering his first election night without a win since Iowa 2016-04-06 10:07 2KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 77 Sanders ardently opposed the trade deal that led to Panama Papers abuses; Clinton supported it Bernie spoke out against tax havens & Panama Free Trade Agreement 5 years ago. Hillary was on the side of the rich 2016-04-06 10:07 3KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 78 Tina Fey, female writer, is not impressed by Gay Talese In an interview with the AP about the success of her book "Bossypants," Fey squeezes in a zinger at the end 2016-04-06 01:47 1KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 79 Beyoncé on “Formation” flap: “Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken” "But let's be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things," she told Elle UK 2016-04-06 01:47 2KB salon.com.feedsportal.com

80 “They’re selling to people’s fears”: Fear of the unknown fuels anti-transgender laws like North Carolina’s — and their days might be numbered Bathroom bills, like anti-gay marriage laws before them, rely on voters not knowing trans people or their stories 2016-04-06 10:07 5KB salon.com.feedsportal.com 81 ANC leaders should toe the line Eastern Cape party secretary ANC Eastern Cape provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane believes that party leaders should 'toe the line' and abide by decisions taken by the top brass. 2016-04-06 07:39 3KB www.news24.com 82 Asia stocks at 3-week lows as China worries grow; oil up By Saikat Chatterjee HONG KONG, April 6 (Reuters) - Asian stocks held near three-week lows on Wednesday as concerns about the underlying strength of the Chin... 2016-04-06 07:39 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 83 Jonker back in TMO booth is back in the TMO booth for the South African derby between the Sharks and Lions. 2016-04-06 07:37 1KB www.sport24.co.za

84 Stormers flyhalf door open for Du Plessis Jean-Luc du Plessis will start at flyhalf for the Stormers when they tackle the Sunwolves. 2016-04-06 07:37 1KB www.sport24.co.za

85 Story of cities #16: how the US-run Canal Zone divided Panama for a century The creation of the trans-oceanic canal came at a heavy price for Panama – with thousands of workers dying, and the US-controlled Canal Zone generating an “apartheid” atmosphere that sparked deep unrest among local residents 2016-04-06 07:30 12KB www.theguardian.com 86 11 New Restaurants for You to Try Right Now Get ahead of the pack and check these places out. 2016-04-06 10:16 4KB www.dnainfo.com 87 Panama Papers: Fifa president Gianni Infantino pulled into corruption scandal Leaked documents raise questions over role played by new Fifa president in TV rights deal while he worked for Uefa 2016-04-06 07:22 10KB www.theguardian.com 88 Two teenage girls found guilty of Angela Wrightson murder Jury at Leeds crown court finds pair guilty of ‘sustained and brutal’ attack in late 2014, when they were 13 and 14 2016-04-06 07:17 6KB www.theguardian.com 89 WATCH: US forces fire practice rockets in Tarlac US Forces fired six practice rockets at a Philippine military target range in Crow Valley in Tarlac as part of the ongoing Balikatan exercises. 2016-04-06 10:06 1KB news.abs-cbn.com 90 Timberwolves shock Warriors with 124-117 win in overtime OAKLAND, California (AP) — The Golden State Warriors hit an unexpected obstacle on their quest for a record 73 wins, blowing a 17-point lead and losing 124-1... 2016-04-06 07:08 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 91 The quiet, vicious racism of Scott Walker’s Wisconsin As Wisconsin gets ready to vote in today's big primary, it behooves us to remember what this state has become 2016-04-06 01:47 3KB salon.com.feedsportal.com

92 Bake sale to highlight gender pay gap sparks threats of rape and violence Opponents allege discrimination after women’s collective prices cupcakes according to gender to highlight wage disparity 2016-04-06 07:02 5KB www.theguardian.com 93 With aid under attack, let's be honest about how we spend taxpayers' money With DfID’s support, Mercy Corps reaches millions affected by the Syrian crisis each month, some with live-saving food aid. The aid sector needs reform – but its work is vital 2016-04-06 07:00 5KB www.theguardian.com 94 Alleged Mugabe cronies kept offshore firms years after UN alert raised After sanctions were imposed, it took four years for all companies linked to John Bredenkamp to be shut down, Panama Papers show 2016-04-06 07:00 7KB www.theguardian.com 95 Carmen with cha-cha-cha: adaptation with all Cuban cast opens in Paris Reimagined in 1950s Cuba and directed by Christopher Renshaw, Carmen la Cubana will open at the Théâtre du Châtelet over 140 years after Paris debut 2016-04-06 07:00 3KB www.theguardian.com 96 Darfuris reject controversial referendum ​as fierce fighting continues ​ President Omar al-Bashir says he is holding the ballot to honour the peace agreement, but residents argue it will inflame tensions further 2016-04-06 07:00 4KB www.theguardian.com 97 'Nobody wants to stay in Lebanon. It’s a miserable life' Syrians may be taking refuge in this tiny country, but corruption, unemployment and poverty mean many of its own young people are desperate to get away 2016-04-06 07:00 7KB www.theguardian.com 98 Battered Fiji braces for fresh disaster with arrival of Cyclone Zena Nationwide curfew in place as island nation prepares for second cyclone in three months to hit 2016-04-06 06:52 2KB www.theguardian.com 99 Cruz wins Wisconsin, invigorates anti-Trump camp Texas Senator Ted Cruz scored a commanding victory over Donald Trump in Wisconsin's presidential primary Tuesday, putting the Republican frontrunner on notic... 2016-04-06 06:47 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 100 The Eminem cover inspiring millions online Despite his disability, one New Jersey boy is 'not afraid' to chase his dreams 2016-04-05 23:10 915Bytes www.bbc.co.uk Articles

Total 100 articles, created at 2016-04-06 12:03

1 Niira Radia now surfaces in 'Panama Papers' (2.00/3) New Delhi: Niira Radia, the founder of Vaishnavi Communications whose taped telephone chats with some prominent people in India around eight years ago, including ministers, journalists and business tycoons became the matter of a probe, has now surfaced in the "Panama Papers" expose. Her name (appearing as Nira Radia, in the documents investigated, minus the extra 'i') is allegedly linked to a company in British Virgin Islands, which her office has denied, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday. Niira Radia. File pic In the article, as Part 3 of the expose on Indians having alleged offshore links, Radia is said to have figured prominently as a director in the 232 documents pertaining to the company listed in the tax haven, Crownmart International Group. The list published by the newspaper on Wednesday also has the names of a top business tycoon in Bellary, a prominent industrialist and a chartered accountant -- each of whom, which The Indian Express says were contacted for their responses, with many also sharing their versions. Another article seeks to shows how the world's largest currency note maker De La Rue had contracted a New Delhi businessman to help bag tenders in India, in return for a 15-percent commission. The paper identifies the company as Aphra Consultants, linked to Somendra Khosla of New Delhi. Amid these allegations, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan has said that not every off-shore company opened by an Indian national need be illegitimate, and that this would be the primary task of a probe team in which the central bank has been co-opted. On Radia, the paper said: "An investigation of these papers shows the existence of one offshore entity owned by Radia, an International Business Company registered in the British Virgin Islands by Mossack Fonseka in 1994 named Crownmart International Group Limited. " In response, her office said the said entity was set up by her late father Iqbal Narain Menon and that she was not a beneficiary. Also that Radia had disclosed her assets to the authorities in UK and India and that such information was personal and confidential for third parties. In another article published on Wednesday, the newspaper said the Indian diamond merchants, who were probed earlier for having overseas accounts in Liechtenstein, British Virgin Islands and HSCB, have also surfaced in "Panama Papers". Prominent among them are Rosy Blue, one of the largest diamond traders in the world, and Chetan Mehta of the Belgium-based Gembel family. The paper also reported that Harshad Ramniklal Mehta of Rosy Blue did not respond to its calls or queries, while Chetan Mehta said he has been a non-resident Indian living in Belgium and that the companies were shut longtime ago. A part of the list, Hyderabad-based Moturi Srinivas Prasad said the off-shore entities were started as one dollar companies with the hope of doing business, but were closed. Satish Modi of Modi Global was away from India, but an e-mail reply from his office said he is an NRI and laws were followed. Others: - Hyderabad-based businessman Bhavanasi Jaya Kumar who maintained he had nothing to do with offshore companies. - UK-based Bhaskar Rao, whose son said the companies were not exactly active and that due procedures were followed. - Civil construction business people Preetam Bothra and Sweta Gupta, with the latter when contacted, posing the query, as to why she should share any information with the newspaper. - Ahmedabad-based Bhandari Ashok Ramdayalchand, with a response from someone at his residence that he was not interested in talking. - Kolkata-based Ashok Malhotra who, the paper says, admitted to knowing about the off-shore accounts but kept changing his stories. - Dehradun-based Sanjay Pokhriyal, who said the $10,000 endowment for a Panamanian fund allegedly linked to him was not his own money. - Belary iron exporters Prasanna V. Ghotage and Vaman Kumar who the paper could not contact. - Vadodara-based Pradeep Kaushikray Buch, who denied he had any such overseas company linked to him. - Rahul Arunprasad Patel of Sintex Industries, who reportedly said he has several overseas companies but was not sure if the one named in the expose belonged to him. - Thiruvananthapuram native and chartered accountant George Mathew, who said the linked companies belonged to clients and that Indian agencies had nothing to do with them. The global expose has been conducted by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) along with over 100 global media organisations, dubbed the "Panama Papers", based on millions of documents of a Panama law firm Mossak Fonseca that helped in setting up off-shore entities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already ordered a multi-agency probe team on the expose.

INFOGRAPHIC The Panama Papers: offshore accounts explained news24.com 2016-04-06 10:04 By IANS www.mid-day.com

2 2 Reuters: U. S. - powered by FeedBurner (2.00/3) AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The body of a woman in her 20s was found in a creek on the main University of Texas campus in Austin on Tuesday and the case is being investigated as a possible homicide, authorities said.

FOXNews.com - powered by FeedBurner feeds.foxnews.com 2016-04-06 06:20 feeds.reuters.com

3 CBS New York (2.00/3) NEW YORK -- Down two goals midway through the second period, the New York Rangers were drowning. The Tampa Bay Lightning ran the show in the first period and were looking for the dagger third goal with the game half-over. That's when goaltender Henrik Lundqvist tossed his team a lifeline. Lundqvist dove to stop center Tyler Johnson with his glove, then denied left winger Ondrej Palat while on his stomach. It kept the Rangers within striking distance and set the stage for a come- from-behind 3-2 victory at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. Center Derek Stepan scored twice to even the score and left winger Chris Kreider scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period. Stepan was named the game's first star by the attending media but his heroics would not have been possible if not Lundqvist, who had 39 saves, bailing out his fledgling team during the first 30 minutes. "He was our best player tonight without a doubt," said Stepan, who has a career-high 22 goals. "We come out of the first only down 2-0 because of him and then he made some big-time saves in the rest of the game. "The Rangers entered the second period trailing 2-0 after they were outshot 21-6 during the first 20 minutes. They had to kill a five-minute major after left winger Tanner Glass was ejected for a late hit against center Vladisalv Namestnikov near the end of the first period. But the Lightning could not find a third goal against Lundqvist, who did everything he could to stabilize a team that was coming off a playoff-clinching win in Columbus 24 hours earlier. "Our start was brutal," Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said. "I mean, we were still on the plane from the night before. (Lundqvist) made some saves to keep us within two goals going into the second period. I thought we started to find our legs after that kill and started to take the game over. "The Rangers played the final 45 minutes with only 11 forwards but somehow found a way to outscore the Lightning 3-0 without the services of Glass. Stepan cut the lead in half with a power-play goal late in the second period, as his wrist shot got past goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy with help from a screen by Kreider. He scored again early in the third period, this time as a power play was expiring, as his slap shot from an unfavorable angle found the back of the net as Vasilveskiy dropped down early. About two minutes after Stepan tied it, Kreider used his speed to escape a flat-footed Lightning defense and beat Vasilevskiy on a breakaway to make it 3-2. Despite the regulation loss, the Lightning clinched a playoff berth. "We are upset that we lost but you have to be proud that you got the points early in the season to be able to clinch a playoff spot," Johnson said. "Lundqvist made some great saves and they got some timely goals on mistakes by us. It basically came down to scoring that third goal with all those opportunities. ""Did (Lundqvist) make some big saves today? There's no question," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "He's done that for his whole career and he kept them close enough to get back into it. "The Lightning appear locked into the 2-3 matchup in the Atlantic no matter what happens over the final week but the Rangers have a critical showdown with the Islanders on Thursday night. The Islanders are two points behind the third-place Rangers in the Metro with a game in hand. "They've had a similar season to us and we're right there with each other," Lundqvist said. "They had some hot streaks and some stretches where they were struggling a little bit, just like us. Now it's just a few games left. You do everything you can to amp it up and focus on your game because in one week, it's serious. "Rangers D Dan Girardi left the game with less than two minutes remaining in the third period after he was driven into the boards by Lightning C Brian Boyle. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said the initial report on Girardi from doctors was positive. NOTES: Lightning D Victor Hedman and RW Ryan Callahan were absent from the lineup. Hedman is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, while Callahan is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. ... Rangers D Ryan McDonagh will miss the remainder of the regular season with a right hand injury he suffered Monday. He could be back for the playoffs, but the team is listing him as out indefinitely. D Brady Skjei was promoted from AHL Hartford of the AHL to take McDonagh's place on the roster. ... Rangers LW Oscar Lindberg returned to the lineup after missing 10 consecutive games as a healthy scratch. He replaced LW/C Kevin Hayes. ... Rangers D Dylan McIlrath took the spot of D Dan Boyle. McIlrath had not played since March 6.

12 Things to Do in Your New York City Neighborhood This Week dnainfo.com 2016-04-06 07:58 The Sports scoresandstats.newyork.cbslocal.com

4 LIVE BLOG: Zuma impeachment motion in Parliament And that concludes the business of the day, as they say in Parliament. Thank you and night. And the vote is in. The ANC, as expected, as voted against impeachment. But the action continues as Maimane, Malema and others shout across the floor at the ANC MPs... Tsenoli puts it to vote by shouts of "aye" and "nay". The DA calls for a vote. The bells are rung. Maimane deftly mentions Manuel's call on Zuma to quit. The reaction is muted. Tsenoli prematurely announces that the debate is concluded. Maimane is still to speak... He now makes closing remarks addressed at Ramphosa - "A South African that I respect". Manuel's statement that Zuma must qui t is very powerful medicine indeed as he remains highly respected within the ANC and within the business community. Maybe a sharp MP will raise this in the house? While the MP's drone on, Trevor Manuel has become the latest leading ANC figure to call on Zuma to quit. Read more about that here... The debate goes on with constant interruptions ... More from Mabe: "We must now demonstrate that we fully understand the Constitutional Court's ruling. " He said parliament had to hold the executive to account - "all of us". ANC MP Pule Mabe said the DA had brought "yet another frivolous motion" to have Zuma remove. The opposition was "displaying outright desperation". The DA's read out several quotes in which Zuma stated his refusal to pay back the money. "He demeaned the public protector and frustrated her inquiries. " Lekota says that if parliament does not sanction Zuma, "we will be failing for the second time". "We are governed by a party that believes it is above the constitution of the country. " says Zuma has "put the country at a crossroads". "What is to be done? " he asks before providing an answer: South Africans should unite and demand that Zuma leave office, failing which there should be fresh elections. As the debate goes on, the question is: What does it all mean? For Zuma, it means that the ANC stands behind him despite his constitutional failings. For the opposition, it means that the ruling of the constitutional court has not resulted in any immediate political change. Zuma remains in office with the backing of his party, just as he did before the debate. The real cost to Zuma and the ANC of the Constitutional Court ruling has not yet manifested itself. Apparently you can get away with anything in . All rather depressing, really. Malema's time is up, but he goes on: "Zuma wants to convert South Africa into a banana republic! " Malema is back at the podium: "I don't know if Mr Ramaphosa is going to vote against the constitution. " Same for Gordhan and Jonas. "It is better to stand alone and stand for the truth! " Malema: I want to know if Ramaphosa is going to vote against the Constitution. He led the process for this constitution. Malema: We want to see if Pravin will vote against this constitution. We want to see another Ben Turok. Stop thinking through your stomach Malema: Cronin and Blade, don’t vote for people who want to destroy the Constitution. Malema is told to call Zuma "Honourable Zuma" according to the rules. I don't think he is going to go along with this. There's a little chaos developing... Tsenoli: "Honourable members stop screaming at each other. " More from Malema: "We are all equal before the law, including Zuma. " Mbete has left the chair and has taken over. Malema is being asked to sit while a point of order is raised. The EFF's is speaking. He warns the ANC MPs that they are making a mistake. Zuma broke his oath of office to "uphold" the constitution, he says. "The judges were clear that the president and this parliament engaged in an unlawful activity. " Jeffrey: “The president has issued an apology” “We believe in the rule of law and we uphold the constitution.” More from John Jeffrey on the view that the public protector’s remedies were binding: “What opposition now, with the benefit of hindsight, say was crystal clear, was not so crystal clear.” The deputy justice minister John Jeffery is the first ANC MP to rise in defence of Zuma. There was he says no "serious violation" of the constitution by Zuma. Maimane finishing up: "Today the ANC will choose Jacob Zuma. It's up to the voters of South Africa to make a different choice. And believe you me, they will vote for change," he says. Maimane reaching a crescendo. "This ANC is rotten to the core! " he says amidst jeers. The ANC has been reduced to what Thabo Mbeki called an "an ignoble, blood-sucking and corrupt parasite. " - @MmusiMaimane #ImpeachZuma Maimane is speaking though loud jeers from the ANC benches. "ANC MPs confirm what we already know. President Zuma is not the cause of the disease, he is the biggest symptom of this disease. " Corruption in ANC is not limited to 1 part or 1 person. Corruption has infected the entire party like a cancer - @MmusiMaimane #ImpeachZuma More from Maimane: "The ANC's vital signs are not looking good. " He quotes Kgalema Motlanthe: "The rot is across the board". Maimane still going: “South Africans across the land dismissed President Zuma’s apology. “They said it’s not a big deal. Well, we are here on behalf of every South African to say: It is a big deal. “ "Today it will be recorded that ANC members of this parliament chose to defend a crooked broken president instead of the constitution and the rule of law. " Strong stuff The impeachment motion gets underway with the DA’s Mmusi Maimane first up. “When we were elected to parliament, we swore an oath to uphold the constitution. It was therefore our duty to table this motion today.” “In his judgement last week, the Chief Justice was scathing about the conduct of the ANC parliamentary caucus and the presiding officers.” “We know the ANC will fall in line behind Zuma, but it is not our job to worry about that.” When the highest court ruled that the man in the highest office violated the Constitution it should've been the end of Zuma #ImpeachZuma Mbete cuts off the debate on the recusal of the Speaker, only to be interrupted by the EFF. “We have wasted a lot of time on this matter,” she says. We now know that 10 minutes in politics is 1hour and 25 minutes in normal time, by the way. That's how long the 10 minute recess lasted. ANC Whip Mthembu summarises the meeting in Mbete's steam-filled office. In sum: "She will continue to preside over this house. " Malema says: "You are conflicted. I can guarantee that you are going to lose. " "All opposition parties are asking you to recuse yourself. You shall receive court papers. " Malema: You’re going to lose again with costs. You’re costing this Parliament money. In summary Speaker, you shall receive court papers. "We should be able to differ without resorting to unbecoming or offensive language," she says. She is reading from a prepared statement. "Parliament is able to function especially when there is cooperation among the parties. We will now proceed with proceedings. " Malema takes the floor. And Mbete is back in the house! MPs are drifting back to the benches, but there is no sign of Mbete. Has the unthinkable happened? I have this strange habit of humming The Girl from Ipanema to myself when I'm in a holding pattern. Try it, it's soothing... Da, da, da, da-ra-ta-ra-ta, ... Girl The man who has emerged as Zuma's Number One defender since the (latest) scandal broke has been the ANC secretary general, . Here's what he had to say at midnight after the ANC's national working committee meeting: "We've read that judgment backwards and forwards and obtained legal advice. Nowhere does he say he flouted his oath of office. That is in the imagination of opposition parties. " Which is hogwash, because Mogoeng Mogoeng said: "The President thus failed to uphold‚ defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the land. This failure is manifest from the substantial disregard for the remedial action taken against him by the Public Protector in terms of her constitutional powers. " In the oath of office the president swears to "uphold" the constitution. Mantashe is burning up some hard-earned credibility here. As is Cyril Ramaphosa, who has stood behind Zuma. Never mind a week, 10 minutes is a long time in politics. The 10 minute recess has been going on for an hour already... Mbete has exited the chamber once more, so expect more of a delay. While we wait for the steam-filled rooms to make a decision on the way forward, some more reflection: Should today's impeachment debate happen, it is clear that Zuma will win because the ANC has united behind him ... wait ... they are coming back into the chamber! #Zuma #Impeach A united opposition. During the break, Julius, Mbuyiseni and Geordin ( of the DA) chat. pic.twitter.com/u0fCnnP24y Mbete is back in the house, sitting in the benches chatting to Mapisa-Nqakula. Parliament not yet in session again though. #ImpeachZuma It's a full house in the public gallery. pic.twitter.com/JReJxg2PJe This impeachment debate is the result of the Constitutional Court's finding that President Jacob Zuma had failed to uphold several clauses of the constitution. My favourite part of the judgement is this section in which Mogoeng Mogoeng schooled Zuma on what it means to be president in a constitutional democracy: "The President is the Head of State and Head of the national Executive. His is indeed the highest calling to the highest office in the land. He is the first citizen of this country and occupies a position indispensable for the effective governance of our democratic country. "Only upon him has the constitutional obligation to uphold‚ defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic been expressly imposed. "The promotion of national unity and reconciliation falls squarely on his shoulders. As does the maintenance of orderliness‚ peace‚ stability and devotion to the well-being of the Republic and all of its people. "Whoever and whatever poses a threat to our sovereignty‚ peace and prosperity he must fight. "To him is the executive authority of the entire Republic primarily entrusted. He initiates and gives the final stamp of approval to all national legislation. And almost all the key role players in the realisation of our constitutional vision and the aspirations of all our people are appointed and may ultimately be removed by him. "Unsurprisingly‚ the nation pins its hopes on him to steer the country in the right direction and accelerate our journey towards a peaceful‚ just and prosperous destination‚ that all other progress-driven nations strive towards on a daily basis. "He is a constitutional being by design‚ a national pathfinder‚ the quintessential commander-in- chief of State affairs and the personification of this nation’s constitutional project. " Concourt They're still furiously debating behind closed doors. I said 'smoke-filled rooms' earlier which is clearly wrong. No smoking is permitted in parliament. I should have said 'steam-filled rooms'. Meanwhile the pundits are commenting on Mbete's facial expressions. Apparently she is angry and confused. ANC might even sacrifice Mbete chairing the debate on this motion because to them the priority is putting Nkandla behind Zuma. #ImpeachZuma For a quick summary of the Co n Court judgement read this ConCourt Looming large over proceedings is Mogoeng Mogoeng's Constitutional Court judgement. Here's a reminder of what he said about the National Assembly: "The ineluctable conclusion is therefore‚ that the National Assembly’s resolution based on the Minister’s findings exonerating the President from liability is inconsistent with the Constitution and unlawful. " Powerful stuff. They're still in the smoke-filled rooms working out a way forward, so more reflection: The game has changed since the last sitting. Perhaps the severe tongue-lashing administered by the Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has had an effect. The ANC faces a real dilemma here. If they force through a vote, they might spark a full opposition walk-out or a court rebuttal. If they back down, the opposition will claim a major victory and it is hard to see how the Speaker could stay in her position. My money is on a ruling from the chair that she will continue. Let's see... A quick on the spot reflection: It seems to me that there is a little uncertainty about Mbete. What she doesn't want is another court ruling against her. Perhaps she is looking for a way out? Mbete will suspend the proceedings for 10 minutes while she consults. The suspense is mounting... Gardee in fighting spirit. Peace Mabe also taking shots at Julius on some "siyabuya! ". Something very tavern-like about today's sitting. As @andiMakinana points out, the last time we took a 10 minute break, we sat here for four hours. #ImpeachZuma This 10 mins is longer then the time van rooyen was finance minister #ImpeachZuma The DA's argues that by forcing a vote, the Speaker will simply prove that she is politically partisan. "The judgement of the Constitutional Court has clearly shown that you are not unbiased in this matter. " The Speaker: "Indeed there is a precedent before of us indeed finalising an issue on which there was no agreement by indeed voting. " Looks like there will be no accession to the demand to step down for the debate. Indeed. The ANC suggests that the matter be put to the vote. "I think that is a helpful way out of this matter," says the Speaker. And the debate rages on. This is building up to something. Will all the parties get up and walk out on Mbete if she insists on presiding? That would leave the ANC alone in the house. Malema: You voted for Nkandla report. You vote for wrong things. Listen to superior logic. Bloody voting cattle. Cattle It is clear that the opposition parties are acting in concert to call on Mbete to not preside over the session. The opposition parties are united in calling for the Speaker to recuse herself. She's not fit to preside over the proceedings #ImpeachZuma Now Bantu Holomisa of the UDM agrees that the Speaker should not preside because she is "conflicted". The IFP's joins the chorus for Mbete to step down from the chair. "We are making a humble request that in the interest of fairness, that the deputy Speaker preside. " "You are a constitutional illiterate, you don't understand! " shouts the EFF's Ndlozi. Mbete responds: "At this point nothing in the constitution or in the rules requires me to recuse myself. The judgement makes an order relating to the National Assembly. " Cope's joins the DA and the EFF in demanding that Speaker Mbete not preside. "The court has found that you have failed to lead us in that direction," he says. Lekota reminds Baleka that she was a respondent in the Concourt matter and she was found to have violated the constitution. Malema carries on with his demand that the Speaker "relieve herself" of the chair. Mbete responds: "You are out order". "There is no rule in our constitution which says you must recuse yourself," says Mthembu. Malema takes the microphone and shouts at Mbete: "You are not qualified to tell me to sit down. You are not a Speaker. You are sitting there illegally. You violated the constitution. We cannot discuss Zuma with you presiding over this matter. " Malema Madame Speaker responds: "I will continue to allow this exchange". Newly minted ANC chief whip, Jackson Mthembu, tries to defend Mbete amidst loud jeering. As usual, proceedings begin with a vicious debate about procedure. The DA wants Madame Speaker to recuse herself for not "acting fairly and impartially" . @jsteenhuisen : "In the interest of restoring the credibility of this House, Madam Speaker you must recuse yourself" #ImpeachZuma It feels like 'Nkandla: Episode 784 - The Impeachment Fiasco as MPs begin debating whether or not to remove Zuma once more. Am I the only one who thinks ordinary South Africans aren't interested in the grandstanding? #ImpeachZuma

2016-04-06 12:03 www.timeslive.co.za

5 Savvy home sellers turn to smart technology The tight supply of homes for sale across the nation has turned this spring into a strong seller's market, but not all homes will move, especially if they are outdated. That is why smart sellers are investing in smart technology to lure potential buyers. "That's your ticket to selling the house," said Sabine Schoenberg, a Greenwich, Connecticut- based home-improvement expert and founder and CEO of real estate firm PrimeSites. Schoenberg specializes in updating old farmhouses with new technology. "I think technology really helps us get our lives more organized and simpler in a way," Schoenberg said. "If you have an old farmhouse, you still have a front door, so why not install a smart door lock, especially if it's a second home? " Nearly half of all Americans either already have smart home technology or plan to invest in it this year, according to a survey released in January that was conducted by Harris Polls for Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Seventy percent of those surveyed with smart home technology said buying their first product made them more likely to buy another. It is a myth that retrofitting an older home with smart technology is too difficult or too expensive. When it comes to selling a home, more than half of current homeowners said they would install smart home technology because they thought it would sell the home faster. Additionally, 65 percent of them said they would pay $1,500 or more to upgrade — but that may not be necessary. "A few hundred dollars will have an impact," Schoenberg said. "The price of technology on these gadgets has come so far down. " She cited competition among the makers of smart door locks and other technologies. She also said buyers today will ask if the Wi-Fi is staying, just as they would have asked in the past about a chandelier or refrigerator. Companies such as August, Kwikset and Schlage offer smart door locks for about $200, and Ring.com is a smart doorbell with security camera, starting at $99. Learning thermostats from companies such as Nest and Honeywell will also not break the bank. More extensive smart products, such as Crestron's Pyng Home Automation System, can be more expensive, but the return on investment may be worth it. 1. Strong Internet connection and Wi-Fi network 2. Smart doorbell 3. Smart door locks 4. Smart climate controls 5. Smart lighting While smart technology is becoming nearly standard in newly built homes, putting it into existing homes is becoming much more prevalent and therefore giving sellers of those homes an advantage. Even sellers of larger homes, who may be marketing to older, move-up buyers, should consider it. Older generations are adopting certain types of smart home technology faster than younger ones. For instance, 40 percent of those over age 65 who own smart home products currently have smart temperature products, compared to 25 percent of millennials (ages 18 to 34), according to the Coldwell Banker survey. "Buying a home is an emotional process," Schoenberg said. "People need to connect with the house. The features grab you," she said. "They say: 'That seller is up on this, and this is a hip place to live.'" While most homeowners start with smart entertainment systems, second on the list is home security and smart temperature controls. The least popular smart technology is in appliances, like smart refrigerators or washing machines.

2016-04-06 12:03 Diana Olick www.cnbc.com

6 Cambodia to repopulate forests with tigers from abroad PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Cambodia has unveiled a plan to reintroduce tigers from abroad into the dry forests of the country, where the big cat has become virtually extinct thanks to poaching. The WWW conservation group said Wednesday that Cambodia's government will negotiate with the governments of India, Malaysia and Thailand to bring in at least seven to eight tigers and let them loose in the eastern forests of Mondulkiri province. It said the plan was approved on March 23. WWF said in a statement that the last tiger spotted in Cambodia was seen by a remote- controlled camera in 2007 in Mondulkiri. It said that today, there are no longer any breeding populations of tigers left in Cambodia, and they are "therefore considered functionally extinct. " Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

2016-04-06 12:03 Associated Press mynorthwest.com

7 Plaque to Honor Slaves Who Once Lived, Worked at Harvard Harvard's president is dedicating a plaque in Harvard Yard to the slaves who played a role in the university's history. The college says that until recently, those slaves and their contributions have been "all but invisible" on the campus. University President Drew Faust is to be joined by members of Congress at a dedication ceremony Wednesday morning. Faust announced last week in an op-ed in the student newspaper that the nearly 400-year-old institution would install the plaque at a former home for college presidents to recognize the slaves who lived and worked there. Slavery was abolished in Massachusetts in 1783. Harvard also plans to host a conference on universities and slavery next year.

2016-04-06 12:03 By abcnews.go.com

8 Cubs 6, Angels 1 E_Bryant (1). LOB_Chicago 3, Los Angeles 4. 2B_D. Ross (1), Y. Escobar (1). HR_Fowler (1), Rizzo (1), Szczur (1). Umpires_Home, Angel Hernandez; First, Lance Barksdale; Second, Will Little; Third, Ted Barrett. T_2:34. A_37,042 (45,493). Everything you need to get out and enjoy those beautiful blossoms: parking tips, event guides, FAQs, photos and more. Looking for something fun to do this month? Check out WTOP's April Entertainment Guide.

2016-04-06 12:03 The Associated wtop.com

9 Senate to probe Kidapawan incident DROUGHT-HIT farmers who had implored the government for aid would have a chance to speak before the Senate on Thursday as it looks into the violent dispersal of their protest action that led to three deaths. The Senate committee on justice and human rights will hold the hearing at the University of Southeastern in Davao City. Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, the committee chair, said the venue was chosen as it was relatively near Kidapawan City, the site of the farmers’ protest and dispersal. The venue would make it easier for the farmers to show up at the probe, he said. Some 6,000 farmers took to the streets in Kidapawan, North Cotabato province, on April 1 to protest what they said was the government’s failure to provide relief to those suffering from the devastating effects of El Niño, which has destroyed their crops and starved their families. Reports say police opened fire on the protesters during the mass action. Police said though that one of the dead protesters tested positive for powder burns. “Some of the invited resource speakers belong to the protesting farmers, who are too injured to travel all the way to ,” Pimentel said. Senators Teofisto Guingona III and Alan Peter Cayetano have confirmed their attendance at the inquiry. “In the Senate hearing, we will listen to all parties present,” said Cayetano. “But most important, we hope to get to the bottom of this issue and render justice to all the victims of this unnecessary use of violence.” DILG probes The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which supervises the Philippine National Police, is also conducting a probe. Interior Secretary said he had ordered the creation of two fact-finding panels that would investigate state forces. The first will be under the National Police Commission, which Sarmiento heads, which will investigate the PNP actions during the dispersal. The second, under the DILG Bureau of Local Government Supervision, will “look at the measures taken by the concerned LGUs in addressing the El Niño problem in their area of responsibility.” On Tuesday, the PNP also announced the creation of an internal fact-finding team on the Kidapawan clash. “The PNP’s policy is to be transparent. We don’t tolerate our colleagues if they themselves violated the rules and regulations. If the investigation proves that the police erred, they will be punished,” PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor said at a press briefing in Camp Crame. The PNP fact-finding team will be headed by the chief for integrated police operations of the Western Mindanao police, Police Director Isagani Nerez. “The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), likewise, is conducting its own investigation. My only appeal to the CHR is to look not only at the rights of the ralliers, but also the police, who also have rights,” Sarmiento said. Vice presidential candidate Francis Escudero said the investigation of the bloody dispersal should not be left alone to the PNP. He said a combined team of the Department of Justice, CHR and National Bureau of Investigation should conduct an independent probe. The CHR on Tuesday asked the public to refrain from making any “hasty and haphazard generalizations, conjectures and incomplete claims” about the violent police dispersal of the farmers’ rally. CHR Chair Jose Luis Martin Gascon made the appeal in a statement, noting that the commission had launched its own investigation of the Kidapawan incident and was still in the middle of gathering information. President mum In Iba, Zambales province, President Aquino on Tuesday kept silent on the bloody dispersal of the farmers, as Malacañang insisted that the Aquino administration had been “successful” in mitigating the impact of the El Niño phenomenon. Over the weekend, Presidential Communications Undersecretary III said the President would likely not speak on the matter until he received the full investigation report on the incident and was satisfied with the explanation given to him. Escudero is urging Mr. Aquino to end his silence. “If he is campaigning for his candidate and he can speak for him, there is no reason why he should not speak (on the issue) even though they are not his party mates,” said Escudero at the launching of a campaign headquarters on Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City, for him and presidential hopeful Grace Poe and their senatorial candidates. “For me, the police was clearly at fault. It was overkill because farmers were only asking for food and rice and they were given bullets. Their protest is simple: Why are those feeding us (farmers) have nothing to eat?” Escudero said. During the Senate probe, Escudero would like to dig deep into the use of the multibillion-peso allocations for the Climate Change Fund of which El Niño, which destroyed the farmers’ crops, was covered. Poe said the brutal treatment of farmers and protesters had no place in this day and age. She said the government made matters worse by preventing food and other aid to reach the farmers who were cooped up in the United Methodist compound a few days after the clash. She said it was also inexplicable for the police to file charges against the farmers who were the victims in the clash. While the DILG and PNP investigations have yet to start, Sarmiento issued statements indicating that police personnel were not responsible for the shooting. Sarmiento said two protesters did not die of gunshot wounds, but of a heat stroke, and of head injuries “possibly from [thrown] rocks.” He also wondered about the motive of the protest. “They were demanding rice at the front, but protesting [government anti-insurgency campaign Oplan] Bayanihan at the back,” which had nothing to do with the El Niño or the drought, he said. Sarmiento supported the police dispersal team and defended his much-assailed decision to award the wounded police fresh after the clash. Instigated by politicians In Olongapo City, Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer said the rally by drought-hit farmers in Kidapawan might have been instigated by politicians for their own interests. He said he strongly condemned the bloodshed “both on the law enforcement side and on the side of the protesters.” “What’s needed here is a comprehensive and intensive investigation into what really happened because there are reports that this rally was not organic, meaning it wasn’t the people of North Cotabato who were there,” he said. “This may have been instigated by politicians who wanted something to happen to heighten the issue or raise their ratings,” said Roxas, a former interior secretary who once exercised administrative control over the national police. His running mate, Leni Robredo, in a separate interview, said the officials directly involved in the operation and the dispersal of the protesters should be suspended while the investigation was ongoing. The Camarines Sur lawmaker, taking a starkly different position from Roxas, earlier called for heads to roll after the Kidapawan incident. “What I am asking is that in order to have an in-depth investigation, and so the public will have confidence in the findings, the people directly involved in the operation should not remain in their posts in the meantime,” Robredo said. Avoid cover-up Fearing a “cover-up,” Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and human rights group Karapatan have called for a probe by a group independent from the government. “An independent investigating body can be composed of prominent civil libertarians, Church people and academicians, among others,” KMP chair Rafael Mariano said in a statement. Mariano noted that “farmers have learned our lessons from the Mendiola and Hacienda Luisita massacres” for which no one had been held accountable. RELATED VIDEO

2016-04-06 12:03 DJ Yap newsinfo.inquirer.net

10 Saudi state TV says Yemen shelling kills 3, including child DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Saudi state television is reporting that two people and a child were killed and a foreigner was wounded by shelling from neighboring war-torn Yemen. The state television report said the shelling happened around 5 p.m. Tuesday in the kingdom's southern province of Jazan. It said the child died at a local hospital. A Saudi-led coalition launched an airstrike and land campaign against Shiite rebels known as Houthis in Yemen in March 2015. Since then, more than 6,000 people in Yemen have been killed. Sporadic cross-border shelling also has killed and wounded civilians in Saudi Arabia. The United Nations says more than 80 percent of Yemenis are in dire need of food, water and other aid as a result of the conflict in the Arab world's poorest country. Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

2016-04-06 12:03 Associated Press mynorthwest.com

11 Public safety officials to outline plans for Boston Marathon BOSTON (AP) — Public safety officials will hold a news conference to discuss planning for this year’s Boston Marathon. Leaders from the Boston Athletic Association, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and law enforcement officials will outline ongoing security plans on Wednesday at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Officials from the eight communities that host the race also will be at the news conference. The 120th Boston Marathon is scheduled for April 18. That day, the Multi-Agency Coordination Center for the marathon will host more than 220 liaisons representing 52 local, state, federal and volunteer agencies to monitor events, share information and coordinate resources. Security at the marathon has been stepped up significantly since two bombs exploded near the finish line of the 2013 marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 260. Everything you need to get out and enjoy those beautiful blossoms: parking tips, event guides, FAQs, photos and more. Looking for something fun to do this month? Check out WTOP's April Entertainment Guide.

2016-04-06 12:03 The Associated wtop.com

12 Strong earthquake rattles Vanuatu; no tsunami threat SYDNEY (AP) -- A strong earthquake rattled the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Wednesday, but there was no tsunami threat and no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The magnitude-6.9 quake struck 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of the village of Sola, and 460 kilometers (290 miles) northwest of Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, according to the U. S. Geological Survey. The quake struck at a depth of 33 kilometers (20 miles). Shadrack Welegtabit, director of Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office, said officials had not received any reports of damage or injuries, and the temblor was not felt in the capital. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami. This is the second strong quake to rattle Vanuatu this week. A quake of the same magnitude hit on Sunday, with no damage reported. Vanuatu sits on the Ring of Fire, the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes are common. The nation is also prone to volcanoes and cyclones. Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

2016-04-06 12:03 Associated Press mynorthwest.com

13 San Francisco Approves Fully Paid Leave for New Parents San Francisco became the first place in the country Tuesday to require businesses to provide fully paid leave for new parents in what was hailed as the latest move to address income inequality in the nation. The measure approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors will give new mothers and fathers six weeks of fully paid time off, a rarity now offered to some government sector workers and some private employees, particularly those who work in the tech industry. "The vast majority of workers in this country have little or no access to paid parental leave, and that needs to change," Supervisor Scott Wiener, who pushed the measure, said at a news conference before the vote. The measure requires another formal vote by the board next week as well as approval by Mayor Ed Lee, who says he is happy to sign it. Small business owners complained that the mandate is the latest in a long list of city mandates — including paid sick leave and health coverage — that unfairly targets them. "They don't necessarily have the resources, they can't absorb the increases in cost, and they feel like it's kind of relentless, it's one thing after the next," said Dee Dee Workman, vice president of public policy at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. The issue of paid parental leave is gaining momentum across the country much like the debate over a higher minimum wage . Paid leave has become a topic in the presidential campaign as companies, especially in Silicon Valley, start offering better benefits. Twitter announced Tuesday that it would offer up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave for new parents in the U. S. starting May 1. San Francisco approved a $15 hourly minimum wage for workers in 2014. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Monday mandating that amount for the entire state. The U. S. lags other countries in providing parental leave and is the only major industrialized nation that doesn't require paid leave. Federal law grants workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. California, Rhode Island and New Jersey provide partial pay, with the money coming from employees. Legislators in New York last month approved up to 12 weeks of partial pay. The state of California currently allows workers to receive 55 percent of their pay for up to six weeks to bond with a new child. The money comes from a state insurance program funded by workers. The San Francisco measure requires employers with at least 20 employees to make up the rest. The regulation will be phased in, starting with businesses that employ 50 workers in January 2017. Among the dozen or so attendees at the Tuesday press conference was Kim Turner, a nonprofit attorney who took advantage of the state parental leave program. She says full paid leave would have been better. "I do think employers should be pitching in more," she said. "I think we all need more help. It's just so hard to make ends meet with little ones in the house. " Businesses with 35 to 49 workers must comply starting in July 2017 and businesses with 20 to 34 workers have until January 2018. The business-sponsored Bay Area Council, whose members include tech giants Google and Facebook, supports the measure. "Paid parental leave increases the probability that employees will return to work, be more productive, and earn higher wages," said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council. "That is good for business and for families. " ——— AP writer Terence Chea contributed to this report.

2016-04-06 12:03 By abcnews.go.com

14 Report says Bangladesh gov't wells not fixing arsenic crisis DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) -- Arsenic-tainted government wells are still poisoning an estimated 20 million people in Bangladesh, a number that is unchanged from 10 years ago despite years of action to dig new wells at safer depths, according to a report released Wednesday. Arsenic is a naturally occurring and toxic element found in the soil and groundwater of some areas of the world, including vast delta regions like Bangladesh and eastern India. The new report by New York-based Human Rights Watch blames nepotism and neglect by Bangladeshi officials, saying they are deliberately having new wells dug in areas convenient for friends, family members and political supporters and allies, rather than in places where arsenic contamination is highest or large numbers of poor villagers are being exposed. Government officials did not immediately comment on the findings. Human Rights Watch based its report on a survey of about 125,000 government wells dug from 2006 to 2012 specifically to give villagers safer options, after an earlier survey of 5 million wells found millions exposed to water that exceeded Bangladesh's arsenic contamination limit of 50 parts per billion. The Bangladeshi limit, which is the same limit set in neighboring India, is far higher than the World Health Organization's recommended limit of 10 ppb. "What we found was basically poor governance," said Human Rights Watch senior researcher Richard Pearshouse, who authored the report. "There is no technical problem that can't be solved if the political will is there. But what we see is that the government is using many of its valuable resources in areas where there is no need for deep tube wells from the government. " Scientists first discovered arsenic in Bangladesh's groundwater in 1993, sounding alarm bells worldwide about a massive public health crisis pouring from some 10 million hand-cranked tube wells tapping water from underground. The government took action and began testing many of the wells, painting them green if they were safe, or red if unsafe. International aid groups also invested funding to help the government dig more wells at safer depths. Experts say wells in Bangladesh that go to depths of about 150 meters (164 yards) or deeper are usually safe, but most are much shallower, stopping at around 50 meters. The deeper the well, the more expensive it is to dig, and many people in the impoverished South Asian country who have to build their own wells say they don't have the means to go deeper. In the village of Khirdasdi, about an hour's drive from Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, people were well aware of the risks of drinking arsenic-contaminated water, but said they had little choice. "We are poor people," said Hazrat Ali, a farmer who has not found safe water despite setting up three tube wells. "There are no rivers and canals close by. From where shall we collect water? For this reason we drink this arsenic mixed water. " Experts estimate that up to 15 percent of Bangladesh's 10 million tube wells, most of which are private, are likely to be contaminated. At least 30 countries have been found to have arsenic in their groundwater, including the U. S., Canada and China. ___ Daigle reported from New Delhi. ___ Follow Katy Daigle: twitter.com/katydaigle Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

2016-04-06 12:03 Associated Press mynorthwest.com

15 Shiv Sena wins two BMC committees with BJP on its side Mumbai: Shiv Sena today won chairmanship of the crucial Standing Committee and the Education Committee of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in an election it fought with its ruling partner BJP despite bickering between the two saffron allies. Both the committees are considered most powerful and coveted in the richest civic body which is going to polls next year. While Yashodhar Phanse was re-elected as chairman of Standing Committee for 2016-17, Hemangi Worlikar was elected as chairperson of Education Committee. Phanse and Worlikar, who fought as Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI nominees, defeated Congress-NCP's candidates Sunil More and Priyatama Kumar, respectively, a BMC release stated. BMC has 10 committees and their chairmen and chairpersons are elected through direct election. The thaw between the warring allies was ensured after city unit BJP chief Ashish Shelar called on senior Sena leaders at the party chief Uddhav Thackeray's residence 'Matoshree', a senior BJP corporator said. The winners were felicitated by Mayor Snehal Ambekar.

2016-04-06 12:03 By PTI www.mid-day.com

16 16 Conflicting testimonies noted BUSINESSMAN Kim Wong, former Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito and Philrem Services Corp. officials on Tuesday offered conflicting testimonies on how the stolen $81 million was laundered. At the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing, Philrem officials were taken to task for purported inconsistences and omissions in their statements on the delivery to a casino junket operator of the money stolen from the US account of Bangladesh Bank that ended up in Deguito’s RCBC branch. Senators said Philrem executives led by president Salud Bautista and her husband, treasurer Michael Bautista, had failed to mention at the outset that Kim Wong was present during the delivery of portions of the P600 million and $18 million that they said went to junket operator Weikang Xu. The Bautistas’ testimonies also clashed with those of other key personalities in the controversy. The Philrem officials said Wong was present during all but two of the six times that they handed over the money to Xu. But Wong said that when he was present during the pickup of money from the Bautistas’ house, it was only he who got the cash, not Xu. “Our beneficiary was Mr. Weikang Xu,” said Salud Bautista. Wong and the Bautistas also differed on the amounts delivered. Wong said that $17 missing was unaccounted for, but Philrem insisted no funds remained with it. Deguito also disputed Michael Bautista’s testimony that she directed Philrem to deliver the money to Xu. She does not know who Xu is, Deguito said. Wong, a casino junket operator, turned out to play a big role in the controversy, as he received a significant portion of the $81 million. Wong had named two Chinese nationals who knew of the entry of the $81 million to RCBC. Wong has turned over $4.63 million and P38.28 million of the dirty money to authorities. He promised to return P450 million more in the coming days. Under questioning from Sen. Ralph Recto, it turned out that Michael Bautista, Wong, and Deguito knew each other even before the $81-million transaction. Philrem is a “central player” in the scheme, Recto said. “All of the money passed through it,” he said. The $81 million in the RCBC account of William Go was sent to Philrem, which converted part of it to pesos and sent it to Xu, Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. and Bloomberry Hotels Inc. Salud Bautista initially testified that Philrem delivered the P600 million and $18 million in several tranches to Xu. Salud herself made the first delivery at Solaire. In a subsequent hearing, Wong said that he was present when portions of the money were picked up from the Bautistas’ residence. Wong was also present when the first tranche was delivered at Solaire. The Bautistas later confirmed Wong’s presence during several deliveries. “In the first two or three hearings, they did not mention anything about Kim Wong picking up the money with them. Withheld information. This is material because we’re still looking for $15 million to $20 million that’s missing,” Recto said. He also said Philrem at first only mentioned a P600 million delivery and only mentioned the $18 million in the next hearing. Sen. Teofisto Guingona III also said he felt as if the Senate was being fooled. Michael Bautista said Philrem officials have been answering all questions put to them from the start and have cooperated with the Anti-Money Laundering Council. “We came in to the Senate knowing that at the end of the day, we will have to take hits for our business because there are a lot of questions on how we do things. However, sir, we’ve always accepted the fact that this transaction was a mistake and we will take the hit because we have to help solve this problem for everybody,” he said. No money left He insisted there was no money remaining with Philrem. Salud Bautista also said she did not contradict herself. She said her first testimony was that she delivered just the first tranche at Solaire. She was with messenger Mark Palmares, who was summoned to the Senate but failed to show up Tuesday due to illness. Upon questioning, Salud Bautista disclosed Tuesday that Wong was among the persons with Xu when she made the first cash delivery. She also said she did not reveal many details of the transaction because she could be held criminally liable for disclosing details of the suspicious transaction report. Deguito, for her part, said she chose Philrem to convert the $81 million to pesos after Wong, who she referred to as “Sir Kim,” asked for a recommendation. She said she selected Philrem because Wong knew Michael Bautista, which meant it would be easy to clarify things if necessary. But Michael Bautista said he did not know that the deal involved Wong, since the transaction came from an RCBC account belonging to William Go. He did not talk to Go, but since the branch manager was involved, he trusted the transaction. Deguito also said Wong’s instructions were just to remit the money to Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. and Bloomberry Hotels Inc. There was no instruction to send the money to Xu. But the Philrem officials insisted that the directive to send the money to Xu came from the bank. Just a pawn Deguito said senior RCBC officials, conspiring with wealthy businessmen, were involved in the scandal but did not name names. “I am but a pawn in a high-stakes chess game played by giants in international banking and high finance. If this committee is looking for a ‘grandmaster,’ it is not me,” Deguito said. “The line runs much higher and involves persons with much more clout and authority than a simple bank manager with modest capabilities,” she added. “If I had made mistakes, it is these: That I believed and trusted the bank president Mr. Lorenzo Tan; that I followed him when he said I should ‘take care’ of his friend; that I relied on the fact that Mr. Tan could not have been unaware of a transaction that has been labeled the biggest bank heist in the history of the world,” she said. She said recent testimonies pinned her down as the main mover in the laundering scheme, but she said she was too mid-level to be a consequential player in transactions worth almost P4 billion. “Truly, a crime of this magnitude could be possible only with the participation of people from the highest officialdom of RCBC, in cahoots with extremely wealthy businessmen whose far- reaching powers and influence span several countries,” she said. According to her, she had “unwittingly” allowed herself to be made the scapegoat, when all she wanted was to advance her career, boost her performance as bank manager and help provide for her family. But Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said Deguito cannot talk in terms of “speculative statements” and should provide names. “If there’s a grand conspiracy, she should present evidence that are indicative of that conspiracy,” Osmeña told reporters. E-mails Senator Guingona, the committee chair, said he found “very disturbing” the exchange between RCBC legal counsel Maria Celia Estavillo and Deguito at the hearing. Estavillo said that Deguito, her aide Angela Torres and their immediate supervisors were informed via e-mail last year that “thank you letters” of the bank to four of the five bank account holders (which became recipient of the stolen money) for opening accounts were returned to RCBC. This meant that the address given by the four bank holders were not accurate. But Deguito denied she received any such notice via e-mail. Deguito said she had been pulled out from the branch on Feb. 12 and when she returned to work on Feb. 16, she was told she was under preventive suspension. “Since that time, I have no access to my e-mail, I have no access to my documents. I stayed away from everybody in the bank so that they can freely have an investigation. As to what happened to the e-mails, to the documents, I really have no idea,” Deguito said.

2016-04-06 12:03 Christine O newsinfo.inquirer.net

17 Four-Peat: UConn Beats 'Cuse for 4th Straight National Title Breanna Stewart and UConn stand alone. Geno Auriemma, too, after another flawless season by the dominating Huskies. UConn won an unprecedented fourth straight national championship Tuesday night, capping another perfect season by routing Syracuse 82- 51. Until now, only the UCLA men's team had won four in a row in Division I, rolling to seven consecutive championships under John Wooden from 1967-73. With Tuesday's victory, Auriemma passed the Wizard of Westwood with his 11th national title. Peerless again. Perfect again. "What those 11 championships mean to me is how many great players I've had the opportunity to coach," Auriemma said. "How many great people have come through the program. It doesn't matter whose name is above, or whose name I'm under. As long as I have those players in my memory, I'm good. " Stewart said when she came to campus four years ago that she wanted to win four titles. She delivered on that promise by scoring 24 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the final game of her brilliant college career. "It's unbelievable," Stewart said. "That was our goal coming in here once we were freshman and to carry it out and win like this as seniors is unbelievable. " Stewart and her fellow seniors Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson posed on the ladder after cutting down the net for the final time. Mission accomplished. "It wasn't a sense of relief, it was a sense of success. This is exactly what we wanted," Stewart said. "Going into every one of our national championship runs, we were confident and that's what we were tonight, confident. We made history and to be able to say that we did that with those two guys, we're going to remember that forever. " The Huskies (38-0) have been nearly unbeatable since Stewart arrived. They lost four games her freshman year and only one since. The win over Syracuse was the 75th straight for UConn, all by double figures. Stewart and her fellow seniors went 24-0 in NCAA tourney games, too. Stewart earned the most outstanding player of the Final Four all four years of her career. No other women's player has won it more than twice and only Lew Alcindor did it three times on the men's side. The three-time AP Player of the Year has said it is up to others to decide her place in women's college basketball lore. There is no denying she is the most accomplished player ever, winning more titles than fellow UConn greats Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore, who watched from the stands at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. 'I'll say this. She's the greatest NCAA Tournament player I've ever been around," Auriemma said. "When the lights were the brightest, that's (when) she was at her best. " Like the other great UConn teams, this version had a killer instinct. The Huskies scored the first nine points of the game. Stewart had 10 points in the first 6 minutes as UConn built a 23-6 lead. When the Orange made a little run to cut its deficit to 25-13, Jefferson hit a 3-pointer just before the first-quarter buzzer. Stewart, Jefferson and Tuck, who have helped the Huskies to an NCAA- record 151 wins over their four years, combined for 26 of the 28 points in the period. They also handled the Orange's press with precision passing that led to easy layups. The Huskies were up 50-23 at the half and extended the lead to 33 early in third quarter before Syracuse scored 16 straight points to get within 60-43 with 2:02 left in the period that brought the Orange fans to their feet. Consecutive layups by Napheesa Collier restored the 20-plus point lead and UConn cruised from there. "Not shocked by how good they are, not shocked by the things they did in the game. We were definitely prepared for it," Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman said. "One of the things I told our kids is you have no reason to be scared when you're prepared and we competed. We didn't play scared. " Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson left the game for good with 1:46 left. They shared an embrace together before hugging Auriemma. The trio then went down the bench hugging every member of the team. "There's three key ingredients that go into this kind of success, 'One, two, three,'" Auriemma said afterward, pointing to his three seniors. Auriemma has never lost in 11 title appearances. While the names may change, the results are always the same: UConn is still there holding that trophy in the end. This one gave the Hall of Fame coach a sixth undefeated season. To win her fourth championship, Stewart had to beat her hometown team. Fourth-seeded Syracuse (30-8) had the best season in school history, advancing to its first NCAA championship game. They hadn't made it out of the first weekend of the tournament until this year. "I'm really happy for Breanna Stewart, who came to one of my camps. She's a great player," Hillsman said. "When you have a player that great coming from Syracuse, that doesn't happen that often. " These two teams hadn't played since the Orange left the Big East for the ACC after the 2013 season. Syracuse has now lost 24 straight against UConn, a skid that dates to 1996. Cornelia Fondren scored 16 points to lead Syracuse. UNBEATENS With Lubbock Christian and Thomas More finishing off their undefeated seasons Monday night in the Division II and III title games, this marks the third year that all three champions didn't have a loss. It also happened in 1995 and 2014 — and UConn won the D-I titles those years, too. Lubbock Christian and Thomas More players held the flag during the national anthem before the game. TIP-INS Syracuse: The Orange had been stellar in the tournament from behind the 3-point line. They came into the game after making 48 3-pointers, averaging nearly 10 a game, and were shooting 33.6 percent from behind the arc. In the title game, they were just 2 for 19. UConn: The Huskies were also undefeated in 1995, 2002, 2009, 2010 and 2014. ... Auriemma has 109 NCAA Tournament victories, only trailing Pat Summitt (112) for most in the history of the sport. ... The Huskies won three straight titles from 2002-04.

2016-04-06 12:00 By abcnews.go.com

18 Battle between religious and gay rights splits GOP states JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Republican lawmakers upset about the Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage have advanced measures in about a dozen states this year that could strengthen protections for those who refuse on religious grounds to provide services to same-sex couples. The bills could benefit court clerks, photographers, florists, bakers, wedding- hall operators and others who say gay matrimony goes against their beliefs. For a party already being torn apart by the presidential contest, the state legislative efforts have exposed deep rifts between the GOP’s social conservatives and its pro-business wing. Business leaders worry that such measures will allow discrimination and scare away companies and major events. So far, only a few proposals have become law. Those include narrowly tailored protections shielding Florida clergy from having to perform same-sex weddings and college religious organizations in Kansas from losing aid. A far more sweeping one was signed into law Tuesday by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, despite objections from some major corporations. It creates a religious shield from government penalties for an array of people and organizations, including marriage-license clerks, adoption agencies, counselors and more than a dozen categories of businesses that provide wedding- related services. It applies not only to those with religious beliefs about gay marriage, but also to those who believe that sex outside marriage is wrong and that sexual identity is determined at birth. Other broadly written proposals have failed, stalled or are still working their way through legislatures. Some examples: - Republican Gov. Nathan Deal of Georgia last week vetoed a religious protection bill passed by the GOP-led House, siding with top business executives who threatened boycotts and dire economic consequences. - A GOP-passed bill shielding clergy and religious groups from participating in gay marriages was vetoed last week by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, who cited opposition from corporate leaders. - In Tennessee, a coalition that includes the American Counseling Association launched an online ad campaign against the Republican House speaker over a bill that would let counselors turn away patients based on religious beliefs. The ad warns: “Businesses won’t come to a state that discriminates.” - In Missouri, scores of activists rallied at the Capitol to protest a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit penalties against those who decline on religious grounds to provide wedding-related services to same-sex couples. The state Chamber of Commerce and Industry also came out against it. “This is a unique issue because two of the primary bases of the Republican Party are both the business interest and the social conservative. It’s rare, but occasionally those interests are not aligned,” said Missouri state Rep. Elijah Haahr, chairman of the committee considering the measure. In several states, major businesses and sports organizations - including Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Walt Disney Co., the NFL and the NCAA - have joined lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists in raising concerns that such measures could legalize discrimination. Some religious leaders have countered that it is the faithful who face discrimination for living according to their beliefs. They cite government fines and lawsuits against florists, bakers and photographers who declined to do work for same-sex weddings. “Good and commonsense bills that simply underscore or protect freedoms that we’ve had since the founding of our country are being attacked by large corporations seeking to thwart the democratic process,” said Kellie Fiedorek, an attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based group that has backed religious-objection legislation and led court fights in various states. More than 60 state legislative measures allowing for religious refusals at the expense of LGBT rights have been introduced, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Campaign. Story Continues →

Details of state legislation seeking religious protections washingtontimes.com 2016-04-06 10:23 This May www.washingtontimes.com

19 Las Cruces mom, daughter featured on TLC’s ‘My First Home’ LAS CRUCES, N. M. (AP) - Las Cruces is about to get a little more exposure on the small screen, as the national television network TLC launches a new season of “My First Home.” The latest season of the show crosses the nation in search of real estate agents who are trying to put customers into, as the title indicates, their first home, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported (http://bit.ly/1V4FPin). Earlier this year, the network producers reached out to a Las Cruces mother-daughter duo to film a first-time buyer finding a home. Ashley Babbey Magill, 29 and mom D. I. Babbey, 54, have been working together since Babbey persuaded Magill to enter the business she began when she returned to Las Cruces in 1988. Babbey, an Anthony-area native, wanted to return home after living for a time in Del Rio, Texas, and settle her family here. Just over three years ago, Babbey persuaded her daughter to get a real estate license so they could work together. It was that mother-daughter partnership that drew the attention of the network executives. My First Home, which premiered in 2007 and launches its current season the second weekend in April, has not told Babbey and Magill exactly when their episode will run. But, they agreed, the dynamic they share was probably what lured the film crews to southern New Mexico. “We love it,” Babbey said. “We are best friends inside of work and outside of work. We love our jobs, so it’s awesome.” “Maybe we are a little more comfortable with each other and we say what’s on our minds,” Magill said. “That’s a little of a downside.” “We are a little too open with each other,” her mother added. “But that’s all.” Filming was “hard; really, really hard,” Magill said. “We’d start at 7 a.m. and finish at 7 p.m. But it was a really neat experience. We got to film at Sunset Grille and had the cameras all around. People thought we were famous. Our first-time homebuyer really loved it.” The homebuyer, a single mother of three, had been in the market for a larger home for her growing family for a while. “She came from a smaller mobile home and found a beautiful house,” Magill said. Another upside was showing off the city - from New Mexico State University to Mesilla and the surrounding landscape to a national audience. “They asked us to shoot them the nice parts of Las Cruces,” Magill said. “We are excited to see the show and what they put in there. You never see shows done in Las Cruces and to have one that is going to do that on a major network is good.” The series will be carried on TLC channel 45 on Comcast. Check local listings for time. ___ Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com

2016-04-06 10:25 - Associated Press - Wednesday, April 6, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

20 PIL against IPL: Preserving water bigger priority than cricket, Bombay HC tells MCA The Bombay High Court, while hearing a petition against hosting IPL matches in Maharashtra, said that preserving water should be a bigger priority than cricket, considering the current drought conditions. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) in turn told the bench that tickets had already been sold. Also Read: IPL chief brushes aside Maharashtra water crisis, ties to go ahead as scheduled Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium is slated to host eight IPL matches, including the final on May 29. File pic “Definitely, the state water policy is a priority and the priorities set out in the state water policy need to be adhered to. One should think of using recycled water for gardening and other purposes,” observed Justice VM Kanade, who was hearing the matter along with Justice MS Karnik. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by the Loksatta Movement, which stated that it would cost the state 60 lakh litres of water just to tend to the cricket pitches. The cash-rich IPL tournament begins on Friday, and around 20 matches are slated to be played in Maharashtra, in Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune. Appearing for the petitioner, advocates Arshil Shah and Ankita Verma told the court, “Around 60 lakh litres of water are likely to be used during the IPL season by the state which will be carrying out 20 matches. Three venues have been chosen — Wankhede Stadium and stadiums in Nagpur and Pune.” Read Story: Shift IPL matches out of Maharashtra due to drought: BJP “During the Kumbh Mela in Nashik, the High Court had passed a judgment to stop water for Shahi Snan, saying that it infringes Article 21 of the Constitution of India (protection of life and personal liberty), as water was scarce due to the drought in the state. As per the policy, water should be first given for domestic use then industrial, agricultural, environment and others,” said Shah, adding that cricket matches will fall in the last category. The MCA counsel pointed out that tickets had already been sold and requested for more time to respond as he had got the copy of the petition on Monday evening and needed to study and discuss it. Mumbai alone will host eight matches that are likely to be played on April 9, 16, 20, 28, and May 8, 13, 15 and 29. The petitioner’s lawyers told the court that selling tickets is not a big issue, but water scarcity is. They stated that there was a deficit of 23 per cent in the rainfall last year and water reservoirs were witnessing a five-year low due to the shortfall. Shah pointed out that some places in Marathwada were getting water only once in 20 days, and Kalyan and Thane were getting water thrice a week. In such conditions, wasting water for cricket could create further problems for the future months. The petitioner also claimed that the respondents — including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and MCA — have the rights to shift the matches out of the state. The bench held the matter for today.

2016-04-06 11:13 By Vinay www.mid-day.com

21 Mumbai: HC questions BMC and police on MNS rally at Shivaji Park “How can permission be granted under Rule 6 of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000?” was the question posed by the Bombay High Court to the counsels of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Police, who have granted permission to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to hold a rally at Shivaji Park on April 8. The HC bench asked the MNS to bring in writing that no rules of the Noise Pollution Rules, 2000, will be violated when they hold the rally at Shivaji Park. Several MNS leaders like Nitin Sardesai, Arvind Gawde and corporator Sandeep Deshpande were seen in the court. File pic A petition filed by WeCom Trust said that Shivaji Park is in a silence zone (falling under Rule 6), and questioned how one can hold a rally in the area. However, the police and the BMC have granted permission to the MNS that completed 10 years in the month of March, and party chief Raj Thackeray is likely to announce his campaign for the upcoming BMC elections. A bench of justices Abhay Oka and Prakash Naik of the Bombay HC is hearing the petition. The counsel appearing for MNS, VA Thorat, told the bench that a government resolution (GR) said that for 45 days in a year, Shivaji Park was exempted from the silence zone and one could hold a rally there in that time. The court then asked the organiser, MNS leader Nitin Sardesai, who was represented by advocate Girish Godbole, to give in writing an undertaking that they will not violate the Noise pollution Rules, 2000. However Godbole said his client was not ready to give an undertaking. The petitioner’s lawyer Sandeep Awale told the court that public announcement systems cannot be used in the park under Rule 5 of the Noise Pollution Rules. The police, in their permission to MNS, has specified that the noise levels should not exceed 50 decibels. Justices Oka and Naik later asked the MNS to at least bring in writing that no norms under the Noise Pollution Rules, 2000, will be violated. They will hear the case today. The Shiv Sena has been getting permissions to hold a rally at Shivaji Park every Dusshera and on the same lines, MNS has been seeking permission for its rally on Gudi Padwa. Raj Thackeray’s party is desperate to make a comeback before the BMC polls and he has decided on Gudi Padwa to make the event large.

2016-04-06 11:13 By Vinay www.mid-day.com

22 Mumbai's dabbawallas wait for date with Will-Kat Mumbai's foodie lifeline to thousands, the dabbawallas, have a case study done on them at Harvard Business School and a six-sigma quality certificate for their delivery system. Yet for them, their lasting claim to fame is attending the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla in the UK back in 2005. Now, with Prince William and wife Kate set to visit the city on Sunday and Monday (April 10 and 11), the dabbawallas are looking forward for a rendezvous with the, “chhote raja- rani.” Also Read: Sachin, Will-Kat to bat for charity Prince William and Kate smile during their visit to St Thomas' Hospital on March 10, 2016 in London, England. Pic/Getty Images The dabbawallas though, have not yet heard from the British High Commission about the visit. These men in the trademark white topis though are keeping the faith. The dabbawallas brush with royalty dates back more than a decade, when Prince Charles paid them a visit to Churchgate on his India trip in 2003. Read Story: British royal couple William and Kate to attend Bollywood gala in Mumbai Prince Charles with Raghunath Medge (centre) and Sopan More (left) when in Mumbai in 2003 “If we get to meet Prince William and Kate, we will gift them our trademark topi and an empty dabba as a symbolic gesture. We have a lot of love and respect for Prince Charles, but we were disappointed that we didn’t get an invite for Prince William's wedding,” said Raghunath Medge, head of the Dabbawalla Association, who was one of the only three Indian invitees for Prince Charles' wedding. A gift for Kate vahini (sister-in-law) will include a shawl and coconut, “It is part of our tradition. We had gifted Camilla vahini with a Paithani sari, mangalsutra, sindoor and green bangles for her wedding. She was very happy,” said Medge, proudly. The fact that Prince William’s visit has been fairly hush-hush seems to have caused some hurt, though they are trying to not let that dim their enthusiasm. Also Read: Prince William and Kate to arrive in Mumbai on April 10 “I learnt about their (Prince William and Kate’s) visit from the newspaper. I went to London for Prince Charles wedding, where I remember meeting William and Harry. They were just kids then. It would have been great to meet William with his wife. Though I know nothing is scheduled yet, if he decides to meet us suddenly, we will take out time from our schedule,” said dabbawalla, Sopan More. The dabbawallas meet with Prince Charles lasted for 15 minutes at Churchgate in 2003, a deadline set by the dabbawallas, given their strict schedules. “We have to ensure that a substitute carries on with our deliveries," said More. The dabbawalla service is famed for its clockwork precision and punctuality. More added, “We want to give them a traditional welcome, with dholaks and tutari, to give them a taste of the real Maharashtra.” A hopeful Chandrakant Bhoir, a dabbawalla who operates in Dadar, says, “I want to give Prince William and Kate a taste of the traditional zunka bhakhar,” before cheekily adding, “they won’t be able to digest the spicy food though, and I will be in trouble!” Bhoir says he missed out on the chance to meet Prince Charles in 2003, something he has been fuming about till date. “There was some miscommunication between me and the dabbawalla association, so I couldn’t make it to Churchgate. I hope this time I get meet the Prince. Stories of our hard work were known within India, but Prince Charles’ visit brought us international acclaim and recognition, which we fondly cherish,” Bhoir finished, just as his mandated 10 minutes rest time was up.

2016-04-06 10:54 By Apoorva www.mid-day.com

23 Mumbai: 9 more rakes to follow in first AC local's footsteps After journeying for hours from Chennai, the city’s first air-conditioned train finally reached its destination, in the wee hours of Tuesday. Nine more AC rakes like this one are in the pipeline, but their manufacturing would begin after the success of these trials. Also Read: How Cool! First AC local train reaches Mumbai The AC train, which travelled at an average speed of 50kmph in its maiden journey, would be tested at speeds of 120kmph, although it could get permission to ply at maximum speed of 110kmph. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar This train, which travelled at an average speed of 50 kmph in its maiden journey, would be tested at speeds of 120 kmph, although it could get permission to ply at maximum speed of 110 kmph. Several oscillation, speed and braking tests would be conducted during the next 6-8 months on this Rs 55-crore rake. The authorities would also keep heaps of gunny bags filled with stones to test the train’s performance. Read Story: Mumbai: Before battling heat, AC local to face rodent test This rake has a seating capacity of 1,028, while 4,936 standees can be accommodated at its maximum capacity As a part of the understanding among the railways, its manufacturing unit — Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai — and electricity supplier BHEL, 10 AC rakes were going to come to Mumbai. “In all, 10 AC rakes have been proposed for Mumbai. The terms and conditions of manufacturing them will depend on the performance of this prototype,” said Narendra Patil, chief PRO, Central Railway. The train has a unique ‘talking-to-guard’ facility, wherein the commuter can use a speaker to talk to the guard in case of any problem Damaged already This 12-car rake has been stationed at the Kurla car shed with the other non-AC rakes. Sadly, the train has already suffered damage. While it was on its way to Mumbai, a miscreant flung a stone at it and damaged a double sealed windowpane worth about R10,000. Sources at the car shed said that they would replace it once they get the specifications of the window, as it has been made-to-order. The coaches in the train are 20,726mm in length, with a width of 3,622mm. “The officials from BHEL will now connect it to a power source and also facilitate the software developments required for this AC train,” said another CR official. The officials will ensure power supply is restored, software is connected to the AC units (there are two 15-tonne units inside each coach) and LEDs of passenger information systems and other technologies are provided in the train. Also Read: Central Railway derails Western Railway's AC plan When mid-day visited the Kurla car shed, it found some interesting upgrades in this rake. One among them is the option of ‘talking-to-guard’, wherein the commuter can use a speaker to talk to the guard of the train in case of any problem. A black box has also been placed for the same. “The motorman would not be disturbed in anyway. Also, there is an indicator which would flicker inside the motorman’s cabin and even outside, where bulbs have been given for determining the location of the passenger,” said a CR official. Four such LED bulbs have been placed outside the coaches. Moreover, at end of each coach, which is separated by a vestibule, the floor level rises by a few inches. Also, there are changes in the 3x3 seating arrangement, wherein additional seats have been provided at the end of every coach. Also, the racks meant to place bags look sturdier. However, the main problem would be entering the coach, as the gangway given seems smaller in width.

2016-04-06 10:51 By Shashank www.mid-day.com

24 Mumbai: Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide moves cops to focus on live-in couples TV star Pratyusha Banerjee’s suicide has prompted the Mumbai police to get the word out on its counselling services for couples in live-in relationships as well. Till date, the counselling cell, which functions under the women’s grievance cell, had seen complaints from only married couples, even though it’s open to all. Also Read: 'Balika Vadhu' star suicide: Was Pratyusha Banerjee pregnant? The Mumbai police’s counselling cell for couples has seen it all — from spouses troubled by social media platforms taking over their lives to partners suspecting each other's fidelity. Illustration/Uday Mohite Sub-Inspector G Chavan from the counselling cell explained that the personnel have been trained by NGOs and guided by senior IPS officers in handling cases. The cell, set up in 2006, has a staff of 10, including two women police personnel, Vrushali Raut and Shubhangi Mohite. It used to function out of three centres — in Santacruz, Chembur and near the police commissioner’s office in Fort — but staff crunch forced the police to keep just the Fort cell open. Read Story: Rahul and Pratyusha were fighting more often, claims her mother Cell in-charge PB Chalke said the staff looks at amicable solutions for couples. “We bring both parties together and try to resolve the matter. There is no pressure or fear of the police; we are just counsellors.” When mid-day visited the cell, a couple was counselled from the afternoon till late evening. Raut said the staff is available at all times. “We skipped lunch today to ensure that the couple finds an amicable resolution.” She also added that unlike private counsellors, the Mumbai police’s unit doesn’t charge any money from couples. Case studies Citing examples of some cases, an official at the counselling cell said, “There are different reasons why people come to us. Some doubt their partner’s fidelity. Some complain that their spouse doesn’t respect their work or relatives. There was a husband who complained that his wife didn’t spend quality time with him and ignored him after coming back from work. His grouse was that she just sat in front of the TV, and was constantly on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.” Also Read: Rahul Raj Singh was cheating on Pratyusha Banerjee: Kamya Punjabi Another officer recalled that a mother-in-law once instigated her son against his wife, a working professional, over household chores. “Another time, a woman alleged that her husband was forcing her into wife-swapping and had slept with his friend’s wife.” Another cop cited the case of a woman who complained about the lack of freedom to work at her in-laws’ house.

2016-04-06 10:44 By Saurabh www.mid-day.com

25 BJP, RSS have stabbed Mother India in the back: Arvind Kejriwal New Delhi: The BJP government has stabbed ‘Mother India’ in the back by allowing Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) inside the country to probe the Pathankot attack, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said yesterday. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal "Even though BJP/RSS chants Bharat Mata Ki Jai, but by inviting ISI to India they have stabbed Mother India in the back," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. "It is very shameful. It is for the first time that any Prime Minister has insulted the country before Pakistan," Kejriwal mentioned in another tweet. Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been protesting against allowing Pakistan’s JIT a role in the investigation on the ground that the ISI, a state actor, has long been the instigator of terrorism in India. Counterattack The BJP hit back at the Delhi CM for his criticism of the NDA government for allowing a Pak JIT to probe the Pathankot airbase attack, saying his remarks exposed his ‘lack of knowledge’. Senior BJP leader MJ Akbar said, "Kejriwal has exposed his own lack of knowledge, his own ignorance of the nuances of foreign policy and relationships with a neighbour with whom we have a complex history. "

2016-04-06 10:28 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

26 Nitish keeps poll promise, declares Bihar a dry state Patna: Bihar was declared a dry state yesterday after the Nitish Kumar government imposed a total ban on saleand consumption of alcohol, including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), with immediate effect. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar The decision, announced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after a Cabinet meeting, which came into effect since yesterday, makes it clear that no alcohol can be legally consumed in all of Bihar, including bars and restaurants. The Bihar government had banned sale and consumption of country and spiced liquor in rural areas from April 1 this year, but had allowed sale of foreign liquor in towns and cities. “But, the tremendous response of people particularly women and children against liquor in Patna and other towns in a short period of four days only convinced us that a conducive environment against alcohol has been created in the state and that's why we decided to go for total ban on liquor after four days only,” Nitish told reporters. No licence will be granted for sale and consumption of alcohol in places like hotels, clubs and bars in towns and cities too with immediate effect, he said. Nitish, however, said Army cantonment areas would be out of it as they regulate sale and consumption of alochol in their own way.

2016-04-06 10:26 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

27 Foreigners attacked, molested in Ajmer Jaipur: Four foreigners were allegedly attacked and looted by six unidentified youths who also molested one of them. The incident occurred yesterday in Ajmer district. One of the four tourists who was attacked by the youths. Pic/twitter The foreigners were going to visit Ajaypal dham when the youths allegedly attacked them. They also molested and tore the clothes of a woman in the group, Additional SP Avinash Kumar said. Two women in the group are from Spain and Turkey and one man is from the USA, while the nationality of the other foreigner is yet to be ascertained, the police said. A case under relevant sections of the IPC including molestation has been regist-ered Kumar said, adding that arrests were yet to be made.

2016-04-06 10:26 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

28 Rare triplet calves born on Montana ranch GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) - A cow on a Montana ranch has delivered healthy triplet calves, a rare occurrence that happens only once in 105,000 live births. The Great Falls Tribune reports (http://gftrib.com/1oATeRe ) the three calves owned by rancher Iain McGregor were born Saturday. McGregor says it took the cow a while before she warmed up to the trio, but that she’s now letting them all nurse. While the birth of twin calves is fairly common, triplet births are much rarer. The fact that all three of McGregor’s calves have survived and are of the same gender brings the odds even lower, occurring about once every 700,000 births. The heifers weigh 45 pounds, compared to most newborn single birth calves that weigh about 80 pounds. Despite their small size, all three appear to be healthy. ___ Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com

2016-04-06 10:24 - Associated Press - Wednesday, April 6, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

29 Crow Tribe war chief to be buried in veterans cemetery BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Funeral services are planned Wednesday on Montana’s Crow Indian Reservation for the tribe’s the last surviving war chief, Joe Medicine Crow. Medicine Crow, who died Sunday at the age of 102, spent decades cataloging Crow history and became a renowned Native American historian. His Crow name was “High Bird,” and he grew up in a rural area near Lodge Grass, Montana hearing stories as a child from direct participants in the Battle of Little Bighorn. They included his grandfather, White Man Runs Him, a scout for Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. Medicine Crow attained the title of war chief for a series of deeds performed during combat in World War II, including hand-to-hand combat with a German soldier whose life Medicine Crow spared. He later said that Plains Indian warfare was not about killing so much as leadership, honor and intelligence. Medicine Crow embraced the changes that came with the settling of the West, and he worked to bridge his people’s cultural traditions with the opportunities of modern society. He continued to research and promote Crow history into his 90s even after his eyesight and hearing faded. In 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. Obama released a statement after Medicine Crow’s death calling him a “bacheitche” __ a Crow word for “good man” __ and said Medicine Crow’s dedication to promoting his tribe’s culture “helped shape a fuller history of America for us all.” Wednesday’s services are planned in Crow Agency, a town on the Crow Reservation. Medicine Crow will be buried at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery. __ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap.

2016-04-06 10:24 FILE www.washingtontimes.com

30 Yield of Noor Jahan mango variety likely to be down this year Indore: The yield of rare variety of mango called Noor Jahan, cultivated only in Alirajpur district in Madhya Pradesh, is likely to remain low this season due to unfavourable weather conditions. The variety, originally belonging to Afghanistan, is now cultivated in Katthiwada region in Alirajpur district, around 250 kms from here. "In view of the extreme cold weather that prevailed in the winter season in November- December and the severe heat this summer, only 10 per cent of the Noor Jahan trees have flowered," Shivraj Singh Jadhav, an orchid owner, told PTI today. The Noor Jahan variety produces fruits towards the end of May. On an average, one mango weighs over four kg and is nearly one-foot long. This variety of mango has won many acclaims, including the national award at Indore Mango Festival in 1999. The Katthiwada region reprotedly has two mango farms with three trees and nearly 70 mangoes grows on a single tree. Each mango fetches around Rs 300. The tree of this particular variety measuring 10 to 12 feet grows in sandy soil and requires cool climate, the report added. Jadhav said his father Thakur P Singh had brought a sapling of Noor Jahan variety from Valsad in Gujarat to Katthiwada in 1968.

2016-04-06 10:23 By PTI www.mid-day.com

31 Family of missing Detroit-area man hopes reward nets info MACOMB TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A missing Detroit-area man’s family hopes a $2,500 reward will garner information leading to his location. The Detroit Free Press (http://on.freep.com/1PSTLnG ) reports 19-year-old Stephen McAfee was last seen last month when he left his Macomb Township home. The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office says attempts haven’t been successful in trying to locate him through his cellphone. McAfee’s mother, Suzanne McAfee, says her son doesn’t drive and didn’t take any personal belongings. She says the family has used social media and flyers to put out information, and has carried out searches and is working with investigators. ___ Information from: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com

2016-04-06 10:23 - Associated Press - Wednesday, April 6, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

32 Gillette, or bust GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - Some are saying now may be one of the nation’s worst energy downturns, with oil, natural gas and coal all seeing historically low prices at the same time. While how severe the economic crunch is related to history, there’s no denying the energy sector decline that has been rolling downhill for more than a year has hit Gillette hard. Layoffs, bankruptcies and closures - all things recently scarce in Campbell County - are becoming more common, the Gillette News Record reported (http://bit.ly/1SyLRC6). But it’s not just in the oil fields and at the coal mines. The downturn has created a ripple effect that’s impacted nearly all of Gillette. A closure On Gillette Avenue in late March, Susan Kiplinger was preparing to permanently close the doors to her business, Avenue Mall, by the end of the month. It’s a store Kiplinger and her business partner, Candace Crimm, opened four years ago to help women sell their products. “This was sort of my baby,” she said. The store is set up to allow vendors to rent space to sell their wares. It sells everything from baby clothes to health care products. But with more energy job layoffs, many of Kiplinger’s vendors are leaving town. “Some of the vendors that have left, their husbands were laid off,” Kiplinger said. “I just haven’t been able to fill those spots quick enough.” None of Kiplinger’s vendors left her shop to do business at other stores in town, she said. They all moved or weren’t able to sell their products. “We at one point had four people selling handmade jewelry, now I don’t have any,” she said. Kiplinger also owns AAA Solution, which sells and services pressure and parts washers and infrared heaters. That business, too, has felt the pinch of a weakening economy, she said. “It’s a trickle-down effect,” she said. “When the coal mines tell the contractors to go home, then we have to lay off people.” Kiplinger grew up in Upton and has lived in Gillette since the 1980s. This is the first time oil and coal have experienced downturns at the same time, she said Story Continues →

2016-04-06 10:22 - Associated Press - Wednesday, April 6, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

33 Crews again fighting wildfires in Oklahoma, Kansas OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Authorities are responding to wildfires in Oklahoma and Kansas that have led to evacuations, scorched mostly rural land and destroyed an unknown number of structures. In Oklahoma, the largest fire was in the same area near the border with Kansas where blazes last month scorched hundreds of square miles. Authorities there urged the approximately 300 residents of Freedom, about 170 miles northwest of Oklahoma City, to evacuate, Woods County Emergency Management Director Steve Foster said. The fire was burning uncontrolled, stoked by wind gusts of around 40 miles per hour, said Woodward County Emergency Management Director Matt Lehenbauer. By late evening Tuesday, the flames had stalled at the Cimarron River west of Freedom, but officials remained wary of its potential threat to the town. “We’re going to have to really watch it, because if it jumps that river, it’s going to be tough to stop again,” Lehenbauer said. Oklahoma Forestry Services said in a statement that structures had been lost in the fire and in another blaze in the central part of the state. Spokeswoman Hannah Anderson said the agency doesn’t have accurate damage totals yet. Officials estimate the fire has burned roughly 40 square miles of rural land. Local television video showed the fire crossing a road and sending thick plumes of smoke into the air. More than a dozen fire departments and Oklahoma Forestry Services were fighting the blaze, Lehenbauer said. There were no immediate reports of injuries in either state. While reporting on the fire for Oklahoma City’s KWTV station, storm trackers Amy and Val Castor saw a road grader traveling in the path of the quick-moving flames. Val Castor said he figured the driver had no chance to escape the vehicle before the flames reached him, so Castor drove near the road grader and urged the driver to jump in their car. “There’s no way you can outrun that fire,” Castor said. “It probably would have burned him up if he had stayed there.” The road grader, stuck in the dirt, became engulfed in flames seconds after the driver leapt out and ran to the Castors’ car. Large flames could be seen blowing toward the windshield as they pulled away. The town of Freedom is about five miles southwest of the spot where a previous fire started in March, then spread from Oklahoma into Kansas, scorching an estimated 574 square miles of rural land in the two states. Tuesday’s fire threatened homes and an iodine-manufacturing plant, Lehenbauer said. Officials don’t believe the plant would be a significant explosion risk, but it could produce environmental hazards if it caught on fire. In central Oklahoma, another fire north of Luther prompted local officials to advise nearby residents to evacuate, according to a statement from the state emergency management office. Eight fire departments responded to fight that blaze. Luther is about 25 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. Firefighters had set up containment lines they expected would prevent the fire near Luther from spreading far beyond its path Tuesday night, although no containment figure was readily available, Anderson said. Story Continues →

2016-04-06 10:22 - Associated Press - Wednesday, April 6, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

34 Concussions, hits to the head landed atop NHL agenda in 2007 BUFFALO, N. Y. (AP) - During the 2006-07 season, a concussion sustained by Sabres co- captain Chris Drury - as a result of a blindside check by Ottawa’s Chris Neil - placed hits to the head at the forefront of the NHL agenda. It began with then-Sabres owner Tom Golisano’s letter urging NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to re-examine the rules after the league informed Buffalo that Neil’s hit was legal. The concerns grew during the Stanley Cup Final, when Anaheim defenseman Chris Pronger was suspended for one game after elbowing Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond in the head. And it became a prime topic of discussion for the league’s competition committee, according to the minutes of its June 15 meeting that were among hundreds of documents unsealed last week as evidence in the concussion lawsuit filed by former players. “Gary Bettman states that the starting point for the discussion needs to be: Is there a problem? How do we define the problem? Do we want to do anything about this problem?” the minutes read. Rangers forward and future NHL department of player safety chief Brendan Shanahan is quoted saying the league “should come down hard on players through supplementary discipline when they hit ‘dirty.’” NHL Players’ Association representative Stu Grimson said Neil’s hit was difficult to assess because Drury was not “unfairly vulnerable” after he had just taken a shot before being struck in the jaw from his right. The minutes cite a consensus being reached, suggesting the rule should factor in whether the hit was late, the player struck was “unfairly vulnerable” and whether the hitter stalked his opponent and had a prior history of illegal checks. All of these factors became part of “Rule 48: Illegal Check to the Head,” introduced to the rulebook for the 2010-11 season. It took the league three years to put it in writing. Dr. John Leddy, a University at Buffalo clinical professor of orthopedics, thinks it would be impossible for the NHL to eliminate concussions. What matters, he says, is that the league has finally taken steps to reduce concussions by outlawing hits to the head while also placing an emphasis on how to spot and treat them. “These rules are probably the most important things you can do because helmets don’t prevent concussions,” said Leddy, who is also head of the school’s concussion management clinic. “Collision sports are inherently dangerous, but with rule changes you can make them less dangerous. And with better diagnostic protocols you can identify concussions and get them treated.” Leddy is regarded among the leading figures in concussion studies and treatment. He received funding assistance from the Sabres on concussion research because of his work spurring Buffalo center Tim Connolly’s recovery from head and neck injuries that sidelined him for nearly the entire 2006-07 season - right when the NHL was first discussing rule changes. Leddy hesitates in faulting the NHL for being slow to react. “Everybody who was playing sports 30 years ago will tell you that nobody thought a concussion was an issue. It was a bell-ringer,” Leddy said. “Could it have happened faster? Well, maybe. But I don’t think people should be criticized 10 and 20 and 30 years ago for treating concussions differently back then because nobody really knew what concussions were or how serious they were.” The more than 100 former players who have joined the class-action lawsuit allege the NHL had the resources to better prevent head trauma, failed to properly warn players of such risks and promoted violent play that led to their injuries. Story Continues →

2016-04-06 10:22 Pittsburgh Penguins www.washingtontimes.com

35 OSU working to contain possible norovirus outbreak CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State University officials say they are taking steps to contain a possible norovirus outbreak after up to 60 students fell ill with symptoms. The Gazette-Times reports (http://bit.ly/1McCafX ) that test results are not yet available to confirm an outbreak, but officials say the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever symptoms are consistent with norovirus. The university said Tuesday it is working with Benton County health officials to prevent the spread of the highly contagious illness that began last Wednesday. Bill Emminger from the county environmental health division says the illness does not appear to be connected with any particular location or food-service facility on campus. Most of the students affected have been residents of the dorms. OSU staff members are sanitizing work areas in the dorms and dining halls. ___ Information from: Gazette-Times, http://www.gtconnect.com

2016-04-06 10:22 - Associated Press - Wednesday, April 6, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

36 In Pakistan, tackling extremism is a political minefield ISLAMABAD (AP) - Tackling extremism is a political minefield in Pakistan, where politicians openly consort with leaders of banned militant groups and sympathy exists within the security forces and civil administration for perpetrators of crimes committed in the name of religion. As a result, many remain skeptical of the state’s ability to put an end to the militant violence that kills hundreds of Pakistani civilians each year. A suicide bombing in a park in Lahore that killed 72 people, many of them Christians celebrating Easter Sunday, brought renewed international attention to Pakistan’s extremism problem. In the aftermath, security forces arrested hundreds of suspected militants. At the same time, however, demonstrators calling for the implementation of Islamic law and expressing their support for the man who murdered an anti-blasphemy campaigner were allowed to congregate freely in the capital. On social media, pictures circulated showing senior members of Pakistan’s elite police forces praying at the grave of Mumtaz Qadri, the policeman charged with killing the secular, left-leaning politician Salman Tanseer because he defended a Christian woman accused of blasphemy. When Qadri was hanged for the murder in February, tens of thousands of Pakistanis rallied in his support. The sincerity of authorities’ efforts to tackle extremism was further called into question when Rana Sanaullah, the law minister for Punjab province - of which Lahore is the capital - issued statements denying that militant groups operated in the area. Yet outlawed and violent Sunni Muslim militant groups are widely known to be headquartered in Punjab province, though many hide behind different names, according to Zahid Hussein, an expert on militancy in Pakistan. Among them is Jaish-e-Mohammed, which operates under several banners according to Hussein, and has been implicated in a number of bombings. Its leader, Masood Azhar, was freed from an Indian jail - where he was being held for attacks in Indian-controlled Kashmir - in exchange for the release of passengers aboard the 1999 hijacked Indian Airlines plane. The U. S.-declared terrorist group Lashkar e-Taiba also operates in the province, under the name Jamaat-ud Dawah. It was banned in Pakistan in 2015, but its leader Hafiz Saeed travels freely around the country and gives speeches inciting people to attack western and Indian interests. Punjab is also the headquarters of Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP), whose military arm is responsible for scores of attacks on Pakistan’s minority Shiite Muslims, according to Hussein. Law Minister Sanaullah might be expected to know that SSP operates in Punjab. He openly campaigned with the SSP leader during provincial elections, although the group is officially outlawed. Pakistan is regularly witness to deadly militant attacks - on schools and universities, buses, parks, churches, temples and Imam Bargahs, Shiite places of worship. According to the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 4,612 people were killed in bombings and other violence in the country in 2015. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, the group that claimed responsibility for the Easter Sunday bombing, has roots in the tribal region and has declared its sympathy with the Islamic State group. According to Michael Kugelman, Senior Associate for South and Southeast Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, it shares many views in common with the scores of other militant groups operating in Pakistan. “If there is one thing that can be said about all Pakistan-based terror groups, it is that they are all cut from the same cloth,” Kugelman wrote in an email to The Associated Press. “They all share the same violent extremist views, and many of them retain strong links to al-Qaida. And though they focus on different targets - some target Pakistan, others India, others Afghanistan -there are many examples of operational collaborations across the board. In effect, the terrorist landscape in Punjab - and beyond - is essentially one large, overlapping network.” Thousands of Pakistani soldiers have been killed or wounded in battles against militants in the tribal regions, which border Afghanistan in the northwest of the country. Yet the Pakistani military has historical links to militant groups - raising further doubts abroad about whether the security services are up to the job. It was the military that spawned the likes of Lashkar-e-Taiba, offering it financial, organizational and operational assistance. Others like Harakat-ul-Jihad, whose fighters attack Indian targets inside the disputed Kashmir region, are known to have links with Pakistan’s Intelligence Agency (known by its acronym, the ISI). Pakistan’s military rulers have also often aligned themselves with the country’s extremist groups. In the 70s and 80s, military autocrat Zia-ul Haq used extremist groups to push his agenda of restricted liberties and more Islamic laws. More recently, U. S.-backed Gen. Pervez Musharraf positioned himself a bulwark against extremism while patronizing groups when it suited him, striking deals with them to keep him in power. “In reality, the fundamental cause of mayhem on Pakistani streets is not a malicious foreign power or inept civilians, but blowback from the military’s own long history of using jihad as an instrument of national security,” Aqil Shah wrote last month in the U. S.-based Council on Foreign Relations publication, Foreign Affairs. Story Continues →

2016-04-06 10:22 FILE- www.washingtontimes.com

37 Six held for thrashing, stripping minors in Chittorgarh Jaipur: Three minor boys were allegedly stripped and beaten by villagers after they were caught with a stolen motorcycle in Chittorgarh district yesterday. Six persons have been arrested for beating the minors against whom a case has been registered for the theft. Police officers reached the spot and rescued the minors by taking them into custody The boys, who belonged to a certain tribe, were going to their village on the stolen motorcycle that was identified by some youths of Laxmipura village who caught them. "Locals stripped and beat them after they caught them with the stolen motorcycle on Saturday in Laxmipura. Police rescued them and brought them to the local police station along with the motorcycle," Chittorgarh SP Prasan Kumar Khamsera said. After a stolen motorbike was recovered from their possession, a case was registered against the minors as well as against the mob that thrashed them, he added. "Six persons were arrested today [Tuesday] for beating the minor boys. It was not a caste- related issue and the villagers beat the boys, aged between 15 and 18 years, because they caught them with a stolen motorcycle. Six of those who thrashed them have been arrested and others are being identified," Khamsera said, adding that the three boys were history-sheeters and have been named in a few FIRs registered earlier.

2016-04-06 10:18 By Agencies www.mid-day.com

38 More women than men voted in first phase of Assam polls Guwahati: Women voters registered a higher polling percentage than men in the first phase of elections for 65 assembly constituencies in Assam yesterday. Women stand in a queue showing their voter card in Jorhat during the first phase of Assam state assembly elections. Pic/PTI Data released by Election Office here said the voting percentage of women was 82.58 while that of men was 81.84. The total vote polled in the first phase on Monday was 78,24,830 out of a total electorate of 95,19,076 registering a poll percentage of 82.20, it said. In the last assembly polls, 77.02 per cent male voted as against 75 per cent of women. The highest total poll percentage of 88.07 was recorded in Naoboicha constituency in Lakhimpur district while the lowest of 75.05 per cent was at Silchar in Cachar. Altogether 37,98,462 women out of 45,99,635 exercised their franchise registering a voter percentage of 82.58 as against 40,26,298 male casting their vote out of a total electorate of 49,19,432 with a poll percentage of 81.84. Women registered a higher poll per cent than male in 35 of the 65 constituencies, while in more than ten the figures were almost equal. Women also recorded a higher turnout in constituencies of chief ministerial candidate of both the Congress and BJP. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's Titabor constituency recorded a higher turnout of 84.11 per cent as against 82.16 male voters while in Majuli (ST), from where BJP chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal is contesting, women recorded a higher turnout of 84.70 per cent as against 82.10 per cent of men voters. Polling per centage of women was also higher than men in nine of the 13 districts where voting was held yesterday in the constituencies under it. These include Karimganj, Karbi Anglong, Udalguri, Sonitpur, Golaghat,Jorhat, Sibsagar, Lakhimpur and Dhemaji, according to the EC data.

2016-04-06 10:13 By PTI www.mid-day.com

39 Sharks 'defend to score points' - This Saturday's Super Rugby clash between the Sharks and the Lions at Kings Park is set to be one of the more intriguing local derbies so far this season. The sides are battling it out for top honours in the Africa Conference 2, and this match-up will not only see two local rivals lock horns but it will also put two starkly contrasting brands of rugby up against each other. The differences in philosophy between Johan Ackermann and Gary Gold was boldly highlighted over the last two weekends when first the Sharks and then the Lions hosted the Crusaders. Both came close and lost, but the approaches of the two South African sides could not have been more different. The Sharks relied on their immense defence to keep the Crusaders out for most of the match and pounced on the mistakes that the New Zealanders made. In the end, it wasn't enough and while the Sharks were completely outplayed, their defensive effort in that 19-14 loss was superb. The Lions, a week later, threw everything at the Crusaders. They had conceded a try within a minute, but bounced back almost immediately. They also lost, but not before they had scored four tries and ran the Crusaders close to go down 43-37. There is no doubt that, of the two matches, the Lions loss was the more entertaining. But the truth is that the Sharks came closer to winning through their defensive resilience. And, according to lock Stephan Lewies, more of the same can be expected on Friday. "They (Lions) look to play rugby from all over the park. We’re also looking to play rugby, but we want to play from the right parts of the field," Lewies said from Durban this week. "We don’t want to play from everywhere. We want to get into their half and apply pressure with our defence as shown. "A lot of people think it’s a fluke, but we train to defend to score points. It’s definitely two different teams playing against each other. "We’re not going to change for one team... we’re a process-driven team and we will stick to our processes that we’ve been working on throughout the season. " Lewies believes that the Lions will pose a similar threat to the Crusaders. "I think they play a similar game so we know what we’re getting. The Crusaders was good practice for us playing the Lions now," he said. "We have two teams that play a similar style and we have them in succession... we know what’s coming up. "They are the No 1 or No 2 side in the country and we have our name to replace after last year so the guys want to come and prove a point and show what we’re worth. " Saturday's kick-off is at 17:05.

2016-04-06 10:10 www.sport24.co.za

40 De Allende, Elstadt back for Stormers Cape Town - Damian de Allende and Rynhardt Elstadt are both set to make their first appearances for the Stormers this season after being named in the match- day squad for the clash with the Sunwolves at Newlands on Friday. Both players, who have recovered from pre-season injuries, will take their place on the bench for the Stormers’ historic first-ever match against the Super Rugby newcomers from Japan. There are two changes to the backline that started in the Stormers’ 13-8 victory over the Jaguares in Buenos Aires, with halfbacks and Kurt Coleman both sidelined through injury. Scrumhalf will partner flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis, who makes his Stormers starting debut, whilst Godlen Masimla will provide cover from the replacements bench. In the front row, a rotational switch sees props and come back into the starting line-up, with JC Janse van Rensburg and taking their place amongst the replacements. Pieter-Steph du Toit returns at lock after being rested against the Jaguares, whilst JD Schickerling will join him in the second row following an injury to during the week. The final change sees come back into the starting line-up at No 8, with starting as a replacement for the first time this season. Stormers coach Robbie Fleck said that following a well-deserved bye week his team is determined to continue their winning momentum. “The bye was definitely welcome after five hard games to start the season, and the challenge now is to build on what we have achieved thus far,” Fleck told the Stormers’ official website . “It is great to be back at Newlands, and hopefully we will be able to make the most of the home support.” Teams: Stormers 15 , 14 , 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 (co-captain), 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 , 6 , 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 , 1 Oli Kebble Replacements: 16 , 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Frans Malherbe (co-captain), 19 Rynhardt Elstadt, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Huw Jones, 23 Damian de Allende Sunwolves TBA

2016-04-06 10:10 www.sport24.co.za

41 Mumbai: With reevaluation results still not in sight, law students plan on reexamination The examinations are approaching, yet some students of Mumbai University (MU) are waiting for reevaluation results and photocopies of answer-sheets. This time, many students from third year of Bachelor of Law (LLB) are complaining that their reevaluation result has not been declared even as the reexamination date is fast approaching. Students who have applied for photocopies to be able to apply for reevaluation, are also waiting for them while the examination begins on April 12. Representational pic The semester V examination of the course was conducted in November 2015 and results were declared in the month of January. Soon after the results, students who failed applied for reevaluation, and those who scored lower than 17 (which is the score to make them eligible for reevaluation) applied for photocopies of their answer-sheet, because they were certain about clearing the paper. But it has been almost two months since then and students are awaiting a response from the university. As the examination is soon approaching it has triggered panic among students. A student from New Law College said, “I was not expecting to fail in any subject and so was shocked when I got only 11 marks. This was impossible. I was sure that the reevaluation would show different results. But I could not apply for reevaluation because my score is low. Hence I applied for photocopies so that I could see the evaluation and then challenge it. But I have not received photocopies yet. Now there is no time to apply for revaluation even if I receive the photocopies, because by the time the reevaluation results will be out, the re-examination will be over. So I will have to reappear for the reexamination.” A student from Ambedkar Law College, who has also applied for the photocopy of an answer- sheet said, “If we had managed to acquire the photocopy of the answer-sheet we could prove how the evaluation has errors. But there is no way of doing it now. We will have to reappear for the paper. This is just so stressful and frustrating. The financial burden is another thing.” Talking about the chaos, Sachin Pawar, President of the Law Students’ Council, said, “This is the story every year. What is the point of giving reevaluation results after the reexamination? The candidate pays for photocopies, then there is reevaluation and after all that, when the result is not given on time, there is the re-examination fee. There are so many students who prefer to appear for re-examination then getting into the struggle for reevaluation, because it is never on time and is a waste of money.” Official speak When contacted, Dr Rashmi Oza, Head of the Department of Law at Mumbai University, said, “The evaluation and moderation is being done properly. But sometimes there are some issues as there are so many people involved in the process. The department does not receive photocopies in bulk, so as and when we get them from colleges we forward them to students.”

2016-04-06 09:55 By Pallavi www.mid-day.com

42 Mumbai: A 5ft-long wire found in Aarey forest More mischief is afoot in Aarey Colony’s forest. Two weeks since beloved leopard Chandni fell prey to poachers, a group of volunteers setting up camera traps to study the movement of leopards has recovered a 5- to 8-ft-long wire inside Aarey’s forest patch. The team of volunteers with the wire spotted inside the forest in Aarey Colony Around 1.30 am on Sunday, the team — comprising Kaushal Dubey, Sudam Navle, Hitendra Pachkale, Umesh, Prabhu Swami, Imran Uda and Satish Lot — which has been helping the Thane forest department conduct leopard tracking exercises, was on its usual weekly patrol when it spotted the wire. Dubey said the local police, the Thane forest department and the volunteers had stepped up vigilance since Chandni’s carcass was found in a snare on March 19. “We were patrolling the area between the hill between New Zealand Hostel and Unit-15 when we found the wire lying near a tree. We took it with us and alerted Thane Chief Conservator of Forests KP Singh about it.” Alarmed by the find, a team of officials from the forest department patrolled the area near the VIP guesthouse extensively — on foot and on vehicles — for around two hours the same night. The Aarey police have been alerted, too. “We asked the police to keep a vigil on people who enter the forest during the day and at night, and pick up for questioning anyone found carrying wires,” said an official from the forest department who was part of Sunday’s patrol team. It is unclear if the wire was to be used to set up a trap. Singh said all hands are on the deck. “Our patrol staff and the beat guard, along with senior officials, have also been asked stay vigilant. I will also conduct surprise visits to the area to monitor the staff’s work.” The Thane forest department plans to award a letter of appreciation to the volunteers for their timely alert and efforts in protecting wildlife. The investigation into Chandni’s poaching and the search for her missing cub is still on.

2016-04-06 09:49 By Ranjeet www.mid-day.com

43 Mumbai: Senior citizen takes on BMC over rogue tenant's property tax dues David is taking on Goliath. An Andheri resident plans to file a writ petition in court against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for seizure of his property for non-payment of taxes amounting to Rs 13 lakh, a large chunk of which is owed by his tenant. Bharat Patil claims that Shantashram, the building in Andheri West which is in the thick of the dispute. Pics/Shadab Khan Bharat Patil (65), a businessman who owns a two-storey building — Shantashram — in Andheri West, says the ground floor has been rented out to Canara Bank, which ran a branch from there from 1971-2012. A 2,000-sq ft space on the first floor was let out to a private retail company from 2006-2011. In his agreements with both tenants, he had made it clear that they would have to pay the property taxes to the BMC themselves. He had even handed over letters to the BMC in June 2009, declaring that he had rented out the space and that the tenants would pay their respective taxes. “While Canara Bank complied with the agreement, the retail company did not. The firm did not pay taxes for five years, and then fled. Their dues come to around R9 lakhs. My outstanding dues are only Rs 4 lakh. Why should I pay the rest? The BMC should recover the dues from the tenant,” says a miffed Patil. Patil’s property was seized by the BMC in February. “Grave injustice has been done to me. I don’t have an option now but to move court. I will file a writ petition against the BMC,” says Patil. The property is still in his late father Chandrakant’s name, but Patil is the legal heir and stays on the upper floors. Patil claims that the BMC, in fact, owes him Rs 32 lakh in refund of property tax. When the property tax rates were revised by the BMC in 2013 based on market value of the entire property and not occupied space, Patil’s property, like many others’, became eligible for a refund of Rs 32 lakh. Since Canara Bank had duly paid its taxes during the period, it’s staking a claim to the refund. But there’s a loophole. A letter, dated January 1 this year, written by the K/West ward office to the manager of Canara Bank, states that in case a property is shared between tenant and owner, the refund will be credited to the owner’s bank account. The property will be considered one entity with one property account number and, therefore, the money will be deposited in the owner’s account. “The letter is pretty clear. The BMC should credit the money in my bank account. Then, the bank and I will mutually decide what to do with it,” says Patil. Ratnakar More, senior manager of Canara Bank, however, is not buying this claim. “The owner has absolutely no claim on the refund. We paid the taxes; we should get the refund. I have even submitted an indemnity on the matter. Why isn’t the BMC returning our money? The bank will be forced to move court [if the refund is not given to us].” He says the new BMC rule cannot be applied retrospectively and is, therefore, not applicable in this case. ‘Onus on owner’ The bank’s claim has the backing of MG Deokate, assistant assessor and collector, K/West ward. “A letter had been issued by the BMC, stating that the refund is to be parked with the owner. But in this case, it is clear that the bank has complete right over the money since it is the bank which paid the extra property tax. It has been demanding the refund from us. We have raised the issue with our legal department,” he says. As for the Rs 9 lakh which the retail company owes, Deokate clarifies that it is the owner’s responsibility to recover money from it and not the BMC’s. “Tax is on a property and not an individual. He owns the property, he has to pay.” To this, Patil refers to a 1991 HC order, which said that the BMC is liable for collection of property tax from a lessee/licensee if he/she has agreed to such an arrangement.

2016-04-06 09:48 By Tanvi www.mid-day.com

44 Thane Water Crisis: Day after launch, no one answers helpline A toll free helpline, which was launched by Thane district authorities on Monday in the wake of the water crisis to help people report illegal water supply or overcharging tankers, proved useless as nobody answered that phone throughout the next day. Rather than solving people’s water woes, the helpline adds to them. Representative pic mid-day called the number — 1077 — several times during the day but got no answers. This, rather than solving people’s water woes, adds to them by making them continuously try the number to get help. “The water crisis has reached a very bad stage this year. In Navi Mumbai, when authorities roam around in autos announcing water cuts during the day, we are at work and hence are not informed about it unless we find out through the newspaper or the watchman. In such a situation, the toll free number could prove useful but if is not working then we are left helpless,” said Asiya Shaikh, a resident of Nerul. Collector says Ashwini Joshi, Thane District Collector, told mid-day, “It is a disaster management toll free number that we are using for the water complaints. I will check with my authorities and see that it is active for the public.” “Recently, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had ordered all state collectors to launch toll free numbers so that those who want to file complaints over water could easily approach the authorities,” said Aniruddha Ashtaputre, public relations officer, Thane district collector’s office. Ashtaputre added that the number was launched for those who were getting delayed responses on their complaints.

2016-04-06 09:47 By Faisal www.mid-day.com

45 After Pratyusha Banerjee's mother's complaint, Rahul Singh booked The police booked TV star Pratyusha Banerjee’s boyfri-end Rahul Raj Singh for abetting her suicide after her mother, Shoma, registered a complaint against him on Tuesday. Pratyusha’s mother Shoma Police sources said an FIR was filed against Singh under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 306 (abetment of suicide), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The Bangur Nagar police have recorded the statement of actress’ uncle Dipankar Banerjee and aunt Barnali Banerjee as witnesses. The sources said Pratyusha called on Dipankar and Barnali often at their house in Ambernath. Shoma filed the complaint against Singh after meeting Dipankar and Barnali on Monday. The couple reportedly revealed that Pratyusha had often complained of being beaten up and abused by Singh. Sources said Singh, who is in hospital, is likely to be picked up late on Tuesday or early Wednesday morning, post-consultation with the doctors attending to him. In his statement, the actress’ father, Shankar, said, Pratyusha had arrived in Mumbai when she was in Std IX to try her luck in the film industry. She soon bagged the lead role in Balika Vadhu. “In the beginning, Pratyusha was paid R5,000 per day. The fee then gradually increased to R10,000. With her growing popularity, Pratyusha was then able to claim R25,000 per day,” said Shankar. The police said Pratyusha financially supported her parents. She opened four joint accounts in city-based banks and her parents were given withdrawal authority over them. “After taking out money for her day-to-day expenses, she deposited the rest in the four accounts. Pratyusha had received R36 lakh from Big Boss and R6 lakh from Power Couple,” said a police source. This arrangement, however, allegedly changed after she started dating Singh in 2015. Her parents could no longer withdraw money from the bank accounts. Singh made Pratyusha open a fresh bank account, naming himself as the primary withdrawal authority. Police have also found that the couple fought bitterly over Singh’s suspicion that Pratyusha had kept in touch with her ex-boyfriend and her gang of friends. Pratyusha’s parents revealed that Singh had forced her to cut herself off from friends and family.

'Rahul Raj Singh keeps singing the Balika Vadhu title track' mid-day.com 2016-04-06 09:39 By Samiullah www.mid-day.com

46 Samsung Galaxy S7 strategy a 'hit' Samsung Galaxy S7. (Samsung SA) Seoul - Samsung Electronics is deploying a new strategy that’s being credited for making the Galaxy S7 smartphone a surprise hit since its debut in March: Releasing it sooner and pricing it cheaper. Sales of the company’s top-end line-up are estimated to reach nine million units during their first month on the market - or triple those of the S6 models in the same time frame in 2015. That’s prompting analysts to raise their projections for operating profit and revenue when Samsung reports preliminary first-quarter earnings on Thursday, even as its marquee device with a wraparound screen is as much 8% cheaper than last year’s device. The world’s biggest smartphone maker scrapped its practice of raising prices with each new model, a ploy long used by Apple, as it tries to counter flattening sales growth. While Samsung’s chip and display businesses probably will suffer as a result, sales of the S7 devices are being energised by critical praise, a lull in new models from Chinese makers and the lack of an iPhone 7 to sway upgraders and first-time buyers. Early release “With the high-end smartphone market largely stagnated, the issue is no longer about what ‘wow’ features the new phone has,” said Claire Kim, a Seoul-based analyst at Daishin Securities. “Rather, it’s about who can bring out the phone quicker.” The S7 line-up was released on March 11, about a month sooner than the S6 models that went on sale in April 2015. The phones look similar, one with a 12.9cm (5.1-inch) screen and the other with a 13.9cm (5.5-inch) screen wrapping around the edges, yet the new models include a memory-card slot, waterproofing and a longer estimated battery life. Even with those new features and upgraded components, the S7 Edge is cheaper than the S6 Edge. Analysts originally predicted combined sales of about seven million for the new phones, though recent channel checks and a briefing by the company prompted six analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News to raise their projections by an average of 30%. WATCH this online video on the Galaxy S7 introduction: “Early indications are Galaxy S7 demand is tracking well above the Galaxy S6 demand from last year in the developed markets of USA and Europe,” Neil Shah, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said in an email. The new models also are helping the company gain back customers in China from domestic makers Huawei Technologies, Lenovo Group and Xiaomi. Samsung’s share of the world’s largest market was about 7% during the first two months of the year - a decline of about one percentage point from a year earlier, Shah said. “Galaxy S7 series should be able to bump up the market share a bit in March as it is being received fairly positively across the world and China,” he said. That sentiment is creating a ripple effect when it comes to earnings estimates. Among the analysts tracking Samsung, 13 raised their projection for operating profit from a month earlier, while another six lowered them. That nudged the average prediction higher by almost 4% to 5.52 trillion won ($4.8bn), according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Screen shortage Doh Hyun-Woo, an analyst with Mirae Asset Securities, raised his estimate for operating profit on March 30 by more than 1.2 trillion won to about 6.2 trillion won. “We attribute the better-than-expected operating profit to robust sales of the Galaxy S7,” Doh said in a report. Those sales are due to the lack of competing models, “lacklustre sales” of the iPhone 6s, the S7 upgrades, and “competitive pricing”, he said. The S7 Edge ranges in price from 924 000 won to 968 000 won, according to Samsung. Doh didn’t respond to several telephone messages seeking additional comments. Last year, the company misfired when it underestimated demand for the curved S6 Edge and couldn’t produce enough three-sided screens. That’s not an issue with the S7 Edge. Also, 19 analysts raised their estimates for revenue in the past four weeks, while only three lowered theirs. The average projection is for sales of 48.73 trillion won, a 2% increase from prior estimates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Samsung won’t provide net income or break out the results of various divisions until it releases audited results later this month. The company, run by vice chair Lee Jae Yong, needs a hit. Samsung’s global smartphone market share fell for the second straight year in 2015, and revenue and net income have fallen two straight years. Sales Since the phone’s release on March 11, shares have risen 2.9% after falling the previous three years. “The S7 sales are extremely encouraging,” executive vice president Rhee In Jong said in a March 21 interview. The company declined to comment on Tuesday. The success of the S7 likely will encourage Samsung to use the same playbook with its newest large-screen Note devices later this year, said Neil Mawston, executive director of researcher Strategy Analytics. “We expect Samsung’s Galaxy S7 to be the world’s best-selling Android smartphone in 2016,” Mawston said in an email. “We expect Samsung to release the Note 6 a month or two before the Apple iPhone 7, to try and grab that window of opportunity.”

2016-04-06 09:31 2016-04 www.fin24.com

47 Grim day for SA motorsport: 2 riders die in 2 crashes TRAGEDY IN SA MOTORSPORT: SA motorcyclists Ghislain Van der Merwe (left) and Anthony Shelley have both passed away following two separate crashes. Images: MSA Cape Town - South African motorsport is in mourning following the deaths of two young racers - riders Anthony Shelley and Ghislain van der Merwe. The pair were involved in separate crashes over the same period in April 2016. Killed on the road Motorsport South Africa (MSA) reports that young motorcycle racer Shelley was killed in a road crash earlier on Monday (April 4). MSA said: "It was clear to everybody who saw Anthony (Shelley) in action on a race bike that he possessed a rare talent for motorcycle racing and that a bright future in the sport lay ahead of him. "Sadly, Anthony’s huge potential in a sport he clearly loved will now never be fully realised and MSA extends its heartfelt condolences to Anthony’s family and friends on his untimely passing. Rest in peace, Anthony. You will be sorely missed. " Talented @SA_SuperGP rider Anthony Shelley was killed in a road accident this morning R. I. P https://t.co/T8h6g02ChQ pic.twitter.com/cPSRYTs75l Tim Cook, a representative from Shelley's racing team, said: "Anthony raced in the SuperGP Champions Trophy which is South Africa’s premier national superbike series. He raced in the 1000cc SuperGP class and was a privateer supported by his father, Wayne Shelley and sponsors Fercor Contruction, Supreme Licensing, Tarpave Amtek and Shimwells Yamaha. "He achieved two second place podium finishes in the first championship round at Redstar Raceway this year and was lying 5th in the national championship and 3rd in the northern regions championship. " Fatal crash South African Nation Off-road Racing Association (SANORA) has confirmed the death of young Ghislain van der Merwe, who sustained severe head injuries during the South African Cross Country Vryburg Race on Saturday (April 2). According to a statement issued by the family: "Ghislain was taken off life support on Monday (Apr 4) following his accident on the weekend. " So sad to hear the shocking news about Ghislain Van Der Merwe. RIP and heartfelt condolences to family. pic.twitter.com/c0wIb6kbwL SANORA and the SA motorcycle racing community extend their sincere condolences to the Van der Merwe family. Van der Merwe, from Boksburg, raced a KTM 200 XC-W in the High School Class. He would have celebrated his 16th birthday in May 2016. Enduro World said on their Facebook page : "Tragically, young Ghislain van der Merwe passed away yesterday. Though he has gone to an eternally happy place where his beautiful smile will fit so perfectly, his passing is unimaginably hard for his beloved Mom and Dad, Mel and Dean, and his many close friends and family. Funeral details In this sport we don't have friends, only family - so our deepest condolences to Mel and Dean especially, but also to everyone who knew and loved Ghislain. Our heartfelt prayers and thoughts are with you all. Ghislain's funeral will be at Trinity Methodist Church, Cresta Road, Sunward Park, Boksburg - on Wednesday April 13 at 2pm. "In memory of Ghislain van der Merwe, Enduro World will donate a printed black arm band for all riders to wear while riding in this weekends race - Nomadik EWXC round 3 in Heidelberg. Donations made towards the bands will be given to the family. Womza will be selling day license for riders who wish to join in at R100. per license and R80. of this will be donated to the family. " Contact Enduro World on 011 792 1136 for more information.

2016-04-06 09:28 www.wheels24.co.za

48 ED conducts searches at Nashik infra firm over Chhagan Bhujbal link Nashik: Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department today conducted joint searches at the office of an infrastructure firm here and the residence of its head in connection with allegations that it financed certain construction by family of ex-deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, arrested last month in a money laundering case. Chhagan Bhujbal Three teams of ED and IT department started searches in morning at the office of Ashoka Buildcon in Vadala locality, at a toll naka in Pimpalgaon Basawant on outskirts of city and at the house of the owner of the firm, sources said. Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had last month made certain claims wherein Ashoka Buildcon had been mentioned in respect of certain allegations made against Bhujbal and his family. Somaiya, the MP from North East Mumbai, had claimed to have submitted some documents to Nashik police commissioner in this regard on March 25. Ashoka Buildcon had said that it neither financed any construction by the family of Bhujbal nor sponsored the then MP Sameer Bhujbal's trip to FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The NCP leader is currently in judicial custody in Mumbai. "Ashoka Buildcon Ltd clarifies that it has not contributed or financed any of the constructions of Bhujbal family including their Bungalow at Nasik," the company had said in a filing to the BSE.

2016-04-06 09:16 By PTI www.mid-day.com

49 49 Marauding monkeys to now face bullets in Shimla Shimla: No monkey business any more - at least in tourist hotspot Shimla. Declared vermin, the marauding monkeys will be shot down in areas outside forests to check their menace. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, in a communication to the Himachal Pradesh government on March 14, declared the rhesus monkey as vermin within Shimla's municipal limits, which legally allows their elimination. Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri told IANS that the permission to cull them will be valid for six months in the municipal limits alone, excluding the forest areas. Hailing the decision, which followed several requests from the state, he said the culling would go a long way in mitigating the damage to human life, crops and other state property. The minister said 39 out of the 75 tehsils in 10 of the 12 districts have been identified by the state forest department as monkey hotspots. A hotspot means a place of maximum conflict with humans. The maximum of seven monkey-affected tehsils are in Kangra district, followed by Una, Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts (five each) and Shimla (four). In a written reply during the ongoing budget session, Bharmouri informed the assembly that the attack on humans in the state has increased since 2006. In 2013-14, the maximum 513 attacks were reported. In the last three years, there were 674 attacks on humans by the monkeys and the sufferers were compensated Rs.28 lakh (more than $42,000) during this period. The minister said the state has been conducting a monkey sterilization programme since 2006 and more than 51 percent of the monkeys in the state have been neutered. Quoting the agriculture department report of 2014, Bharmouri said monkeys and other wild animals damaged agricultural crops worth Rs.184 crore annually. He said the loss to horticulture crops was estimated at Rs.150 crore between 2006 and 2014. On the high court order in January 2011 putting on hold permission to farmers to shoot monkeys, Bharmouri said the government would apprise the court of the latest permission granted by the centre. "The case is listed for hearing on April 13 and we are hopeful we will convince the court to provide immediate relief," the minister said. He clarified that after being declared vermin, individuals who anticipate a threat to their self or property were free to kill monkeys. Animal protection groups, however, are outraged. "Killing monkeys is not a solution," argued US-based Humane Society International campaign manager N. G. Jayasimha. He told IANS that they would soon take legal recourse to save the monkeys. Himachal Pradesh is home to 207,614 monkeys as per last year's census against 226,086 in 2013. Till March 31, a total of 108,325 monkeys were sterilised at eight centres. Their number was the highest at 317,512 in the 2004 census. The monkey census says there are about 2,452 monkeys within the Shimla municipal limits, which is higher than their number registered in 2013. Marauding monkeys, prowling in gangs on Shimla's streets created panic among residents and tourists. They have been causing havoc by biting passersby and snatching food. Shimla Municipal Corporation deputy mayor Takinder Panwar said on an average, more than 100 dog bite and over 60 monkey bite cases are being reported every month in the Rippon Hospital alone. He said the monkey menace has reached an alarming proportion and needs to be tackled scientifically. In localities like Jakhu, Tutikandi, Nabha, Phagli, Kaithu, Summer Hill, Tutu, Boileauganj, Chotta Shimla and Sanjauli, the residents have literally converted their houses into jails by erecting iron grills on the doors and windows to check the intrusion of monkeys. Wildlife officials said around eight years ago the monkeys were trapped from Shimla and banished to the jungles and that was the best technique to reduce their population. "Now their population has grown manifold and they need to be relocated once again rather than going for culling," said an official.

2016-04-06 09:15 By IANS www.mid-day.com

50 Bayern edge resolute Benfica with early Vidal goal Benfica, aiming to reach the European Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1990, have conceded 13 goals in their three previous visits to Bayern and must have feared the worst when Vidal headed home after two minutes. But the floodgates failed to open after that as the visiting defence stood firm on a frustrating evening for the hosts who beat Benfica's arch- rivals Porto 6-1 at home at the same stage of the competition last season. Five-times European champions Bayern had also found goals easy to come by in the Champions League this season, blasting 18 in their previous four home matches, but came up against some dogged defending as they pushed to extend their advantage. Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski had a superb chance to add a second in the dying stages but bizarrely opted to try and pass to Philipp Lahm when through on goal and it was wasted. "We only had a few good chances," said Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. "Benfica's defence did a good job, their four-man backline works pretty well. In the end we missed the chance to score a second goal but sometimes a 1-0 has to be enough. " Bayern got off to the perfect start when Chilean Vidal got on the end of Juan Bernat's cross to head past keeper Ederson. That was not the cue, however, for the expected goal rush as Benfica, twice European champions in the 1960s, kept possession despite creating few real chances. They could, however, have inflicted a punishing blow on the hosts midway through the second half when Jonas's shot cannoned back of Bayern's Javi Martinez when the goal was gaping. Benfica, who came into the game in a rich vein of form having won 19 of their previous 20 games in all competitions, will believe they can cause an upset in next Wednesday's return. To do so they will have to break their duck against Bayern after Tuesday's result made it five defeats and two draws in seven meetings with the Bavarians. "We knew how difficult it is to play here against Bayern but when we had possession, we created our chances," said Jonas. "We could have left with a better result but the tie is open. "

2016-04-06 09:04 REUTERS www.timeslive.co.za

51 Partially blind SA athlete graduates with masterâ​s degree - "You must never give up. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. " That's the empowering motto of a partially blind athlete who will graduate on Wednesday with a master's degree in Recreation and Sport Management. Carley Lomax is a visually impaired student at the and an avid athlete with ambitions of representing South Africa at the Paralympics in Rio later this year. She said it was not an easy process earning her degree while juggling her academic and sporting commitments. "It was a tough journey because a master's has a lot of research, writing up notes and documents. "For me it was challenging because it takes longer to do research and things like that because I use software and I don't see things immediately as other people would. "It was a big challenge juggling academic and sporting activities. I had to have good time management as I'm very passionate about my sporting activities and academia so I was determined to fit them both in. " Lomax said she was born partially blind but she had never let that stop her from achieving her goals and dreams. In 2007 she joined TuksAthletics to compete in the 100m, 200m, and long jump events while pursuing her academics. She represented Tuks at numerous University Sports South Africa championships. She represented South African at the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) athletics world championships in 2007 and was selected to participate in the 2015 All Africa Games. In 2013 Lomax was selected as a finalist for the Sports Awards in the Female Athlete with a Disability category. Training for Rio 2016 She is now training to qualify for Rio later this year. "I'm training really hard to qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympic games and represent the country. I have had this dream ever since I was young and what inspired it even more was when I was selected to represent South Africa at the IBSA world championships in 2007. "When I found out that the actual Olympics will be in Rio it really drove me to want to qualify," she said. Academically, Lomax obtained her BSport Science degree in 2011 followed by a BA HMS honours in Recreation and Corporate Wellness in 2012. She then continued with her postgraduate studies and did a MA degree in Recreation and Sport Management which she will be getting on Wednesday. She is currently doing a postgraduate certificate in education at the University of Pretoria as she aspires to become a school teacher. She hopes the platform will allow her to combine her sport science and fitness knowledge to assist with the development of sports in local schools. "You must never give up. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. I feel challenges are there to test one's boundaries and I believe anyone who sets their mind to it can overcome any boundary regardless of what it is. "

2016-04-06 08:57 www.news24.com

52 I am living proof that TB is curable survivor – After losing three family members to tuberculosis (TB), Ellen Nthoba says she has beaten the odds by surviving it herself. The 30-year-old Nthoba told News24 on Tuesday during the commemoration of world TB day that when she was diagnosed with the bacterial lung disease her life become a battle and her biggest fear was death. "I had short breaths and always had to isolate myself from my family, including my two children and also the community because I needed to get well," she said. Nthoba was diagnosed with TB in 2011. "It wasn't easy to accept that I had TB because three of my family members died from it. I was also scared that I might die because of it. " Nthoba spent six months in hospital and soon after that she started the multi-drug resistance treatment. Two years later, she was cured. "TB is curable and I know that because I am the living proof that it is curable," Nthoba said. "I am well now and it is all because I took my treatment and I noticed that it wasn't a death sentence... We must never stop the fight against TB," she said. Free State Health MEC Benny Malakoane on Tuesday called on residents to educate themselves and help fight TB. Malakoane sent a strong message to residents in Bloemfontein who braved the rain to commemorate world TB day, which was actually on March 24. "We have to fight until we win. Love your TB treatment and you will be cured," he said.

2016-04-06 08:57 www.news24.com

53 Lambie back on the training field Cape Town - Sharks flyhalf Pat Lambie is back on the training field as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury. Lambie suffered the injury in a pre-season outing against French side Toulon in early February. He was forced to go under the knife and was ruled out for three months in mid-February. However, Sharks and Springbok fans will be happy to see the pivot has returned to the training field as he continues with his recovery. Lambie will still be in a race against time to be fit for the Springboks’ three-Test series against Ireland in June. He was spotted at Sharks training this week, with the Sharks on Tuesday posting a picture via their official Facebook page:

2016-04-06 08:56 www.sport24.co.za

54 Turkey Season Safety By Don Mallicoat- Hunting is an enjoyable experience; that is unless you have an accident. And with turkey hunting there are ample opportunities for those. With turkey season just around the corner, Youth day on April 2 and regular season starting April 9, it’s a good idea to remember some safety tips specific to turkey hunting. Some of these from the National Wild Turkey Federation apply where ever you hunt and some are particularly important if you hunt turkey on public land. Leave the area if you suspect another hunter is already working a bird. This is especially true on public land. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the realistic calls of the hen yelp and those of another hunter. Rule of thumb: when in doubt move on to another location. Coincidental to this, resist the urge to stalk turkey sounds. You can’t sneak up on a turkey anyway and the clucks and yelps you hear could be another hunter. Select a calling location in open timber rather than thick brush: wearing camouflage clothing and eliminating movement is more critical to success than hiding in heavy cover. As safe as you may be, there are unethical hunters out there who will shoot at sounds and noises. Being in heavy brush makes you difficult to identify as another hunter making those enticing sounds. When selecting that calling location choose a large stump, blow-down, tree trunk or rock that is wider than your shoulders and higher than your head. That breaks up your outline but also prevents you from being shot from behind. Never wear bright colors, especially red, white, blue or black because these are the colors of a wild turkey gobbler. Even watch out for those colors on items like socks, t-shirts and sweatshirts. Wear dark clothing like camouflage and tuck your pants into your boots. Remain still and speak in a loud, clear voice to announce your presence to other hunters if necessary. Never move, wave or make turkey sounds to alert another hunter to your presence. Sudden moves or turkey sounds may cause another hunter to turn and aim or fire his or her shotgun in your direction. We all use camouflage to turkey hunt so we are difficult to see and its proper use is important. Part of your clothing should include gloves and a head net so another hunter will not mistake your skin for the color of a bird. Also make sure you maintain a clear field of view when using a camouflage blind or netting. Turkey decoys have become increasingly important in calling in a wary gobbler. When transporting your decoy to and from your site in the field, remember to keep it covered. If possible stuff it in the pouch on the back of your vest or if it is a full size decoy put it in a bag. If you are fortunate enough to harvest a turkey, despite what you see on the TV shows, cover the birds head and body when leaving the field. Also, many turkey vests contain a pull out hunter orange panel that you can use when leaving the field. And lastly, always remember these basic rules of gun safety: Treat every gun as if it were loaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction, and never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot. If we all observe the above principle we will have a better chance of a successful and safe hunt. Along with the Youth turkey opener on April 2nd, that is the opening day for Hatchery Supported trout waters, commonly referred to as “bring your own rock to stand on” day starting at 7 a.m. that morning. Hatchery Supported waters are identified by a diamond shaped sign trimmed in green with the words Hatchery Supported in the middle. The reason these waters are so popular is because there are no size or bait limits. The daily creel limit is 7 trout. Delayed Harvest waters continue to be catch-and-release only through June 3rd. They are identified by that same diamond shaped sign trimmed in black with Delayed Harvest in the middle. Until June 3rd, bait is restricted to artificial lures with a single hook. No natural bait may be possessed on these waters. So after a brief lull for the month of March, and with a couple more hours of daylight in the evening, it’s time to get back out in the woods and streams of our mountains.

2016-04-06 09:04 By Don www.thetribunepapers.com

55 Shuttle Endeavour lands at California air base - CNN.com (CNN) -- Space shuttle Endeavour landed safely Sunday afternoon at California's Edwards Air Force Base after NASA waved off two opportunities for a Florida landing because of poor weather. The shuttle, steered by commander Christopher Ferguson, landed at 1:25 p.m., ending a mission that lasted more than two weeks. Wind, rain and reports of thunderstorms within 30 miles of the shuttle landing facility at Florida's Kennedy Space Center prompted NASA to cancel the landing attempts there. Those had been scheduled for 1:19 p.m. and 2:54 p.m. ET. After determining Monday's weather forecast at Kennedy Space Center was equally unpromising, flight controllers decided they would try to land the shuttle and its seven astronauts at Edwards AFB, about 100 miles from Los Angeles, California, where Sunday's forecast was sunny. Flight controllers prefer landings at Kennedy Space Center because of cost and schedule. NASA has estimated it costs about $1.7 million to bring a shuttle home to Kennedy Space Center from California. Watch Endeavour's Sunday landing in California » It also takes at least a week to get the shuttle ready for the trip, but schedule is not a major factor for the Endeavour; it is not scheduled to fly again until May. Endeavour's 15-day mission to the international space station began on November 14 and included four spacewalks. During that time, the crew brought key pieces -- including exercise equipment, more sleeping berths and a urine recycling system -- for a project to double the capacity of the station from three in-house astronauts to six. The recycling system was installed to turn urine and sweat from the astronauts into drinking water. Other modules are scheduled to arrive on a February shuttle flight. The goal of expanding the station's capacity to six astronauts is expected to be reached by the summer. The crew also worked on a joint that helps generate power for the space station. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen spent hours cleaning and lubricating the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, which is designed to allow the solar panels on the left side of the station to rotate and track the sun. The astronauts also removed and replaced several trundle bearing assemblies. The mission went according to plan, despite a minor interruption on the first spacewalk when a grease gun in Stefanyshyn-Piper tool's bag leaked, coating everything inside with a film of lubricant. While she was trying to clean it up, the bag -- with $100,000 in tools -- floated away. CNN's Kate Tobin and Miles O'Brien contributed to this report.

2016-04-06 04:22 rss.cnn.com

56 Probing the cosmos: Is anybody out there? - CNN.com (CNN) -- From a remote valley in Northern California, Jill Tarter is listening to the universe. Her ears are 42 large and sophisticated radio telescopes, spread across several acres, that scan the cosmos for signals of extraterrestrial origin. If intelligent life forms do exist on other planets, and they try to contact us, Tarter will be among the first to know. Are we citizens of Earth alone in the universe? It's a question that has long fascinated astronomers, sci-fi authors, kids with backyard telescopes and Hollywood executives who churn out spectacles about alien encounters. Polls have found that most Americans believe that some form of life exists beyond our planet. "It's a fundamental question," said Tarter, the real-life inspiration for Jodie Foster's character in the 1997 movie "Contact. " "And it's a question that the person on the street can understand. It's not like a... super-collider or some search for neutrinos buried in the ice. It's, 'Are we alone? How might we find out? What does that tell us about ourselves and our place in the universe?' "We're trying to figure out how the universe began, how galaxies and large-scale structures formed, and where did the origins of life as we know it take place? " Tarter said. "These are all valid questions to ask of the universe. And an equally valid question is whether the same thing that happened here [on Earth] has happened elsewhere. " Watch a preview of CNN's "In Search of Aliens" series » Thanks to advancements in technology, scientists hope to get an answer sooner rather than later. Rovers have snapped photographs of the surface of Mars that show fossil-like shapes. NASA hopes to launch within a decade a Terrestrial Planet Finder, an orbiting observatory that would detect planets around nearby stars and determine whether they could support life. Such developments are catnip to scientists like Geoffrey Marcy, a professor of astronomy at the University of California-Berkeley who has discovered more extrasolar planets than anyone else. "It wasn't more than 13 years ago that we hadn't found any planets around the stars, and most people thought that we never would. So here we are not only having found planets, we are looking for habitable planets, signs of biology on those planets," Marcy told CNN. "It's an extraordinary explosion of a field of science that didn't even exist just a few years ago. " Then there's Tarter, whose quest for signs of extraterrestrial life kept her on the fringes of mainstream science for decades. While pursuing her doctorate at UC-Berkeley, Tarter came across an engineering report that floated the idea of using radio telescopes to listen for broadcasts by alien beings. It became her life's work. In 1984 Tarter founded the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) in California. Using telescopes in Australia, West Virginia and Puerto Rico, she conducted a decade-long scouring of about 750 nearby star systems for extraterrestrial radio signals. None was found, although Tarter had some false alarms. In 1998, she intercepted a mysterious signal that lasted for hours. Tarter got so excited she misread her own computer results: The signal was coming from a NASA observatory spacecraft orbiting the sun. Today, Tarter listens to the heavens with the Allen Telescope Array, a collection of 20-foot-wide telescopes some 300 miles north of San Francisco. The dish-like scopes are a joint effort of SETI and UC-Berkeley's Radio Astronomy Lab and have been funded largely by Microsoft co- founder Paul Allen, who donated more than $25 million to the project. Unlike previously existing radio telescopes, which scan the sky for limited periods of time, the Allen Telescope Array probes the universe round the clock. Each of the 42 scopes is aimed at a different area of the sky, collecting reams of data that are continually studied by computers for unusual patterns. Then the listeners must filter out noise from airplanes and satellites. "We're listening for something that we don't think can be produced by Mother Nature," Tarter said. "We're using the radio frequency, other people are using optical telescopes... and in both cases we're looking for an artificial nature to a signal. "In the case of radio, we're looking for a lot of power being squished into just one channel on the radio dial. In the optical, they're looking for very bright flashes that last a nanosecond... or less, not slow pulsing kinds of things. To date we've never found a natural source that can do that. " Signals that any extraterrestrials might be transmitting for their own use would be difficult to detect, Tarter said. Astronomers are more likely to discover a radio transmission broadcast intentionally at the Earth, she said. Astronomers at SETI, however, are not sending a signal into space in an attempt to communicate with aliens. University of California professor Marcy is skeptical about the existence of intelligent alien life and believes our galaxy's vast distances would make communication between Earth and beings on other planets almost impossible. "The nearest neighbor might be halfway across our galaxy, 50,000 light-years away. Communicating with them will take a hundred thousand years for a round-trip signal," he said. Still, Tarter remains undaunted. The Allen Telescope Array already does in 10 minutes what once took her scientists 10 days. When the project is completed, it will have 350 telescopes that, combined, can survey tens of thousands of star systems. "We can look in more places and more frequencies faster than we ever could. And that will just get better with time. We're doing something now we couldn't do when we started, we couldn't do five years ago," she said. "Think of it as a cosmic haystack. There's a needle in there somewhere. If you pull out a few straws, are you going to get disappointed because you haven't found the needle yet? No. We haven't really begun to explore. " All About Astronomy • UFOs and Alien Abductions • SETI Institute

2016-04-05 20:11 By Brandon rss.cnn.com

57 Indian lunar orbiter hit by heat rise - CNN.com NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Scientists have switched off several on-board instruments to halt rising temperatures inside India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft. Mylswamy Annadurai, the project director for the lunar mission, told CNN that temperatures onboard Chandrayaan-1 had risen to 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit). The increase occurred as the craft, the moon -- which it is orbiting -- and the sun lined up, a phenomenon which Annadurai said was not unexpected and which would likely last until the end of December. "We have switched off the systems (aboard) that are not needed to be on," Annadurai said, ruling out the possibility of damage and adding that the temperature was now down to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Heat on board the Chandrayaan-1 should not exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), Annadurai said -- but insisted the orbiter is designed to withstand up to 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit). The Chandrayaan-1 -- Chandrayaan means "moon craft" in Sanskrit -- was successfully launched from southern India on October 22. Watch the launch of India's first lunar mission » Its two-year mission is to take high-resolution, three-dimensional images of the moon's surface, especially the permanently shadowed polar regions. It also will search for evidence of water or ice and attempt to identify the chemical composition of certain lunar rocks, the group said. Earlier this month the Moon Impact Probe detached from Chandrayaan-1 and successfully crash-landed on the moon's surface. Officials say that the TV-size probe, which is adorned with a painting of the Indian flag, hit the moon's surface at a speed of 5,760 kilometers per hour (3,579 mph). It transmitted data to Chandrayaan-1 ahead of impact but was not intended to be retrieved after that. Chandrayaan-1 is carrying payloads from the United States, the European Union and Bulgaria. India plans to share the data from the mission with other programs, including NASA.

2016-04-06 04:22 Harmeet Shah rss.cnn.com

58 Yahoo - Introducing Fair Play on Yahoo Sports Daily Fantasy Yahoo Launches Key Changes in Daily Fantasy to Help Level the Playing Field for Fans Including Entry Limits, Labeling of Veteran Players and No Scripting --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- (NASDAQ:YHOO) today announced important changes to its Sports Daily Fantasy product to make contests more transparent and fun for all users. Changes include limiting entries to a max of 10 entries per user per contest (and in no event can a single user's entries make up more than 1% of total entries in a contest), clearly identifying Veteran players with a badge, and prohibiting the use of any type of scripting tool to upload or edit entries. "We first launched Yahoo Sports Daily Fantasy back in because it was an exciting addition to our product suite and because our users were clamoring for it," said , Head of Product for and Finance. "Yahoo Fantasy Sports has tens of millions of registered fans and we are making these changes today as the result of months of user experience and customer requests. values an environment that is transparent and trustworthy. We also want to provide the best Fantasy games for true sports fans. does both. " As daily fantasy continues to evolve, the labeling of a small percentage of "Veteran" players with a distinct badge is a key change that will make it easier for all players to know who they are playing against on Yahoo Sports Daily Fantasy. Veterans will be defined as users who have entered more than 1,000 contests within a single year, or who have entered more than 250 contests and prevailed in greater than 65% of them within a single year, or who have won a single prize of or greater more than three times within a single year. As a thank you to those users who have been so dedicated to Yahoo Sports Daily Fantasy, will be inviting Veterans to a special, free, invitation-only contest. has been a leader in fantasy sports for over 17 years. The changes made today will continue the tradition of fun and social user experiences that fans have come to expect from. is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses. is headquartered in , and has offices located throughout the , (APAC) and the , and (EMEA) regions. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the Company's blog (yahoo.tumblr.com).

2016-04-06 03:08 investor.yahoo.net

59 SuperSport beat AmaTuks to reach quarterfinals United have endured a difficult season and it looked as though their hopes of winning a trophy would be dashed when University of Pretoria took a 3-1 lead in regulation time‚ but the hosts fought back before clinching the tie 4-2 on penalties. Williams saved the spot kicks of Botshelo Mfulwane and Partson Jaure to earn hero status for his side in a hard fought encounter between the two sides. Tuks would have been very disappointed that they are still without a win over United in 10 attempts‚ despite scoring three goals against their Tshwane rivals. They were let down by poor defending‚ as United came back to level matters at 3-3 and take the game into extra time. Tuks had never scored against United in nine previous meetings‚ but it looks like the presence of former Bafana Bafana striker as coach has given players confidence in front of goal‚ which is what they were lacking before he joined as Sammy Troughon's successor. Tuks scored their first ever goal against United in the 12th minute‚ finding an opening in the home side's defence after Lennox Bacela got them going on the counter attack. Given acres of space to run into the opposition half‚ Bacela played a pass into the direction of Thabiso Nkoana‚ whose shot hit the upright but was then finished by teammate Innocent Nemukondeni for the opening goal. Their first ever lead against United‚ however‚ would last only 14 minutes because of some horrible defending which Michael Morton took advantage of with a finish from close range to level matters. The holding midfielder latched on to a loose ball in the area after the Tuks defence had failed to deal with Bradley Grobler's cross into the box. But Tuks were ahead again nine minutes into the second period when Ian Chikohwa met Bacela's cross with a diving header. Three minutes later‚ Tuks had themselves a goal courtesy of an own goal from Grant Kekana‚ who was under pressure from the presence of Bacela next to him. Bacela may not have scored last night‚ but the striker was a menace as usual for the United defence. He came into this clash with a record of seven goals in 10 matches. It looked as though Tuks were home and dry‚ but United had other ideas. First Jeremy Brockie reduced the deficit with a header in the box before substitute Morne Nel made it 3-3 with a close range finish to take the game into extra time. United held their nerve to win the clash on penalties. 2016-04-06 08:46 Tshepang Mailwane www.timeslive.co.za

60 Dog microchipping becomes compulsory across UK Dog owners who have not had their pets microchipped could face a fine of up to £500, as a new law comes into force. All dogs in England, Scotland and Wales are now legally required to be chipped by the time they are eight weeks old. It is hoped more stray or lost dogs can be reunited with their owners. The government says one million dogs - about one in eight of the UK's estimated canine population - have not yet been chipped. A law has been in place in Northern Ireland since 2012. The change for the rest of the UK was announced in 2013. If local authorities come across a dog without a microchip, owners will have up to 21 days to comply with the law or be fined. When a dog is microchipped a tiny chip about the size of a grain of rice is inserted under the loose skin on the back of its neck, giving it a unique 15-digit code. If a dog is lost or gets stolen and is picked up by a council or a shelter, the microchip can be scanned and matched to contact details stored on a database. Charities such as the Dogs Trust, some local authorities and some vets will microchip dogs without charging. Countries such as Northern Ireland which already have compulsory microchipping have seen a decrease in the number of stray, lost and abandoned dogs, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said. The new law will not replace current requirements for dogs to wear a collar and tag with their owner's name and address when in a public place, Defra said. Animal welfare minister George Eustice: "We are a nation of dog lovers and we want to make sure they stay safe. "Microchipping our dogs will not only reunite people with their lost or stolen pets, but also help to tackle the growing problem of strays roaming the streets and relieve the burden placed on animal charities and local authorities. "

2016-04-06 10:07 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

61 Veteran with PTSD says he sleeps in his car Better support is needed for members of the armed forces who leave the military with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), one of the youngest recipients of the George Medal has said. Daniel Smith was just 21 when he was commended for his brave actions in Iraq. But he has since found it difficult to get treatment, his marriage has failed and he is struggling to find work. For a number of nights each week, Mr Smith says he removes himself from his friends and family and parks in a lay-by where he sleeps in his car - in a bid to control his anger management issues. "I just don't like being around people sometimes I just want to close myself off. Basically I don't like living on people's sofas, I am not relying on people to put up with me. When I am depressed I would rather be alone so I've just got used to doing it now," he says. "I have got my quilt and stuff in the back and I have got my internal wifi here so it's like a mobile house. " It is thought Mr Smith's PTSD was sparked after the vehicle patrol he was part of was blown up by roadside bombs twice in a week in 2005. The medically trained fusilier tried to help many of his colleagues who had received terrible injuries. "I took a lot of guilt because obviously I thought I did my best at the time when I was treating them. I didn't really think they would die, I just thought they would be injured or go back home, but they passed away and obviously that was a big shock to us and I didn't know how to take that," he said. "I became a bit scared then. I didn't know what to think or what my next step would be. Because it happened to me twice and I thought it will happen to me third time unlucky. " The Ministry of Defence citation when he received his medal said: "With no regard for his own safety and with his focus firmly on saving those in the vehicle, he commenced the evacuation of the casualties from the burning chaos. " What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder caused by witnessing or being involved in a frightening or distressing event. People naturally feel afraid when in danger, but the legacy of some traumatic events is a change in perception of fear. They may feel stressed or frightened in day-to-day life. Diagnosing PTSD But Mr Smith, now 31, blames himself for not being able to save his friends and does not think he deserves the medal. In fact, he does not really remember being awarded it by Prince Charles. "I didn't really take it all in, I was very numb that day because I was on medication anyway so my mood and my temperament wasn't the best," he says. Figures from veterans' mental health charity Combat Stress show Mr Smith is not alone. It has seen a 28% increase in veterans seeking mental health support from April 2014 to 2015, treble the 9% increase seen the year before. Almost 6,000 are registered with the charity, and it says it has never been busier in its 97-year history. Mr Smith says he got good treatment at first, with six weeks of intensive therapy, but it tailed off, leaving him frustrated and bitter. Eventually he got a medical discharge from the army. His marriage failed because of his anger, which also caused him to lose his job as a bailiff. "At the time I was blown up I didn't really think it would affect me. It didn't feel reality at the time but a year later it had time to sink in, your depression kicks in, you're drinking. You don't realise you are changing, but other people see you are and you just become very angry towards them," he explains. His father, Gary, says he has been "pushed from pillar to post" since leaving the army and the family has so far spent over £3,000 to try to get him diagnosed and treated. "Basically all they have done is put a sticking plaster over a gaping wound and just sent him into general society to pick up the pieces which is really difficult, because society doesn't pick the pieces up from remnants of the army," he says. "There was no follow-up from the NHS, there were no papers handed over from the military to the NHS to follow on his treatment. " His father says he worries about his future, as without treatment or a support network he thinks a long-term recovery is unlikely. And Mr Smith says he is bitter about how he has been treated by the army. "I feel like I have been cast aside until the next person comes along because I haven't done anything wrong," he says. The Ministry of Defence said it did not comment on individual cases. But it said: "The government is absolutely committed to the mental health of our armed forces and provides a wide range of support both during and after service. "We work closely with other government departments and agencies so that where necessary, there is continued effective treatment and support on transition to civilian life. " Watch the Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.

2016-04-06 10:07 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

62 Yahoo - Yahoo Sports Partners With NHL to Bring Fans Free, Live Out-of-Market Games & On-Demand Premium Content No Cable or Authentication Required, Alliance Offers New Opportunities for Advertisers to Connect with Fans --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- (NASDAQ:YHOO) and the (NHL®) today announced a strategic alliance to deliver premium sports content to Yahoo Sports' millions of users. Now fans can access live, out-of-market games for free on , throughout the week, no cable subscription or authentication required. will offer unique advertising opportunities for brands to connect with their audiences, alongside and within this live and on-demand sports contents. Beginning , , in collaboration with the , will live stream an "Game of the Day" to hockey fans in the , up to four days a week, along with delivering in-game highlights for each game. This is in addition to the Wednesday and Sunday national games currently promoted by to its fans in partnership with. will also provide condensed games, "Best of the Day" and "Best of the Week" top plays and postgame highlights. also will continue to bring fantasy hockey highlights and our season-long game to fans around the world. "This alliance brings us one step closer to providing fans a live professional sporting event every day, on , completely frictionless and for free - no cable subscription or authentication required," said , VP, Media Partnerships at. "We remain committed to delivering the best digital content to our users and advertisers, and the NHL's premium content nicely complements our offering of live and on-demand partner content, including Yahoo/MLB's Game of the Day, content and our recently announced deal with the TOUR. " Building on the success of the NFL live stream on which drew more than 15 million viewers, is introducing new video advertising opportunities that will run within commercial breaks during the live streams of live sporting events, which includes and MLB games. Brands will have new ways to connect directly with an engaged audience of sports fans around this live video programming on , while using Yahoo's audience insights and retargeting capabilities to engage with viewers after a game concludes. The (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 30 , with players from more than 20 countries represented across team rosters, competing for the most revered trophy in professional sports - the Stanley Cup®. Each year, the entertains hundreds of millions of fans around the world. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including /NBCSN in the , Sportsnet and in , and Viasat in the. The reaches fans worldwide with games available online in every country including via its live and on-demand streaming service NHL. TV™. Fans are engaged across the League's digital assets on mobile devices via the free app; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™, and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring an enhanced statistics platform powered by SAP, providing the definitive destination for hockey analytics. A historic media rights partnership between the and MLBAM has transformed the fan experience across the League's digital and broadcast assets, with an emphasis on deeper access into the game and enhanced storytelling. To celebrate the NHL's international diversity, the World Cup of Hockey will return in September, 2016, a best-on-best international tournament featuring eight teams comprised of the world's best hockey players. On Founder's Day in , the League will celebrate its Centennial anniversary, commemorating 100 years of hockey. The is committed to giving back to the community through programs including: Hockey is for Everyone™ which supports nonprofit youth hockey organizations across ; Hockey Fights Cancer™ which raises money and awareness for hockey's most important fight; NHL Green™ which is committed to the pursuit of sustainable business practices; and a partnership with the , which is committed to supporting the LGBT community and fighting homophobia in sports. For more information, visit NHL.com. and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the. All Rights Reserved. is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses. is headquartered in , and has offices located throughout the , (APAC) and the , and (EMEA) regions. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the Company's blog (yahoo.tumblr.com).

2016-04-06 11:27 investor.yahoo.net

63 Yahoo - Yahoo Statement Regarding Starboard Announcement --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- today noted Starboard Value LP's announcement of its intention to nominate nine director candidates for election to Yahoo's Board of Directors at the company's 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Board's will review Starboard's proposed director nominees and respond in due course. Additional Information and Where to Find It (the "Company"), its directors and certain executive officers are participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with the Company's 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting"). The Company plans to file a proxy statement (the "2016 Proxy Statement") with the (the "SEC") in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Annual Meeting. , , , , , , , Jr., , Ph. D. and , Jr., all of whom are members of the Company's Board of Directors, and , Chief Financial Officer, are participants in the Company's solicitation. Other than , none of such participants owns in excess of 1% of the Company's common stock. may be deemed to own approximately 7.5% of the Company's common stock. Additional information regarding such participants, including their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the 2016 Proxy Statement and other relevant documents to be filed with the in connection with the Annual Meeting. Information relating to the foregoing can also be found in the Company's definitive proxy statement for its 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "2015 Proxy Statement"), which was filed with the on. To the extent that holdings of the Company's securities have changed since the amounts printed in the 2015 Proxy Statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the. Promptly after filing its definitive 2016 Proxy Statement with the , the Company will mail the definitive 2016 Proxy Statement and a WHITE proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE 2016 PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT THE COMPANY WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders may obtain, free of charge, the Company's preliminary proxy statement, any amendments or supplements thereto and any other relevant documents filed by the Company with the in connection with the Annual Meeting at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the Company's definitive proxy statement, any amendments or supplements thereto and any other relevant documents filed by the Company with the in connection with the Annual Meeting will also be available, free of charge, at the Company's website (http://info.yahoo.com) or by writing to Investor Relations, , , 94089. In addition, copies of these materials may be requested, free of charge, from the Company's proxy solicitor, , , 20th Floor, 10022 or (212) 750-5833. is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses. is headquartered in , and has offices located throughout the , (APAC) and the , and (EMEA) regions. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the Company's blog (yahoo.tumblr.com).

2016-04-06 11:27 investor.yahoo.net

64 Yahoo - Yahoo to Participate at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- (NASDAQ:YHOO) CFO will participate in a question- and-answer session at the Morgan Stanley in . The session is scheduled to begin on , at / . A live webcast of the session will be available on the Investor Relations website at http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/events.cfm? CalendarID=5. is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses. is headquartered in , and has offices located throughout the , (APAC) and the , and (EMEA) regions. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the Company's blog (yahoo.tumblr.com). is the trademark and/or registered trademark of All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

2016-04-06 11:27 investor.yahoo.net

65 Yahoo - Yahoo Board of Directors Forms Independent Committee to Explore Strategic Alternatives --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ( : YHOO) today provided further details about its previous announcement that its Board of Directors is exploring strategic alternatives alongside its continued consideration of a reverse spin. The Board has formed a Strategic Review Committee of independent directors to lead this effort, with the assistance and support of management. The Strategic Review Committee has engaged , J. P. Morgan and PJT Partners Inc. as its financial advisors, and as its legal advisor. The Strategic Review Committee and its advisors are establishing a process for outreach to and engagement with potentially interested strategic and financial parties. The Strategic Review Committee will recommend to the Board whether any proposed transaction is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. "The Board recently formed an independent committee to conduct a process to evaluate strategic alternatives for the company. We have hired excellent advisors and are working closely and in alignment with management to pursue an effective process," said , Chairman of the Board. "The Board is thoroughly committed to exploring strategic alternatives while simultaneously supporting management and the employees in their implementation of Yahoo's strategic plan. We believe that pursuing these complementary paths is in the best interests of our shareholders and will maximize value. " "Separating our Alibaba stake from Yahoo's operating business is essential to maximizing value for our shareholders. In addition to the reverse spin, there are strategic alternatives that could help us achieve the separation, while strengthening our business," said , CEO of. "As both shareholders and employees, all of us here at want to return this iconic company to greatness. We can best achieve this by working with the committee to pursue various strategic alternatives while, in parallel, aggressively executing our strategic plan to strengthen our growth businesses and improve efficiency and profitability. " The Company does not intend to make any further disclosure regarding these matters until a definitive transaction agreement is reached or a determination has been made that none will be pursued. is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses. is headquartered in , and has offices located throughout the , (APAC) and the , and (EMEA) regions. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the Company's blog (yahoo.tumblr.com). This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning expected financial performance and strategic and operational plans (including, without limitation, quotations from management and the Board). Risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. There is no assurance that any formal strategic proposal will be made or that any strategic proposal will be on terms the Strategic Review Committee finds acceptable, and therefore there is no assurance that any transaction will occur, or if it does, as to its terms or timing. All information set forth in this press release and its attachments is as of. does not intend, and undertakes no duty, to update this information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to acceptance by users of new products and services; risks related to ability to compete with new or existing competitors; reduction in spending by, or loss of, advertising customers; risks related to ability to continue to grow its mobile users and revenue; risks related to ability to continue to grow Mavens revenue; risks related to ability to provide innovative search experiences and other products and services that differentiate its services and generate significant traffic; risks associated with the Search Agreement with Microsoft Corporation; risks related to acquiring or developing compelling content; risks related to joint ventures and the integration of acquisitions; risks related to possible impairment of goodwill or other assets; risks related to ability to manage its operating expenses effectively; risks related to ability to protect its intellectual property and the value of its brands; adverse results in litigation; security breaches; interruptions or delays in the provision of services; risks related to regulatory environment; risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; risks related to international operations; risks related to ability to recruit and retain key personnel; dependence on third parties for technology, services, content, and distribution; risks related to the calculation of our key operational metrics; and general economic conditions. More information about potential factors that could affect the Company's business and financial results is included under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended , as amended, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended , which are on file with the and available on the website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth in those sections in Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended , which will be filed with the in the first quarter of 2016.

2016-04-06 11:27 investor.yahoo.net

66 Asia Times News & Features – Asia Times The plot is breathtaking: It turns out a conga line of famous soccer players, prime ministers, presidents and billionaires had tucked their ample funds into offshore accounts — thus evading taxation in their native jurisdictions. But without doubt, the biggest individual with an alleged connection to this glittering and dodgy collection of VIPs is none other than Russian President Vladimir Putin. As the first intimations of Putin’s purported participation in the offshore caper surfaced last week, the Kremlin tensed and prepared a defense. Though it never saw the papers in question, it announced its certainty that the documents consisted wholly of lies fabricated by the American special intelligence services to undermine Russia’s stability and the unity of the Russian people. So now the Panama Papers are out and taking their place alongside Cold War spy Alger Hiss’ Pumpkin Papers and Vietnam whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg’s Pentagon Papers in the pantheon of memorable paper trails. I’m leaving behind in brackets all the stuff about other celebrities to focus on the Russian part of the papers. Putin’s cello player? In the essence, the Panama Papers talk a lot about Mr. Roldugin, a prominent Russian cultural activist and cello player. Yes, he is a long-time personal friend of Putin’s since childhood. But does it mean that he’s been fronting for the Russian president in offshore accounts? Some might assume so. But there is no a single proof that this fellow has been doing this. And without proof, as lawyers will tell you, there can be no case. Furthermore, the papers divulge a lot about the offshore businesses of a group dubbed “Putin’s friends.” OK — yes. The Rotenberg brothers are mentioned and are close to Putin. This can also be said of Yuri Kovalchyk. the president of the sanctioned Bank Rossiya and a reputed personal banker to top Russian officials. However, I wouldn’t dare describe the relationships between Putin and other mentioned Russian oligarchs like Suleiman Kerimov and Aleksey Mordashev as friendly. They are far from being so. Russian governors like Andrey Turchak and Boris Dubrovsky who are mentioned in the papers have never been Putin’s friends. They are just “normal” Russian officials. Who else is in the papers? Some relatives of high-ranking Russian officials – the nephew of Security Council Secretary Aleksey Patrushev and a son of Finance Minister Ulukayev. I doubt very much if all of them belong to Putin’s circle of personal friends or his inner circle. Interestingly enough, investigators combing through the papers have so far failed to connect any of the above names to the personal finances of the Russian president. Step back … So let’s try to take an objective look at what’s going on. The Panama Papers have, so far, exposed one obvious fact — that Russia is infested with corruption. It is literally a cancerous growth that effectively stops a nation from pursuing economic reforms and gradually becoming a transparent, modern and democratic society. But this is something that’s been known for a long time. Unfortunately, it is a way of life and of doing business in Russia. It’s not just oligarchs. Even smaller businessmen must actively use offshore financing activities. Here’s an example: A good friend of mine who several years ago launched medium-sized agricultural business in Russia, registered his company in the Bahamas! When I asked him why he did it, he answered: “If I had to pay taxes here, I would never (leave) the ground.” Quite explicit, isn’t it? Russian oligarchs have even less incentive to pay these enormous and prohibitive taxes. Russian tax legislation is far from being perfect. Why? If it’s perfect, how will a multi-million strong army of Russian bureaucrats feed themselves and their families? Talk that Putin’s friends have been fronting for him in different business ventures have been floating around in Russia basically from the time he became president. There also have been different estimates of Putin’s wealth — from $2 to $18 billion. But none of this has ever been proven. At this juncture, the Panama Papers have proved just one thing – that Russian President Vladimir Putin has several personal friends who were participating in corruption offshore schemes. Period. Nothing more so far. At the same time, all this raucous speculation about the papers provides the Kremlin propaganda machine with a perfect opportunity for internal use. It can once again show how Russia is surrounded by enemies led by the evil United States. And it can repeat its refrain that the only goal of such foes is to destroy, compromise and humiliate Mother Russia. ‘Putinophobia’ The Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov has already dismissed the Panama Papers as another episode in the West’s propaganda war against Russia. He’s also noted that the West is “infested with Putinophobia.” And as there’s no direct evidence against the president, the public reaction to the papers is pretty muted. However, publicizing the Panama Papers touches on another important internal aspect for Russia. As I’ve already noted, practically every Russian citizen is aware of the flourishing corruption in their country. Two years ago, in 2014, Putin officially called for a so-called “de-offshorization” of Russia’s economy. Some Russian oligarchs were forced to heed Putin’s call. Just last week, energy baron Arkady Vekselberg officially repatriated his assets to Russia. It’s now clear to a great majority of the Russian people that there are two types of laws — one for normal businesses and another — for presidential friends and associates who can do whatever they want with their money. There’s also no doubt that this couldn’t happen, at the very least, without the president’s silent approval. This realization will erode the regime one more step with a wide spectrum of the Russian population. Jim Davis is a political analyst and president of South Shore Consultants. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Asia Times. (Copyright 2016 Asia Times Holdings Limited, a duly registered Hong Kong company. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

2016-04-05 23:03 atimes.com

67 Like auto-tuning for your face: This is why those “shocking” paparazzi photos of celebs aging go viral Topics: Paul Reubens , pee-wee herman , Hollywood , Aging , Andy Serkis , Entertainment News The human body is officially is a gross, ugly thing that nobody wants to look at. Fortunately, as an enlightening, terrifying feature by Logan Hill in Vulture reveals, you don’t have to! In what Vulture calls “Plastic Surgery With a Mouse Click,” Logan reveals that Hollywood is now using advancements in technology not just to create blockbuster special effects, but to dramatically change the appearance of the performers — and their performances. Special effects are as old as cinema itself — as actor Geoffrey Rush reminds Vulture, “We’ve always had trick photography. They would spend four hours lighting a Bette Davis shot. Now every shot is CG. We’re all going back to Georges Méliès.” But along with technological smoke and mirrors, there’s also always been a deep respect for the transformative craftsmanship of film as well — the artistry of wigs and makeup, and the intense work that actors bring to physically inhabit their roles. Now, however, whether it’s adding muscles on a superhero, a boost of tears on a sad expression, or whittling off pounds, years, or another performer’s entire face, anything is possible. And very little needs to be real. The boundaries of what digital enhancement can do have been expanding for years now — along with questions over what now constitutes authentic acting. Veteran character actor Andy Serkis has repeatedly been considered — and shut out — of Oscar contention for his computer enhanced roles in the “Lord of the Rings” films and the “Planet of the Apes” ones. But now, as an industry show runner says, CG can be used for everything from replacing the face of an actor who had to drop of out of a TV project to wiping out a pimple or eye bags. Effects teams perform “digital dermabrasion, removing any age spots or imperfects,” firm up skin, reduce areas “like earlobes and noses that grow larger with age,” and more. Vulture introduces us to the chilling phrase digital “youthenizing” — a homophone for mercy killing — to describe what 63 year-old Paul Reubens underwent to appear as the ever youthful Pee Wee Herman in the recent “Pee Wee’s Big Holiday.” And a visual effects editor explains, “I’ve done beauty retouching on women who are practically supermodels, but because they’ve got an extra few ounces …” It’s now fairly commonplace to visually stretch actors to make them longer and leaner. An entertainment attorney explains, “It’s in everyone’s best interest that [an actress] not look haggard and that her jowls don’t look too old or whatever.” An Oscar nominated editor, meanwhile, says he offers directors three options: “slightly retouched, quite retouched, or full-on taxidermy.”

2016-04-06 07:04 Mary Elizabeth salon.com.feedsportal.com

68 What a shame It is really disturbing to see our country getting eroded and infested with the mafias who continuously perpetuate the unlawfulness in the country. History will judge those who chose to keep quiet intead of doing the right thing by removing Zuma and his cabinet. South Africa should rise against this lawlessness who use their lame corrupt majority to destroy our country. Let the international community impose sactions against the ANC and freeze all their assets in all the countries they hidden our money to. Indeed the so called the elders in the ruling party have lost the way of leading and guiding the country. Let all the citizens of this country stand up and remove this people physically. This is the day of mourning in South Africa. Criminal charges must be opened in the International Criminal Court for this corrupt people to be arrested and tried.

2016-04-06 08:07 www.news24.com

69 AP Deleg Count-Dem States, 2 Takes,450 State Clinton +- Sanders +- Uncommitted +- O'Malley +- Ala. 47 0 9 0 2 0 0 0 Alaska 4 0 13 0 3 0 0 0 Am. Sma. 8 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 Ariz. 49 0 32 0 2 0 0 0 Ark. 27 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 Calif. 51 0 0 0 14 0 0 0 Colo. 38 0 38 0 2 0 0 0 Conn. 15 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 D. C. 18 0 2 0 6 0 0 0 Del. 7 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 DemsAbd 5 0 9 0 2 0 0 0 Fla. 159 0 75 0 7 0 0 0 Ga. 84 0 29 0 3 0 0 0 Guam 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hawaii 13 0 18 0 3 0 0 0 Idaho 6 0 20 0 1 0 0 0 Ill. 96 0 73 0 3 0 0 0 Ind. 7 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Iowa 29 0 21 0 2 0 0 0 Kan. 10 0 24 0 3 0 0 0 Ky. 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 La. 43 0 14 0 1 0 0 0 Maine 12 0 17 0 1 0 0 0 Mass. 63 0 46 0 4 0 0 0 Md. 15 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 Mich. 73 0 67 0 4 0 0 0 Minn. 42 0 47 0 4 0 0 0 Miss. 35 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 Mo. 46 0 34 0 0 0 0 0 Mont. 1 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 N. C. 67 0 46 0 2 0 0 0 N. D. 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 N. H. 15 0 15 0 2 0 0 0 N. J. 9 0 2 0 4 0 0 0 N. M. 6 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 N. Y. 34 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Neb. 13 0 15 0 2 0 0 0 Nev. 24 0 16 0 3 0 0 0 NoMaIs 9 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 Ohio 94 0 63 0 3 0 0 0 Okla. 18 0 22 0 2 0 0 0 Ore. 6 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 Pa. 17 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 PrtoRco 3 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 R. I. 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 S. C. 44 0 14 0 1 0 0 0 S. D. 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 Tenn. 50 0 23 0 2 0 0 0 Texas 167 0 75 0 9 0 0 0 UnAssign 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Utah 8 0 29 0 0 0 0 0 Va. 73 0 33 0 2 0 0 0 VirgIsl 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 Vt. 4 0 22 0 0 0 0 0 W. Va. 5 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 Wash. 19 0 25 0 7 0 0 0 Wis. 36 +31 45 +45 5 0 0 0 Wyo. 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTALS 1743 +31 1056 +45 158 0 0 0

2016-04-06 08:05 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

70 70 Hate wins again: Mississippi governor signs bill allowing businesses to deny service to gay customers Topics: LGBT , anti-LGBT , Same-sex marriage , Discrimination , Kentucky , Kim Davis , Phil Bryant , Mississippi GOP , Republican , Conservatives , "16 and Pregnant" , Life News , News , Politics News Mississippi governor Phil Bryant signed a “Religious Freedom” bill on Tuesday, allowing state businesses to refuse services to gay couples, AP reports. The bill, which will allow state employees to refuse issuing same-sex-marriage licenses, comes a week after lawmakers approved a draft, stating that the law protects those who believe marriage is between a man and a woman and genders are unchangeable. Privately held businesses would be able to selectively service people who align with their religious beliefs and although the government will still be required to provide services, individuals will not be sanctioned for opting out, avoiding cases like Kim Davis . House Bill 1523 has received strong criticism from gay-rights groups, who say it enables discrimination. “This bill merely reinforces the rights which currently exist to the exercise of religious freedom as stated in the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution,” wrote the Republican governor in a statement on Twitter. Supporters of the bill claim that it protects the rights of people who oppose homosexuality yet live in a country where same-sex marriage is legal.

2016-04-06 10:07 Antoaneta Roussi salon.com.feedsportal.com

71 Mother and child, 3, killed in Potch hit and run Potchefstroom - A mother and her child, believed to be around three-years-old, were killed in an alleged hit-and-run in Potchefstroom, paramedics said on Wednesday. The incident happened on Tuesday evening, said ER24 spokesperson, Werner Vermaak. "During the early hours of the evening, paramedics from ER24 were called to the scene where they found the mother and child. Both sustained extensive fatal injuries. There was nothing that paramedics could do and they were declared dead on the scene," said Vermaak. It was understood that the mother and her child were crossing the road when a large vehicle collided with them. A second vehicle then hit them. "According to bystanders on the scene, the vehicle that initially collided with the pair continued to drive on," said Vermaak. Asked what gender the child was, Vermaak said it was unclear. "It was such a horrific incident that we couldn't establish the gender of the child," he said. Police were investigating the incident.

2016-04-06 08:02 www.news24.com

72 Kerry: Russia has played 'constructive role' in Mideast US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday defended Russia's efforts against those who doubted the country would play a positive roll in ending hostilities in the Middle East. "If they hadn't played a constructive role, we would not have had an agreement with Iran," he told the Charlie Rose show. "If they hadn't played a constructive role, we would not have gotten the chemical weapons out of Syria [...] we would not have gotten the cessation of hostilities or everybody at the table in Geneva," Kerry added. Ahead of a new round of negotiations in Geneva , Kerry reiterated his belief that Syrian President Bashar Assad would ultimately need to step down in order for peace to be achieved. "You can't end the war, because the opposition will not [...] end fighting because of what he is deemed to have done to their people, to the people of his country," Kerry said. Assad has said he thinks the Geneva talks can produce a new Syrian government that includes opposition, independents and loyalists, but has rejected the idea of a transition authority. But Syria's opposition has consistently said it wants a halt in attacks on civilians and for the Geneva talks to result in a transitional governing body for Syria that does not include Assad. During the interview, Kerry was also asked about US Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's recent foreign policy proposals. The New York billionaire said Japan and South Korea, two US allies, should build nuclear weapons to deter enemies. "I can't think of anything that would be more volatile, more contrary to peace and stability in the region, more contrary to the fundamental commitment of every president since World War II to try to minimize the risk of nuclear weapons and minimize the number of people who have them," Kerry said.

2016-04-06 07:58 www.jpost.com

73 How Mapplethorpe won: The Jesse Helms art world culture wars are over Topics: Robert mapplethorpe , Patti Smith , Jesse Helms , culture wars , Photography , Republican Party , Television , Visual Artists , Entertainment News It’s harder to be shocked by Robert Mapplethorpe’s work than it used to be. Or rather, beside a few boldly provocative pieces – you know the ones — that stirred up hatred and opposition during the culture wars of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, he now seems like a significant and domesticated mainstream artist. The two retrospectives of his work going up in Los Angeles and the documentary that aired on HBO last night, “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures,” show not only that he’s become part of the establishment, but that the controversy around his work seems to have faded out. So what happened to Mapplethorpe in the years since Washington’s Corcoran Gallery of Art cancelled a show of his photography? Or, since the artist died of complications of AIDS in 1989, what’s happened to us? Are there people who still hate this work? It’s more than just his appearance at the center of Patti Smith’s memoir, “Just Kids,” which paints him as a shy, striving innocent instead of the assertive pornographer that Jesse Helms and others once smeared him as. It’s partly, as one of the documentary’s sources, photography critic Philip Gefter, says in the film, gay liberation and the rise in photography’s prestige happened around the same time. While Mapplethorpe’s images led Sen. Helms to describe the artist as “a known homosexual who died of AIDS,” these days his photographs sell for enormous sums, and even the most far- right politicians tend not to weigh in on visual art. The film begins with the artist’s childhood in Queen, growing up in a pious Roman Catholic family headed by a father opposed to his son committing his life to art. Gangly and awkward, the young Mapplethorpe grew into a faun-like enigma who Fran Lebowitz described as “a kind of ruined Cupid.” As the documentary moves along, figures like Patti Smith, the art dealer Sam Wagstaff, Debbie Harry, and others come and go in interviews and archival footage. We see all the phases of the artist’s career, from his early interest in formalism to his concentration on nude black men. The film ends at it begins, with Helms denouncing Mapplethorpe and the National Endowment for the Arts, which help fund the ill-fated Corcoran show with a $30,000 grant. But it seems, decades later, mostly the story of any artist who struggled early on, grew artistically, and took a while to get recognized. The controversy may have taken a lot of out of the artist – and the larger culture war that involved Andres Serrano and Karen Finley and others created a lot of heat. But it ended up, in the end, fairly short-lived. No one will picket the Mapplethorpe exhibits this year.

2016-04-06 01:47 Scott Timberg salon.com.feedsportal.com

74 Hong Kong's best dim sum Hong Kong (CNN) Once upon a time, Hong Kong dim sum sessions were about tea appreciation -- that's why dim sum meals are commonly known in Cantonese as yum cha (or "drink tea").

2016-04-06 07:52 Text by rss.cnn.com

75 How Muslim Americans are making their presence felt this election Topics: AlterNet , Muslim Americans , Elections 2016 , Politics , news , Politics News The political future of the American Muslim vote seems anchored in the Democratic Party after years of enduring Islamophobia and bigotry from the Republican Party. This year’s election cycle marked the return of American Muslims to national politics after more than a decade of political dormancy. In many ways it has already exceeded the political participation of the 2000 elections, when Muslims formed a sought after voting bloc in support of the Republican, George W. Bush. Led by a new generation that came of age after 9/11, Muslims have shifted their support to the Democratic presidential candidates seeking the outsized voting power of political minorities to help defeat an increasingly white, male and overwhelmingly evangelical Christian Republican party. It’s not difficult to see what has accounted for this change. The Republican Party has pushed out almost any support it once had among Muslims. Whereas 50,000 Muslims helped deliver George W. Bush enough votes to contest the Florida election results in 2000. As Sami Al-Arian explained for Alternet, Muslims mobilized after Bush promised to end the practice of secret evidence, a pledge he reneged on after 9/11. Today’s Muslim voters are overwhelmingly Democratic, and increasingly leaning towards Bernie Sanders. Along with outright Republican hostility, the changing nature of the national debate over race and the increasing diversification of younger generations of Americans have emboldened American Muslims to be more vocal in their politics and engage with it at a grassroots level. “A lot of people I talked to about Bernie Sanders, they would say, Bernie who?’” said Ahmed Bedier, founder of United Voices for America, a non-profit, and of the Facebook group Muslim Americans for Bernie Sanders. Bedier has helped with the Sanders campaign in his personal capacity, so as not to violate the political neutrality of UVA. “It wasn’t until May or June that I started paying attention to his message, which is a lot of the things I was working for, that we need a political revolution, that we need more people in the political process, more diversity in government.” Political organizers like Bedier support Sanders for more reasons than his defense of Muslims. They too share the notion that the economic and political system is rigged to benefit the top 1 percent of society, and they have been motivated by the belief that two or more seemingly unrelated sociopolitical issues exist because they originate from many of the same systemic problems. While the public has engaged in a well-publicized debate about the effects of the 1994 Violent Crimes Act on the black community, the 1996 Secret Evidence Act harmed the American Muslim community in much the same way. “They would arrest you and say the evidence is so secret and classified that we can’t tell you what it is,” said Bedier. “The Secret Evidence Act disproportionately impacted the Muslim community and we need to bring attention to that because it was used so many times to unjustly put people away.” “I think younger Muslim voters see themselves in a natural alliance with other communities of color and in alliance with social justice issues,” said Dalia Mogahed, a researcher at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) who worked on a January poll of Muslim political and social attitudes. “For those reasons they identify with Bernie Sanders, they identify with his progressive politics.” The poll (PDF) showed that among Muslims 18-24 years old, 78 percent supported Sanders. Among the 25-44 demographic, that number decreased to 44 percent support for Sanders. Overall though, Clinton was the most favored candidate, enjoying support levels of 40 percent of American Muslims polled, while Sanders came in second with 27 percent. There have been just three national polls looking at the political and social attitudes of American Muslims during the 2016 election cycle. “I would say it’s about 85 percent Sanders and the rest Clinton, in the circle of people I know,” said Aisha Yaqoob, an organizer in the Georgia Muslim Voter Project. She said she learned about Sanders while listening to Congressional Dish , a podcast hosted by Jennifer Briney that strictly discussed the fine text of political policy. “I remember she had mentioned something very controversial and she had a clip from Sanders in the podcast and I had never heard of him until that clip and after that I thought I really liked what he said. And he announced about a week later that he was running.”

2016-04-06 10:07 Saif Alnuweiri salon.com.feedsportal.com

76 “Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet — he is a Trojan horse”: Spoiled Donald Trump throws a temper tantrum after losing Wisconsin primary Topics: Elections 2016 , Election 2016 , Donald Trump , GOP Civil War , Ted Cruz , Wisconsin Primary , Elections News , News , Politics News Wisconsinites just don’t like Donald Trump very much. On Tuesday, Republican voters rejected the loud-mouthed billionaire for the more demure but no less radical Texas Senator Ted Cruz and boy did that make Trump pretty upset. Shrugging off his disastrous performance in recent weeks, the Republican presidential frontrunner predicted a win in Wisconsin a day before voters in the Badger State headed to the ballot boxes, despite polling showing a likely upset by Cruz. Campaigning in the state on Monday, Trump pointed to a key endorsement for one-time rival and also-ran Marco Rubio in the early state of South Carolina. “It was over and then I won in a landslide,” Trump reminded supporters in Wisconsin. But when the Associated Press declared Cruz, not Trump, the winner in Wisconsin, the thin- skinned candidate snapped and sent out a press release that reads like the tantrum of a 12- year-old, as the real-estate magnate turned reality-TV star hasn’t faced an election day without a win since losing the first contest in Iowa. “Lyin’ Ted Cruz had the Governor of Wisconsin, many conservative talk radio show hosts, and the entire party apparatus behind him,” a Trump campaign press release reads, accusing the Tea Party Senator of illegally coordinating with a supportive super PAC and the Republican Party of unethically working to sabotage Trump’s campaign.

2016-04-06 10:07 Sophia Tesfaye salon.com.feedsportal.com

77 Sanders ardently opposed the trade deal that led to Panama Papers abuses; Clinton supported it Topics: Panama Papers , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , Panama , Tax Havens , tax evasion , News , Politics News The Panama Papers scandal exploded this week, with revelations that many of the world’s most powerful politicians are implicated in widespread, systemic corruption. Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, the right-wing prime minister of Iceland, was pressured into resignation after the leak exposed his exploitation of tax havens. He is just one among a dozen current and former heads of state in the middle of the controversy. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke up about the issue on Monday. His campaign posted to Facebook a video of an October 2011 speech in the U. S. Senate, in which Sanders condemned the Panama Free Trade Agreement that was being considered at the time. Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama both supported the Bush administration-negotiated agreement , which ultimately made tax evasion an even larger problem. Progressive NGOs and watchdogs warned that this would happen at the time, but Clinton and Obama ignored them and strongly pushed for the deal. Sanders, on the other hand, was one of the few voices to challenge the neoliberal trade deal. Sanders began his statement on the Senate floor noting that Panama’s economy is incredibly small, with an economic output of just 0.2 percent of the U. S. economy’s. (Panama as a country, in fact, did not exist until the beginning of the 20th century, when the U. S. carved it off of Colombia and built an important canal there.) “So I think no one is going to legitimately stand up here and say that trading with such a small country is going to significantly increase American jobs,” he explained. Why, then, was the U. S. considering a free trade agreement with the country? He asked. “Well, it turns out,” Sanders continued, “that Panama is a world leader when it comes to allowing wealthy Americans and large corporations to evade U. S. taxes by stashing their cash in offshore tax havens.” The Panama Free Trade Agreement, the Vermont senator argued, would there “make this bad situation much worse.” As the release of the Panama Papers has shown, Sanders turned out to be correct. In his 2011 speech in the Senate, Sanders quoted a study by the progressive advocacy group Citizens for Tax Justice, which had found that Panama is likely “the worst” tax haven.

2016-04-06 10:07 Ben Norton salon.com.feedsportal.com

78 Tina Fey, female writer, is not impressed by Gay Talese Topics: Tina Fey , Gay Talese , Books , Social News , Media News , Entertainment News “New journalism” icon Gay Talese has faced scrutiny this past week for failing to cite a single female writer who inspired him. At “The Power of Narrative” conference at Boston University, Talese also claimed female writers are uninterested in “uneducated” or “anti-social” subjects, according to the Washington Post . The latest among those speaking out was Tina Fey, who, in an email interview with the Associated Press about the success of her collection of essays, “Bossypants,” threw in a last- second jab at Talese.

2016-04-06 01:47 Brendan Gauthier salon.com.feedsportal.com

79 Beyoncé on “Formation” flap: “Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken” Topics: Beyonce , Formation music video , BLM , Police brutality , Social News , Media News , Entertainment News , News Beyoncé is defending claims she is anti-cop after sparking controversy with her video “Formation” and Super Bowl performance in February, which featured backup dancers dressed reminiscent of 1960s-era Black Panthers. The video, which included a scene of a black child dancing in front of white police officers, Beyoncé atop a police car in a flooded New Orleans and plenty of Southern colonial tropes, became a statement overnight in the ongoing dialogue about race and criminal justice reform in America. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani called her performance “outrageous,” while the Miami police union urged a nationwide boycott by law enforcement of Beyoncé’s forthcoming world tour. In an exclusive interview with Elle UK , Beyoncé said as an artist she’s willing to use her influence to provoke conversation on one of the nation’s most polarizing debates. “I think the most powerful art is usually misunderstood. But anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken,” she said. “I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe. But let’s be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me. I’m proud of what we created and I’m proud to be a part of a conversation that is pushing things forward in a positive way,” the singer said.

2016-04-06 01:47 Antoaneta Roussi salon.com.feedsportal.com

80 “They’re selling to people’s fears”: Fear of the unknown fuels anti-transgender laws like North Carolina’s — and their days might be numbered Topics: LGBT , transgender rights , anti-transgender discrimination , North Carolina , Mississippi , Life News Alaina Kupec wept. She’s 46 and has worked at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals for the past 21 years. Before that, Kupec was an intelligence officer in the Navy. She’s also transgender. The state she lives in, North Carolina, passed a bill on March 23 that legalizes discrimination against LGBT people in the state by repealing local non-discrimination protections, a decision that particularly targets trans residents. The Tar Heel State is hereby forcing trans people to use the bathroom that corresponds with the sex they were assigned at birth. Thus, trans women would, by law, have to use the men’s facilities. Otherwise they could potentially face being arrested or even put in jail. (The logistics around enforcement are fuzzy, at best.) Kupec began transitioning three years ago, and views being transgender as a “very small part” of who she is. Those who meet her for the first time likely wouldn’t know that she was trans, unless she were to disclose that information. “Nobody mistakes me for anything other than being a woman,” she said. To use the men’s restroom would mean outing her and, thus, placing her in a potentially dangerous and deadly situation. (Recent statistics indicate that, since 2008, more than 2,000 transgender folks have been murdered worldwide.) Using the women’s room would be illegal. Nonetheless, Kupec plans to defy the legislation—because she feels she has no other choice. “I don’t know if I could ever [use the men’s bathroom],” Ms. Kupec said, her voice breaking. “It brings tears to my eyes to even think about it.” Rather than face what is an impossible decision, Julia Kreger, a trans woman who lives in the Raleigh-Durham area, said that many trans people may choose to get out of North Carolina altogether. “A lot of people are walking away from everything they have right now,” she said. “We have a number of friends that have already left, packed up their car with every possession not caring about their bills and just walking away.” She described houses left empty and abandoned, as if their occupants had simply vanished. “If their goal is to remove trans people from society, they’re succeeding by spreading and selling this hate,” Kreger said. “They’re selling to people’s fears.” *** In 2016, it seems that trans people are one of the very few “culture war” wedge issues that Republicans have left. A decades-long battle over same-sex marriage was decided by the Supreme Court in a 5-4 vote last June, thus ending the mid-2000s gravy buffet of exploiting the fear of wedded gay couples for votes. As the Daily Beast’s Michael Tomasky writes, the 2004 Bush-Cheney presidential campaign was absurdly successful at “[getting] anti-gay marriage initiatives on the ballot.” Eleven states, many of which were “key swing states,” pushed laws that would add amendments to their state constitutions defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Every single one passed. In Ohio, the state often credited with deciding the election, the marriage ban helped drive evangelical voters to the polls—where George W. Bush, who won the state, registered significant gains among groups of voters who supported the ban. It’s difficult to underestimate the potential impact of hate and fear. As MSNBC notes, nearly 20 million voters across the U. S. showed up to the polls to voice their opinions on the marriage issue. That traffic drove the 2004 elections to their highest turnout numbers since Nixon’s victory in 1968. These so-called “values voters” comprised 22 percent of those who cast a ballot, according to a CBS News Exit Poll. Just over a decade since that massive turnout, sentiment on gay marriage has turned. Following the landmark 2015 decision, 55 percent of Americans voiced their support for marriage equality in a Pew Research poll. Further polls have indicated that the public also widely supports gay adoptions (by a 20-point margin) and even more are in favor of workplace protections for LGBT people. How did we come so far in such a short time? According to nearly every poll conducted on the subject, Americans become more favorable toward LGBT folks when they have a close friend, acquaintance, or relative that identifies as queer. Although we’ve widely credited the importance of media visibility in changing attitudes toward sexuality, much of that work has been done by LGBT people in their own lives—simply by coming out and being visible to those around them. Back in 2010, over three-quarters of Americans claimed to personally know a gay or lesbian person, and that number is likely much higher today. A 2014 poll in the U. K. showed that the average British person knows eight queer people . What makes trans people more exploitable, in contrast, is that outside of trans celebrities like Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner, larger numbers of Americans say that they don’t know a transgender person. As of last year, the oft-cited statistic is that just one in 10 people report knowing someone who is out as trans. That lack of familiarity with transgender people makes it easier to think of them as perverts, pedophiles or predators.

2016-04-06 10:07 Nico Lang salon.com.feedsportal.com

81 ANC leaders should toe the line Eastern Cape party secretary – ANC Eastern Cape provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane believes that party leaders should 'toe the line' and abide by decisions taken by the top brass. Mabuyane told New24 that the party was redoubling its efforts as it heads into the local elections. "The decision of the structure is a decision that is binding. We are part of that. This is what we should be toeing the line for. "We are redoubling our efforts. Yes of course all that is happening in our country and the ConCourt [judgment] has got its own adverse and negative impact," he said. Mabuyane said the ANC was fearful of its chances going into local elections, but said their fear was a result of the conditions of the ANC branches. "There is fear, hence we are working hard and redoubling our efforts. We are explaining to our people how we arrived at some of these decisions that the media is distorting... " A hard road ahead On Sunday the ANC in the Eastern Cape held marathon talks in Port Elizabeth on how to deal with the increasing calls for Zuma to step down, The Herald reported. Mabuyane told News24 although they foresaw a hard road ahead, their branches had full confidence in the ANC. "We believe, getting down to our people, they will understand where we are coming from and the decisions we have arrived at. " Mabuyane said the ANC should not discuss the Nkandla matter any further. He said the decision taken by the extended National Working Committee on Monday was binding. "The ANC is not federal organisation, it's a unitary organisation. There will be no other discussions on this matter outside of the framework that is outlined... We are a democratic organisation hence we are championing the Constitutional Court decision. "There is no ANC of the Eastern Cape, there is just the ANC. " ‘Very helpful’ judgment Last week the Constitutional Court ruled 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. On Friday, Zuma went on national television to apologise to the nation, saying he had not "knowingly or deliberately" violated the Constitution. He described the court judgment as "very helpful". Shortly afterwards the ANC threw its support behind him saying Zuma had humbled himself.

2016-04-06 07:39 www.news24.com

82 Asia stocks at 3-week lows as China worries grow; oil up By Saikat Chatterjee HONG KONG, April 6 (Reuters) - Asian stocks held near three-week lows on Wednesday as concerns about the underlying strength of the Chinese economy dogged investors. Oil prices jumped by nearly two percent on growing hopes a global output freeze may be agreed soon. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was barely in positive territory after falling to its lowest level since March. 16. Overnight, it dropped 1.6 percent, its biggest fall in almost two months. While global risky assets have staged a smart recovery from February's lows, led by Chinese stock markets on hopes that Beijing can successfully avert a sharp slowdown, policymakers and investors are worried the recovery may be at best, bumpy, or at worst, short-lived. The cautious undertone rippled over into Europe with benchmark indexes opening broadly mixed. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.5 percent, Germany's DAX was flat and France's CAC 40 was up 0.1 percent. Alex Wolf, emerging markets economist at Standard Life Investments, said it is still too early to call an economic stabilization in China because property inventories are still very high and much of the recent economic activity was driven by quasi-fiscal spending. "A rebound based on property exuberance and quasi-fiscal stimulus means it might be more transient than the market wants to believe," he said in a note. Data last week showed foreigners are estimated to have pumped $36.8 billion into emerging market stocks and bonds in March, the highest monthly inflow in nearly two years, the Institute of International Finance said. But that support seems to have likely come to an end with Asian stocks falling by 3.6 percent since the start of the month. Japanese stocks led regional losers with indexes in their longest losing streak since the start of Abenomics. Recent weak economic data have raised fears the economy may have slipped into its fourth recession in five years, with a resurgent yen adding to pressure on exporters. "The market is now posing big questions about Abenomics," said Stefan Worrall, director of Japan equity sales at Credit Suisse. Even in the United States, a rare bright spot for the global economy, recent weak data prompted economists to cut their first-quarter gross domestic product growth estimates by as much as half a percentage point to as low as a 0.4 percent annualized rate, which would be its slowest growth in two years. Risk aversion was on the rise in currency and fixed income markets as well. Investors bought back the yen, a low-yield currenc2y that investors often sell to seek higher yields elsewhere when risk appetite is strong. The yen hit a 17-month high of 109.92 to the dollar on Tuesday after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said countries should avoid seeking to weaken their currencies with "arbitrary intervention. " It last traded at 110.41. His comments dimmed any prospects of currency intervention by the Japanese authorities to stem the yen's rise in the near future, analysts said. The euro was little changed at $1.1357, hovering not far from its 5 1/2-month high of $1.1438. German 10-year yield fell below 0.10 percent for the first time since April last year, edging near its record low of around 0.05 percent touched almost a year ago. The 10-year U. S. Treasuries yield dropped to a five-week low of 1.715 percent, having fallen almost 0.3 percentage point from its March 16 peak of 2.002 percent. The two-year yield fell to a near six- week low of 0.716 percent while traders reduced bets on a Fed rate hike in June further. Oil offered the sole bright spot in financial markets with prices extending their rebound after Kuwait insisted major producers will agree to freeze output later this month even as key player Iran continued to balk at the plan. The market was also helped by data on U. S. crude supply-demand for last week from industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) showing a surprise fall of 4.3 million barrels in inventories in the week to April 1, versus an expected weekly increase of 3.2 million barrels. Brent crude futures rose 1.6 percent to $38.48 per barrel, off one-month low of $37.27 hit on Tuesday. U. S. crude futures jumped 2.5 percent to $36.75 a barrel. (Additional reporting by Hideyuki Sano in Tokyo; Editing by Eric Meijer)

2016-04-06 07:39 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

83 Jonker back in TMO booth Cape Town - Australia’s will referee Saturday’s South African Super Rugby derby between the Sharks and Lions in Durban (17:05 kick-off). Super Rugby referees: Round 7 Gardner will be assisted by Nic Berry and Rodney Bonaparte, with Marius Jonker back in the television match official (TMO) booth. Jonker was the centre of controversy a few weeks ago when he awarded the Sharks a controversial try in their clash against the Stormers at Newlands. He was given a rest from TMO duty in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Japan’s Shuhei Kubo will be the referee for the ’ clash against the in Port Elizabeth on Saturday (19:15). He will be assisted by and Archie Sehlako, with Christie du Preez the TMO. Another Australian referee - Nic Berry - will be on duty when the Stormers host the Sunwolves in Cape Town on Friday night (19:00). He will be assisted by Gardner and AJ Jacobs, with Johan Greeff the TMO. South Africa's other team in the competition - the - have bye this weekend.

2016-04-06 07:37 www.sport24.co.za

84 Stormers flyhalf door open for Du Plessis Cape Town - Jean-Luc du Plessis, the son of legendary former Springbok and Western Province wing Carel du Plessis, will start at flyhalf for the Stormers when they tackle the Sunwolves at Newlands on Friday. Incumbent flyhalf Kurt Coleman suffered a serious knee injury in training on Tuesday, and with Robert du Preez also sidelined with a knee ailment, Du Plessis will wear the No 10 for the clash against the Japanese. With both Du Preez and Coleman out for an extended period, it will be the perfect opportunity for the 21-year- old Du Plessis to make a name for himself. Du Plessis follows in the footsteps of his father, Carel, who was dubbed the “Prince of Wings” by the Newlands faithful. Du Plessis senior played 12 Tests for the Springboks between 1982 and 1989 and was part of the Western Province team that won the a record five times in a row in the 1980s. He was also the Springbok coach in 1997. Brandon Thomson is the other flyhalf option and he is likely to be drafted in from Western Province’s Currie Cup squad as back-up.

2016-04-06 07:37 www.sport24.co.za

85 Story of cities #16: how the US-run Canal Zone divided Panama for a century When Vasco Nuñez de Balboa crossed the Panama isthmus on foot in 1513, he had little intention of becoming the first European explorer to reach the Pacific Ocean. But his trek revealed Panama’s strategic location to be a treasure as great as any of the plunder brought home by other conquistadors for the Spanish crown. After Balboa’s discovery, it didn’t take long for Spain’s royal court to imagine a canal crossing through Panama. Unfortunately, given the technology of the time, building it was all but impossible. In the 1500s, when Spain’s King Charles I ordered officials in Panama to study the construction of a new canal there, one replied, “There is not a prince in the world with the power to accomplish this.” It was nevertheless an important overland route for centuries to come – and when an American consortium finally succeeded in building a railroad through Panama’s dense jungle in 1855, the line proved immensely popular. Many locals, however, weren’t happy: a year after it opened, riots broke out between some Panamanians and the train’s passengers. There were international tensions, too. Emboldened by the expansionist beliefs of president Theodore Roosevelt, US officials amplified the rift between Panama and Colombia so that when negotiations with Columbia broke down, the US government successfully backed insurgent Panamanians, allowing them to win their independence. In return, America was given the right to build a canal across the country. The centuries-long dream of a trans-oceanic link would finally be fulfilled. It came at a heavy price for Panama, however. To facilitate construction of the new canal, the US required it to give up five miles of land along each side of the planned 48-mile canal route, where the US would exercise virtual sovereignty. This area would be known as the “ Panama Canal Zone ”. The Canal Zone officially opened on 4 May 1904. After the American command took over, construction began on the canal itself, but also on homes, schools, hospitals, offices and recreational areas for the thousands of new American residents who would come to call themselves “Zonians”. It was an island on the isthmus, whose thorough separation from its host country instilled in its inhabitants a level of American nationalism surpassing that of their compatriots back home. The Canal Zone was governed by a rigid social hierarchy. Social standing, as well as salaries, were managed through a combination of army hierarchy and the zone’s moralistic bylaws. While married couples were allowed to occupy homes, bachelors were relegated to shared housing. These bylaws also enshrined overtly racist segregation. Residents were divided into “gold roll” and “silver roll” workers: gold roll workers were exclusively white; silver roll workers were mainly black, most of them migrants from Caribbean island nations. “Caste lines are as sharply drawn as they are in India,” said one zonian quoted in Suzanne P Johnson’s Brief History of the Canal Zone . “Every rank and shade of a man has a different salary – and exactly in accordance with that salary is he housed, treated and furnished, down to the last item.” Naturally, silver roll workers bore the brunt of the risks and hazards of constructing the new canal. As mountains of dirt were hauled from the great canal’s path, and mammoth lock gates that would allow ships to climb the country’s mountainous terrain were lowered into place, impoverished workers from the West Indies died in their thousands. Accidents, disease and miserable work conditions all contributed to the carnage; in the end, the canal’s official death toll came to 5,609 workers, only 350 of whom were white. “I shall never forget the trainloads of dead men being carted away daily, as if they were just so much lumber,” recalls Alfred Dottin, a West Indian canal worker quoted in David McCullough’s extensive canal history The Path Between Two Seas . “It was a living hell.” For those Zonians not confined to the silver roll, life was good – and once the canal finally opened in August 1914, ushering a steady flow of battleships and cargo freighters through the leafy Panamanian jungle, their lives only got better. Canal Zone residents boasted they never had to leave it for Panama City, since all the comforts of American life were available in the zone. Theatres screened the latest movies from American studios; convenience stores were stocked with the same goods Zonians were used to back home; restaurants served hamburgers and milkshakes. Since the function of the Canal Zone was primarily to defend the canal, its population fluctuated depending on America’s military operations, peaking at around 100,000 during the Korean War. But the zone also maintained a sizeable civilian population – and when it was eventually closed at the end of the 20th century, many former residents decried the decision. As one former resident said immediately before the zone changed hands: “It’s sad, it’s bitter- sweet to see the flag coming down on this marvellous project.” To this day, former Zonians maintain a tight-knit community which meets yearly in Tampa, Florida. For Panama, however, the effects of the canal and its surrounding US-controlled zone were far less positive. From the beginning, American construction efforts were designed specifically to offer as little economic benefit to native Panamanians as possible. A working paper by researchers Noel Maurer and Carlos Yu finds that American officials worked to “deliberately minimize the spillovers from the Canal”, by prohibiting Panamanians from working on it, and Panamanian businesses from providing services to the Canal Zone or to the ships passing through. Though the footprint of the Canal Zone spared much of Panama City – cutting westward to avoid its centre – the existence of the zone was a sore spot for residents of the capital. Though technically allowed inside it, their presence was heavily discouraged by Canal Zone authorities. “Panamian residents couldn’t cross their own country at times without having to answer to a foreign police,” says Michael Donoghue, author of Borderland on the Isthmus: Race, Culture and the Struggle for the Canal Zone . By the 1950s, tensions had reached a point where authorities agreed to build a wall along the border between Panama City and the Canal Zone. Though the wall did not fully limit access to the zone, it further stoked hostilities. In 1964, they reached a tipping point. On 9 January, a group of angry students at Panama’s Instituto Nacional marched into the Canal Zone and insisted on raising Panama’s flag above Balboa High School. When students and staff rejected them, they became violent, destroying property in the zone. Authorities responded by tear-gassing the crowd. In the violence that ensued, property was damaged on both sides of the zone, including parts of the wall. The incident left a death toll of 28 people, most of them Panamanians. A dramatic photo of the flag raising incident made the cover of Life magazine. To this day, 9 January is commemorated in Panama as “ Martyr’s Day ”. The incident led to an international uproar, highlighting the stark divisions between Panama City and the Canal Zone. Jose Ponse, a 10th-grade Panamanian student at the time, recalled : “There was an apartheid that existed in the colonial atmosphere of the zone.” After the incident, Colombia’s ambassador to the United States would visit the damaged wall and compare it to another brutal symbol of segregation. “In Panama there exists another Berlin Wall,” he said. The incident also created a crisis within the US. Though newly elected president Lyndon Johnson reacted deftly , preserving US sovereignty over the Canal Zone for the time being, its days as an American territory were numbered. The expansionist mentality of the early 1900s had given way to the chess-board strategising of the Cold War. American strategists accepted it would be best to abandon control of the zone as a tradeoff to discourage Latin American countries from turning to Soviet-style communism. In 1977, US President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian president Omar Torrijos signed two treaties that would phase out US control of the Canal Zone and the canal itself. Though many Panamanians were relieved by this deal, the hostilities were far from finished. By 1989, Panama City had changed considerably from the sleepy tourist town it was before the canal was built. The city became known as a centre for international banking, propped up both by international trade and booming Colombian drug cartels looking for a place to launder their money. During the elections that year, incumbent president Manuel Noriega appeared to have been beaten by his challenger, Guillermo Endara. Noriega, a former operative on the payroll of the CIA , had since drifted from his US-friendly position after a fallout with the Reagan administration. After the election, Noriega refused to step down, claiming the US had meddled with the election results. On 15 December 1989, hostilities boiled over after four US soldiers were wounded, one fatally, by an angry mob in Panama City. Five days later, US troops invaded Panama in an attack the White House dubbed “Operation Just Cause”. The main objective of the operation was the overthrow of Noriega. An attack on the headquarters of the Panama Defence Forces spread to the impoverished El Chorrillo neighbourhood, however, causing extensive damage to civilians and their property. A few hours after the invasion began, Noriega was deposed as president and Endara was officially sworn in. But much of the city had been left in ruins. And while official Pentagon figures held that 516 Panamanians had been killed in the conflict, human rights groups in Panama placed the death toll as high as 3,500. It was an ugly last gasp of what had been nearly a century of American rule in Panama. “I wouldn’t wish such destruction on my worst enemy,” said Rosa Turner, a resident of the neighbourhood, in an interview 25 years after the invasion. “We don’t even know where the remains of our deceased loved ones are, to leave them flowers at their tombs.” Panama City has changed greatly since then. Looking at the city from the viewpoint on Isla Perica, visitors can catch a glimpse of an immense cluster of high-rises in the city’s central San Francisco district to one side. The city’s banking boom has continued unabated in recent years – and so too have its shady deals, as revealed in the “ Panama Papers ” leaks. On the other side, a long line of massive cargo ships waits to pass through the canal. Those ships may soon be joined by even larger ones, as an expansion of the canal – set to open next month – will let in ships up to three times larger than the current limit. One day, Panama’s emblematic canal may be threatened by a new waterway in Nicaragua – though locals there seem as ambivalent about that project as Panamanians were about the Canal Zone, and construction has been delayed in recent months . In Panama, meanwhile, many of the old Canal Zone’s structures remain. After the mass exodus of Americans following its closure, some of the lavish homes built there were snapped up by well-off Panamanians , while other structures have simply been abandoned. Despite the inequalities of modern-day Panama City, and the upheavals that have shaken the city for much of its history, Panamanians remain proud of their identity – which remains solidly attached to the canal. As one columnist recently wrote in La Estrella de Panama: “The canal is a natural resource that belongs to all of us, and thus it requires the genuine, responsible and patriotic involvement of all of us.” Does your city have a little-known story that made a major impact on its development? Please share it in the comments below or on Twitter using #storyofcities

2016-04-06 07:30 Drew Reed www.theguardian.com

86 11 New Restaurants for You to Try Right Now Open Since: February 2016 Type of Cuisine : Italian A cozy new eatery is bringing a piece of Naples to South Slope with homemade pastas to fresh burrata, seafood risotto and more. Nostro Ristorante , which recently opened on Fifth Avenue, is currently BYOB. Open Since: April 2, 2016 Type of Cuisine: Soul food The owners of nearby Brooklyn Commune are bringing Southern-style comfort food to Windsor Terrace with Butterfunk Kitchen. The menu includes soul food classics such as ribs, collard greens, fried chicken and cornbread. Open Since: mid-February Type of Cuisine: Beer and cocktails Sip on draft beers and Brooklyn-themed cocktails at the Dazzler Hotel’s new rooftop beer garden. The full service bar has eight beers on tap and offers cocktails like the Sunset Park (Baron tequila, triple sec, sour, jalapeno, orange juice), the Bushwick (Bulliet bourbon, lemon sour, pineapple juice, cherries) and the Greenpoint (Ciroc vodka, fresh lime, simple syrup, ginger beer). The beer garden is open from noon to midnight. Open Since: March Type of Cuisine: Viennese/Austrian Restaurateur Peter Grünauer, of the former Vienna 79, is back on the Upper East Side with a new bistro, serving classic Germanic fare as well as some new and refined dishes , like pan- seared sea scallops with broth, bacon and potato, the “Farmer’s Delight,” which is a classic choucroute garnie , with roast and smoked pork chop, bratwurst, double-smoked bacon and sauerkraut, and for dessert, Viennese chocolate cake, apple strudel and more. Open Since: March 2016 Type of Cuisine: Ceviche Tacombi’s still-new outpost on Bleecker Street just launched a new ceviche to-go counter just in time for spring. Open Since: End of February Type of Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan Grab your daily dose of fresh fruits and vegetables at Bed-Stuy’s newest vegan eatery. Natural Blend, which opened up its second location in Brooklyn, serves up a variety of fresh juices and smoothies, along with Jamaican-influenced dishes like ackee and codfish with breadfruit. Try vegan menu items, including stews and vegan citrus spareribs, curry chicken, and pepper steak, all made from soy. Open Since: Late March Type of Cuisine: Pizza From the owners of the Bensonhurst Italian eatery Europa, Piesmith promises Williamsburg residents custom-built pizzas with an array of delicious toppings and sauces to choose from all melted together in a wood-burning oven. Open Since: March 15 Type of Cuisine: Sushi/Japanese A new spot for sustainably harvested sushi is now open in Crown Heights. Chisai Sushi Bar took the place of the short-lived grilled cheese and sandwich eatery Morris on Lincoln Place off Franklin Avenue, opening in mid-March with a menu of maki rolls priced between $4 and $12, rice bowls with eel, tuna or chef’s choice of sashimi (between $9 and $16) and standards like miso soup, seaweed salad and edamame. All their seafood and fish comes from Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. and the Brooklyn-based organization Sea to Table that connects independent fishermen with restaurants. Open Since: March 25 Type of Cuisine: Italian The sister space to Vite Vinosteria, Vite Bar opened in late March serving Italian fare like lasagna and rice balls, plus panini, salads, cheese and charcuterie. The bar is currently open just for breakfast and lunch as it awaits its liquor license. Open Since: Late March Type of Cuisine: Chinese A fire started in a Barnard dorm extended to the Ollie’s location at West 116th Street and Broadway, forcing it to close last March; but the popular chain has just reopened in a new location about 13 blocks south. The restaurant chain specializes in Sichuan dishes. This location has an extensive menu, with standbys like lo mein and General Tso’s Chicken but also specialties for more adventurous eaters, like the pork stomach with salted cabbage or pork intestine with chives flower. Open Since: February 2016 Type of Cuisine: American When you’ve got a hankering for good old fashioned bovine protein (or your parents are in town) head to this Midtown East steakhouse to indulge. It's the second location for the establishment, which also has a spot at 237 West 54th Street.

2016-04-06 10:16 www.dnainfo.com

87 Panama Papers: Fifa president Gianni Infantino pulled into corruption scandal The new head of world football has been caught up in the sport’s corruption scandal because of documents that have been revealed by the Panama Papers leak. Files seen by the Guardian will raise questions about the role Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino , played in deals that were concluded when he was director of legal services at Uefa, European football’s governing body. According to records, Uefa concluded offshore deals with one of the indicted figures at the heart of an alleged “World Cup of fraud” despite previously insisting it had no dealings with any of them. The emergence of the contracts from 2003 and 2006, which were co-signed by Infantino, link Uefa for the first time to one of the companies involved in the huge unfolding scandal that has brought down former Fifa president Sepp Blatter. Uefa has denied any wrongdoing by any of its officials or any other marketing partner. It said the contracts were all above board. Fifa has previously insisted Infantino had no dealings with any of the officials currently under investigation – or their companies. Infantino said he was “dismayed” by the reports and “will not accept that my integrity is being doubted”. The disclosures are based on the leak of 11m documents from the files of the offshore financial law firm Mossack Fonseca, which were obtained by Süddeutsche Zeitung and shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists with the Guardian and other news organisations. Infantino is the Swiss-Italian former Uefa secretary general who won the race to succeed the disgraced Blatter in February. The files show that in 2006, when he worked at Uefa, the organisation sold the rights for broadcasting its club competitions in South America. The rights to the Champions League, the Uefa Cup and the Super Cup were acquired by an Argentinian company called Cross Trading. Cross Trading immediately sold on to broadcaster Teleamazonas for about three or four times the amount paid for them. The contracts covered the period from 2003 to 2006 and from 2006 to 2009. Cross Trading is a subsidiary of a company called Full Play, which is owned by Hugo Jinkis. Last year in an unrelated matter, Jinkis was alleged by US prosecutors to have handed over millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks to football executives to obtain and retain media and marketing rights. Jinkis, along with his son Mariano, is under house arrest in Argentina. Jinkis’s involvement in the deals with Uefa from a decade ago are set out in the Panama Papers. Cross Trading signed a deal with Uefa’s broadcasting and marketing partner, called Team. Infantino’s name appears on the contract as Uefa’s director of legal services. According to the contracts, Cross Trading, which was registered in the tiny South Pacific tax haven of Niue, agreed to pay $111,000 for the exclusive rights to broadcast Champions League football in Ecuador between 2006-07 and 2008-09. In the covering letter containing the fully executed contracts, Uefa states: “Congratulations on joining the family of broadcast partners for the 2006-2009 Uefa Champions League seasons … we look forward to working with you!” Ecuadorian broadcaster Teleamazonas then paid Cross Trading $311,170 for the Champions League rights. Uefa insisted the TV rights deals with Cross Trading were all above board and it could not have known when they were signed in 2003 and 2006 that Jinkis would be involved in the scandal a decade later. It said the rights were sold “pursuant to an open, competitive, tender process”, and that the offer from Teleamazonas/Cross Trading was 20% higher than the next best bid. “There is no suggestion whatsoever of any Uefa official or marketing partner taking any form of bribe or kickback, whether in relation to this tiny deal, or any other commercial transaction,” it said. Uefa added: “The TV contract in question was signed by Gianni Infantino since he was one of several Uefa directors empowered to sign contracts at the time. As you will have observed, the contract was also co-signed by another Uefa director. It’s standard practice.” It is unclear why Teleamazonas paid so much for the rights, but one possibility is that Cross Trading simply made a huge profit on the deal. Local sources also confirmed that a similar agreement was in place three years earlier, when Teleamazonas bought a similar package from Cross Trading for a fee believed to be about $400,000. Uefa reiterated that it received $111,000 for the Champions League rights over a three-year period and had no knowledge of any subsequent deal between Cross Trading and Teleamazonas. “The reason why Cross Trading appears as the contract partner in this deal is simply because Team was advised that Cross Trading had the mandate to act as exclusive buyer for all sports TV rights of Teleamazonas in the European area,” it said. “Neither Team nor Uefa had any reason to believe that there was anything suspicious or untoward about an agency relationship between Cross Trading and Teleamazonas.” It said any bilateral deals between Teleamazanoas and Cross Trading were “their business, not ours”. “We do know that Teleamazonas made the best offer for these FTA [free-to-air] rights in Ecuador. And that’s why we took it.” Uefa did not say why it had previously asserted that it had not had any dealings with any of the indicted companies or individuals. But having checked through thousands of contracts, it said it could confirm that in addition to two contracts with Cross Trading for the Champions League and Uefa Cup in Ecuador from 2003 to 2006 and 2006 to 2009, it had also signed a Euro 2016 hospitality sales agreement with Traffic Sports Europe , a Brazilian company named extensively in the US indictment. Fifa said that the matter was largely one for Uefa and that its assertion that “to the best of his knowledge Gianni Infantino had no dealings in his time at Uefa with any of the persons mentioned” was based on information received from Uefa. A further statement from Uefa after this story was first published said: “Uefa is dismayed by certain stories in the media suggesting that there might have been untoward or improper conduct in connection with a television rights contract concluded with a company based in Ecuador in 2006. “For the record, and as repeatedly explained to the explained to the media, there was never any suggestion that anything improper took place. These explanations have been conveyed to the media in a clear, reasonable, and perfectly transparent way. It is therefore all the more regrettable that, despite the explanations given, some sections of the media have chosen to misrepresent matters and mislead the public by suggesting or implying otherwise.” A statement from Infantino, released after this story was published, said : “I am dismayed and will not accept that my integrity is being doubted by certain areas of the media, especially given that Uefa has already disclosed in detail all facts regarding these contracts. “From the moment I was made aware of the latest media inquiries on the matter, I immediately contacted Uefa to seek clarity. I did this because I am no longer with Uefa, and it is they who exclusively possess all contractual information relating to this query. In the meantime, Uefa has announced that it has been conducting a review of its numerous commercial contracts and has answered extensively all media questions related to these specific contracts. “As I previously stated, I never personally dealt with Cross Trading nor their owners as the tender process was conducted by Team Marketing on behalf of Uefa. “I would like to state for the record that neither Uefa nor I have ever been contacted by any authorities in relation to these particular contracts.” Fifa has been fighting on a number of fronts in recent months. Mossack Fonseca, the Panamanian firm at the centre of the Panama Papers leak , resigned as the registered agents of Cross Trading in June 2015. In the first quarter of 2015, the Mossack Fonseca files show that the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Seychelles was investigating Cross Trading and asked Mossack Fonseca for more information about the company. Mossack Fonseca has insisted it has strong due diligence protocols. “Over the last 18 months, we have reinforced our compliance department by hiring an additional 26 professionals to comply with new regulations as well as to conduct retroactive due diligence on all existing clients,” it said. Contained in the Mossack Fonseca files are the details of contracts signed between companies controlled by Jinkis and allegedly corrupt Fifa executives named in the US indictments, including the longstanding secretary general of the South American confederation, Conmebol, Eduardo Deluca; the Conmebol president and Fifa executive Nicolás Leoz; and the Uruguayan former Fifa executive Eugenio Figueredo. Infantino joined Uefa in 2000 and became secretary general in 2009. He in effect took over the running of the European confederation when Michel Platini was suspended by Fifa’s ethics committee over a £1.35m payment he received from Blatter in 2011. Infantino chose to stand for the Fifa presidency himself and secured a surprise victory after convincing Fifa’s 209 member associations that he would repair its damaged finances and raise more money for football development around the world. In the foreword to last month’s financial report, which revealed losses of £84.2m because of deserting sponsors and spiralling legal fees, he said it was to Fifa’s credit that it had acted to limit the damage to the organisation of the recent corruption scandal. “By taking the necessary steps to support reform at the extraordinary congress in February, I believe that we have turned a corner and that Fifa is poised to emerge stronger than ever,” he said. “My time in office will be focused on helping our member associations to fully implement the reforms at all levels of the game to ensure we restore full confidence in Fifa among all of our stakeholders.” Panama Papers reporting team: Juliette Garside, Luke Harding, Holly Watt, David Pegg, Helena Bengtsson, Simon Bowers, Owen Gibson and Nick Hopkins

2016-04-06 07:22 Owen Gibson www.theguardian.com

88 Two teenage girls found guilty of Angela Wrightson murder Two teenage girls who beat a woman to death in her home in a “sustained and brutal attack” before posting mocking images on Snapchat face life in prison after being convicted of her murder. The girls sobbed uncontrollably as the jury delivered its verdict following three hours and six minutes of deliberations at the end of an eight- week trial at Leeds crown court. The pair were led out of the dock with their faces in their hands and could be heard crying as they left. They will be sentenced on Thursday, and face life sentences. Wrightson, who was described as vulnerable, had befriended the two young girls, buying them alcohol and sweets from the local shop. The girls, aged 13 and 14 at the time, made Wrightson plead for her life as they “forcibly restrained” her and subjected her to an assault that killed her. They used a number of items in the attack, including a wooden stick studded with screws, a coffee table, a kettle and a television. Wrightson’s body was found to have more than 100 injuries. Experts said one of the weapons used during the prolonged attack must have been swung overhead, because blood was found on the ceiling. Both girls, now 15 and who cannot be named, denied the murder. The older of the two admitted manslaughter and the other said she did not encourage or take part in the violence. Both girls were accompanied by an intermediary throughout the trial to help them to understand the court process. Wrightson was murdered at her home in Stephen Street, near the centre of Hartlepool, County Durham, in an attack that could have begun as early as 7.30pm on 8 December 2014, and could have ended as late as 2.56am. Her body was found the next day by her landlord, John Meggison. She was slouched on her sofa in darkness and had a severely bloodied face. Forensic scientists told the jury that blows had been struck in 12 separate areas in the living room during the assault. Wrightson, 39, was then subjected to “further indignities” as she lay unconscious and motionless on her sofa. The jury was told that after the attack, the girls, who had both been reported as missing by their carers, called the police to get a lift home. The girls sat laughing and joking in the back of the police van, and were described as having been in high spirits. They posted mocking pictures to Snapchat captioned: “Me and [name] in the back of the bizzie van again.” The next day, as the net began to close on the pair, one of them told a friend: “I might be getting sent down,” the jury was told. Both girls were in local authority care at the time of the murder. They had formed an intense relationship with each other and both had difficult relationships with their mothers, the court heard. Wrightson, who was an alcoholic, would regularly purchase alcohol and cigarettes for teenagers in Stephen Street, described as a “hotspot for underage drinking”. Friends of Wrightson had become concerned about the number of children who had begun to call on her. On the night of the murder, the defendants had both repeatedly been to Wrightson’s house and were eventually let in just after 7.30pm. Wrightson was then spotted on CCTV going to the local shop to buy a bottle of cider and chocolate, while the two girls remained in her house. They stayed there for three-and-a-half hours before leaving at just after 11pm, and then returned again at 2am. They finally left the house at just after 4am. The court heard that at 9pm one of the girls posted a photograph from inside Wrightson’s home to Snapchat. The photograph showed the two defendants smiling with Wrightson in the background with marks on her face. The girls took more selfies in the house at about 10.30pm showing them drinking cider, but they did not show Wrightson again. A Facebook call was made from the house, during which the defendants were heard laughing and encouraging each other to attack Wrightson. They were heard saying: “Go on, [name of older girl]. Smash her head in. Bray her. Fucking kill her.” The defendants left the house just after 11pm to meet a friend who questioned why they had bloodstains on their clothes. The following day, as a local newspaper reported Wrightson’s death, the girls told friends and carers they had attacked her after she had threatened them with a knife. The jury heard that they had “stamped all over her head” as she pleaded with them saying: “Please don’t. Stop. I’m scared.” The girls continued their assault. Wrightson was described as being house-proud, despite being known in her local community as an alcoholic who was in regular contact with the police and social services. Speaking after the verdict, Wrightson’s family said she “had touched the lives of so many people”. They said: “It’s true that Angela (or Angie as she was known to us all) led a troubled and at times chaotic lifestyle. And as a family we were not as close as we ought to have been. The chance to put that right has been taken away from us. “Angie was attacked and brutally murdered in her own home, a place where we all have the right to feel safe. Listening to the details of her injuries and of her final moments has been a harrowing experience and something which will continue to haunt us each and every day. “No sentence, regardless of its severity, will ever bring Angie back. The two girls responsible will one day be women themselves, free to live their lives and perhaps have children of their own. A right which was taken from Angie. “We would like to thank the police and the prosecution team for their compassion and continued support throughout this difficult time. We’d also like to thank those people who gave evidence and spoke on Angie’s behalf in court. “And if any positive can be taken from this experience it is the kindness displayed by those who knew Angie best. Angie’s infectious personality touched the hearts of so many people and it is those fond memories which we continue to cherish as we attempt to move forward.”

2016-04-06 07:17 Nazia Parveen www.theguardian.com

89 WATCH: US forces fire practice rockets in Tarlac US Forces fired six practice rockets at a Philippine military target range in Crow Valley in Tarlac as part of the ongoing Balikatan exercises. This marks the first time the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System has been fired on Philippine soil. Balikatan public affairs officer Captain Celeste Frank Sayson said Filipino troops who observed the event were impressed by the system, adding that highly-mobile equipment are a good fit for an archipelago like the Philippines. The US military said the training rounds had a maximum range of 15 kilometers and ballasted with non-explosive material. Balikatan officials have scheduled a live-fire event at Crow Valley on April 14. -ANC's News Now, April 6, 2016

2016-04-06 10:06 ABS-CBN news.abs-cbn.com

90 Timberwolves shock Warriors with 124-117 win in overtime OAKLAND, California (AP) — The Golden State Warriors hit an unexpected obstacle on their quest for a record 73 wins, blowing a 17-point lead and losing 124-117 in overtime to the last- place Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. Shabazz Muhammad scored a career-high 35 points and Andrew Wiggins had 32 as Minnesota prevented Golden State (69-9) from becoming the second team to win 70 games in a season. The Warriors now must win their final four games to break the single-season wins record of 72 set by Chicago in 1995-96. Stephen Curry had a rare off-shooting night as Golden State took its third loss against a team currently in last place in its division. The Warriors had won a record 54 straight regular-season games at home before losing to Boston last Friday. At Salt Lake City, Kawhi Leonard made the go-ahead jumper with 4.9 seconds left and scored 18 points as the Spurs beat the Utah Jazz 88-86, giving Tim Duncan a 1,000th victory in the regular season. Duncan became the third player to reach the milestone, following Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parish. LaMarcus Aldridge and Manu Ginobili each added 14 points in the Spurs' franchise-record 65th victory, and Rodney Hood missed the potential winning 3-pointer at the buzzer as Utah fell a half-game behind Dallas for seventh place in the Western Conference. At Denver, Russell Westbrook turned his first-half frustration into a milestone night with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists to become the first player with 17 triple-doubles in a season in 27 years as the the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Nuggets 124-102. Westbrook has the highest total since Magic Johnson had 17 for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988-89. Westbrook, who had seven in March while winning Western Conference player of the month honors, has 35 in his career, which is second behind LeBron James for most among active players. "It's a great honor," Westbrook said. "Whenever you're mentioned in the same sentence as Magic, it's always great. " Kevin Durant had 26 points and eight assists for Oklahoma City, which is locked into the No. 3 seed in the West with four games left. The Hornets lost back-to-back games for the first time in more than two months, upended 96-90 in Toronto. DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points and Kyle Lowry had 12 of his 21 in the fourth quarter for the Raptors. Charlotte, which lost at Cleveland on Sunday, had not lost consecutive games since defeats at Utah and Portland on Jan. 27 and 29. Memphis ended a six-game losing streak with a 108-92 win over the Chicago Bulls, while CJ McCollum made five 3-pointers and scored 30 points to lead Portland 115-107 over Sacramento, the Trail Blazers fifth win in six games. At Milwaukee, J. R. Smith scored 21 points to lead hot-shooting Cleveland to a 109-80 win over the Bucks. Kevin Love added 17 points and shot 3 of 6 from behind the arc for the Cavaliers, who maintained a 3 ½-game lead over Toronto for the best record in the Eastern Conference. LeBron James finished with 17 points and shot 7 of 9 from the field to go with nine assists. The Heat had a 107-89 home win over the Pistons and the Hawks beat the Suns 103-90, rallying from 13 down in the third quarter to keep things tight in the Eastern Conference playoff race. At Los Angeles, Chris Paul scored 25 points and the Clippers beat their Staples Center co-tenants 103-81 in Kobe Bryant's last game as a visitor in his home arena. Jeff Green added 21 points off the bench for the Clippers, whose franchise-record 10 victory streak over the Lakers is their second-longest active run against any opponent. Bryant scored six points on 2-of-12 shooting. The Clippers paid tribute to the superstar guard, who retires next Wednesday, with a video shown just before he was introduced. The 76ers ended a 12-game losing streak and ensured they won't equal their own league record for fewest victories in an 82-game season by beating the Pelicans 107-93 to improve to 10-68. — one win clear of the 1972-73 76ers who set an NBA mark for futility with a 9-73 mark.

2016-04-06 07:08 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

91 The quiet, vicious racism of Scott Walker’s Wisconsin Topics: Scott Walker , Wisconsin , Donald Trump , Elections 2016 , GOP primary , Editor's Picks , News , Politics News Pity Scott Walker and the Republicans of Wisconsin. Here they have taken the time and energy to gain power partly by using racial dog whistles, and along comes a group of white nationalists to make the once-implicit coded language suddenly explicit. And it’s happening just as the political world turns its eyes to the state for today’s big primary. With a voter-ID law passed by the GOP-controlled legislature and signed by Walker and threatening to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of mostly minority voters in this election, the last thing the Koch brothers’ favorite governor wants is people who are going to say the quiet parts out loud. Which is why Walker on Monday was condemning the robocalls from the American National Super PAC and its white nationalist founder William Johnson that have been flooding landlines in Wisconsin over the last few days. The call — narrated by an elderly woman in the soothing tones of your racist grandmother complaining over Sunday dinner about her new black neighbors — assures listeners that Trump “will respect all women and help preserve western civilization.” In the world of white nationalists, this is code for “Will keep the hordes of Latino immigrants and black welfare cheats from stealing your tax dollars and destroying America as you know it.” As racist robocalls go, this was fairly mild, at least compared to Johnson’s efforts in earlier primaries. But it is worth noting that Walker’s upset, if only for the irony. After all, the lightning rod of a governor, a man so dull his idea of spicing up his food probably means pouring castor oil on it, built his power base in the state in the almost-exclusively-white suburbs of Milwaukee, one of the most racially polarized metropolitan areas of the country. The New Republic took a deep dive into Walker’s world two years ago. What the magazine found was a city and its suburbs even more segregated than most, where the chairman of one county’s Republican Party could still refer to one mostly African-American neighborhood in Milwaukee, in 2014, as “the colored section.” Where white flight between 1960 and 2010 was so high it tripled the population of three formerly rural counties around Milwaukee, while the percentage of African-American residents in those three counties is under 2 percent. Where the black poverty rate within the city is the second-highest in the country. This is the world that has coddled Walker as he traveled up through the ranks of the Republican Party. As a member of the state Assembly, the executive of Milwaukee County, and now governor, he has spent his entire career deeply slicing budgets for programs that benefit inner- city African-Americans, such as public transportation. He has also pushed for private-school vouchers that decimate public education and advocated for privatizing prisons, all while cutting taxes to ensure that funding levels for these civic outlays are unlikely to be restored anytime soon, if ever.

2016-04-06 01:47 Gary Legum salon.com.feedsportal.com

92 Bake sale to highlight gender pay gap sparks threats of rape and violence A bake sale intended to raise awareness of the gender pay gap has sparked outrage on an Australian university campus, with discounted cupcakes for women and other marginalised groups prompting claims of discrimination, threats of rape and violence, and memes of varying quality. The women’s collective of the University of student union organised the Gender Pay Gap Bake Sale as part of their annual feminist week, with prices set at the proportion of the dollar female graduates of each faculty earned relative to men. Prices for each baked good started at $1 for students who identified as men, with deductions for women and more for those in male-dominated industries, explained the description on the University of Queensland student union (UQU) events calendar . “For example, if you are a woman of colour in the legal progression, a baked good at the stall will cost only cost you 55 cents!” The pricing structure was expanded before the sale was held on Tuesday to include discounts for sexual orientation, ethnicity and ability. Similar equality bake sales have been held by groups across the world since at least 2003 to account for the disparity in pay between men and women. Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in February last year showed that men in full-time employment earned an average of $1,587.40 a week and women earned an average of $298.10 less. The difference was greater for women in science, technology, engineering and maths. Madeline Price, the gender and sexuality vice-president at the UQU and a final-year arts and law student from north of , said the event was intended to be a conversation starter. But she and other organisers encountered a backlash from fellow students rallying against the sale of baked goods to men for a maximum of $1, claiming gender discrimination. A post to the Facebook group UQ StalkerSpace – not an official social media presence of the University of Queensland but followed by 37,500 people, mostly students – sparked campus- wide debate over the sale and even the existence of the wage gap. “UQU, which is meant to represent all students, is engaging in conduct that’s blatantly discriminatory against men to try and make some asinine political point,” wrote student Ashley Millsteed in a now-deleted post. “What’s interesting is that this bake sale itself constitutes discrimination under both Queensland and federal anti-discrimination law.” Millsteed’s post prompted an online backlash that included threats of rape and violence against organisers. Price told Guardian Australia that abuse was posted to the feminist week page on Facebook and sent to members of the UQU women’s collective and supporters of the event. “Predominantly, they were from people external to the UQ student body, which was heartening,” she said. At the other end of the spectrum of online experience, it also sparked memes hashtagged with #cupcakegate. “On all levels but physical, I identify as a baked sale,” posted one member to UQ Stalkerspace. “50c or $1.25. Bruce doesn’t care. He’ll dust off the cupcakes whatever the price,” posted another alongside a photo of the chocolate-covered child Bruce Bogtrotter from Matilda. A photo of a lecture slide also suggested the bake sale had been used as a case study for a second-year economics paper. “Please no more cupcake gender pay gap posts,” posted Raymond Li in the group on Monday. “It is literally a slight discount for cupcakes at a stall. Even if the gender wage gap does not exist (it probably does), the outrage caused by this is completely asymmetric. No one here ever got nearly this angry about underpaid labour or even deaths caused by war. This is a cupcake sale. Seriously. Worth thinking about what we actually get upset about.” Despite the backlash, Price said the bake sale went ahead without incident on Tuesday, with all goods sold in less than an hour. “We did have quite a few students who identified with one or more factor and thus received quite heavily discounted items due to the pay disparity they receive in real life,” she said. “The majority of men who approached the bake sale did so in solidarity to the cause – they handed over $1 without even considering the other factors. “Many were surprised to learn that their status as a man with a disability or identifying as LGBTIQA+ also allowed them a discount proportionate to their economic losses in real life.”

2016-04-06 07:02 Elle Hunt www.theguardian.com

93 With aid under attack, let's be honest about how we spend taxpayers' money W ith wealthy nations still struggling to balance their books after the financial crisis, the money they spend on foreign aid is coming under increasing scrutiny. Traditionally generous donors such as Sweden are rethinking how they allocate their aid resources. In the UK, the aid budget is protected by law to keep spending at 0.7% of gross national income; but this commitment has come under renewed attack. Yes, we spend taxpayers’ money on foreign aid – and we save lives For those of us who work in international aid, this criticism can be frustrating. We normally respond with a robust defence against specific claims and, rightly, promote what aid can achieve. But perhaps we should welcome a discussion about the UK’s commitment to aid spending, because it is important. I write this from the Syria-Turkey border, where my organisation, Mercy Corps , has been running the largest organisation-led cross-border relief operation for the past five years. At times we’ve been reaching 1.3 million people a month in more than 100 locations inside Syria – including life-saving food aid for people in Aleppo. Increasingly, where the conflict permits, we are moving to longer-term approaches to help Syrians, especially aid that bolsters businesses and promotes sustainability. We focus on Syria’s youth population, and support thousands of young people in Syria , Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, helping them to cope with trauma and get education, training and jobs. A significant proportion of our funding comes from the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID); we are receiving £27m to deliver a two-year programme in Syria. This work is complex and risky. We have incredibly brave, dedicated staff and an extraordinary network of courageous partners. It has never been more urgent to engage positively with the world’s challenges. There are more displaced people now than at any time since the second world war – 60 million people, half of them children. More than a million people have fled to Europe in the past 12 months. The average length of conflict-induced displacement is now 17 years. We are seeing multiple protracted crises, caused by conflict, poverty, inequality and weak governance, which in turn drive global instability and migration. Encountering these challenges is not a choice – they are real and the UK cannot hide from them. The UK is a leader in using its aid budget to tackle these issues. It is an essential part of our global role. This work is difficult, dangerous and at times frustratingly cumbersome. We should be honest about that. A failing of the aid sector has been to oversimplify the work we do in our communications with the public. In many ways the existing aid system is broken – it was designed after the second world war around UN institutions that have been criticised for failing to adapt. Before taking up the post of executive director, I worked in eastern the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where about 2.7 million people remain displaced more than 20 years after the Rwandan genocide. We are implementing a £38m project in the east of the country, funded by DfID, to provide water and sanitation to more than 1.5 million people. In a country with such weak governance and extensive conflict, this is extraordinarily complex and high risk. It takes time and costs money. Sometimes we take two steps forward and one back. Sometimes we don’t achieve all our aims. When that happens, reviews are undertaken and people are held to account. On other occasions we exceed expectations and transform the lives of thousands. It is not easy, but the returns are worth it. It is this kind of project that has contributed globally to cutting deaths in children under five by more than half in the past 25 years. In our view, the correct response to challenges with programmes is not to cut the aid budget, but to learn how to do things better. Mercy Corps falls into the category of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) but that misrepresents the work we do. We’ve set up commercial micro-finance initiatives that have disbursed more than £1bn to people otherwise unable to borrow for their businesses or insure against disasters, in countries including Indonesia, Haiti, Philippines and Niger. We’ve started social ventures, we partner businesses and we work with municipal governments in countries such as Lebanon as they cope with the influx of Syrians. We must do better at showing the true costs and complexities of the work we do. We make mistakes. We take risks. Sometimes we fail. We learn. We are rightly expected to account for everything we spend. We are held to account, and rightly so. We spend taxpayers’ money. We spend your money. We should be honest with you that this is difficult work and that the sector needs reform. But this work is vital and walking away from the 0.7% aid commitment is not the answer; learning how to do things better is. In today’s multi-polar world, isolationism won’t work. The issues facing people in Syria and eastern DRC are our issues, too. Failing to address them is a failure for all of us.

2016-04-06 07:00 Simon O www.theguardian.com

94 Alleged Mugabe cronies kept offshore firms years after UN alert raised An arms dealer and a mining tycoon who had sanctions imposed on them as alleged cronies of Robert Mugabe were able to continue running their business affairs through offshore companies for years after concerns were first raised about their dealings by the UN and other authorities. In November 2008, after violent elections during which hundreds of the Zimbabwean president’s opponents were imprisoned and murdered, the US acted against those it claimed had provided him with financial and logistical support. Sanctions were imposed on alleged regime insiders John Bredenkamp and Billy Rautenbach. Bredenkamp had built an estimated £700m fortune from tobacco trading, grey-market arms dealing, sports marketing and diamond mining. His arms brokerage, ACS, counted BAE among its major clients. Rautenbach had business interests in South Africa and investments in Congolese mines. Europe blacklisted both men in January 2009. Their companies were registered with Panama- based offshore agent Mossack Fonseca and after Europe issued sanctions, the firm’s partners quickly agreed to resign and make a report to regulators in the British Virgin Islands, where both Rautenbach and Bredenkamp’s companies were incorporated. But the Panama Papers , a leak of the internal data of Mossack Fonseca , appear to show the firm missed multiple external red flags in the years before the sanctions. Some of these might have prompted an earlier resignation, or more detailed checks on the source of funds. The firm also appears to have been slow to close down some of the companies in question, even after deciding to resign. The files, obtained by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in Washington with the Guardian and other media outlets, show it took until March 2013 for all 16 offshore companies connected to Bredenkamp to be shut down. The companies were wound down one after another. Mossack Fonseca said that in some jurisdictions it could take longer to resign from and strike off companies. The firm added: “Sometimes the authorities require the registered agent not to file any resignation in order to prevent obstructing their investigation.” Bredenkamp challenged the imposition of sanctions by way of judicial review proceedings in the high court in London, while Rautenbach also appealed against his listing in the US and in Europe. They were among a large cohort removed from Europe’s Zimbabwe sanctions in February 2012, apparently as part of a drive to encourage political reform. The US lifted sanctions against Rautenbach in April 2014, but Bredenkamp remains blacklisted. In 2001 and 2002, Rautenbach and then Bredenkamp were reported by the UN for their alleged involvement in funnelling profits from mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo back to Mugabe. The deals were said to be payment for Zimbabwean military support during the DRC leader Laurent Kabila’s violent rise to power. The UN accused Bredenkamp’s ACS of procuring equipment for the Congolese armed forces, helping fuel the country’s violent civil war. Another of his companies, Tremalt Ltd, was alleged to have acquired mining concessions in Congo at below market price in a profit-sharing agreement between the company and the Zimbabwean and DRC governments. The multimillionaire, who had a home in Berkshire, rejected the UN’s claims, took legal action to clear his name and denied being a Mugabe crony. Rautenbach fled South Africa in 2000 when a warrant for his arrest was issued on charges of fraud, theft and corruption involving his Hyundai motors distribution business. He later settled the matter with a fine, without admitting liability. The UN reported that while Rautenbach was chair of DRC’s state-owned Gécamines, some of its best cobalt producing areas were transferred to a joint venture between Rautenbach’s Ridgepoint Overseas Developments Ltd and a Congolese minister of state. A BVI company, spelt Ridgepointe Overseas Developments Ltd, and another, Tremalt Ltd, were both on the books of Mossack Fonseca. Ridgepointe was controlled by nominee directors and shareholders, with Rautenbach’s lawyer, James Ramsay, referred to in the files as its “authorised representative”. Bredenkamp was listed as a director of Tremalt. In 2006, there was yet another external alert. The UK’s Serious Fraud Office raided Bredenkamp’s Knightsbridge townhouse and his offices in Berkshire. Investigators were looking for evidence of bribes paid to politicians as part of a deal to sell BAE fighter jets to the South African government. At the time, Mossack Fonseca was acting for a clutch of companies registered in the BVI, including one called ACS Group Ltd. But the firm maintained the relationship. In 2007, it opened two more companies for Bredenkamp, Santa Carolina Resorts Ltd and Magaruque Resorts Ltd. They are named after two Mozambique islands where he was developing hotels and holiday homes. In August 2008, it emerged that £40m had been paid by BAE Systems to a Bredenkamp company for which Mossack Fonseca was the agent. Kayswell Services allegedly received the cash from a London bank account belonging to Red Diamond Trading, a BAE subsidiary also registered in the BVI. Bredenkamp denied wrongdoing or any involvement in the BAE South Africa deal and no charges were brought. Mossack Fonseca did not decide to cut ties until January 2009, following the sanctions. An internal email stated: “The partners approved to present a suspicious report to [the British Virgin Islands regulator] and resign as registered agent of the companies associated to Mr Bredenkamp.” The same action was agreed for Rautenbach’s Ridgepointe. But the process was slow. Ridgepointe remained active until May 2009, six months after its US blacklisting. It took until September 2009, 10 months after US sanctions, for most of Bredenkamp’s companies to be recorded as inactive. One called Millennium Enterprises Limited, a subsidiary of ACS Group Ltd, was seemingly not struck off until March 2013. A spokesperson said: “Mr Rautenbach engaged both the US and the EU authorities after he and entities related to him was placed on sanctions. His engagement was successful and the authorities released him and his entities from sanctions. In this process the activities of all his entities were considered before and during the time of the sanctions.” Mossack Fonseca said: “We have never knowingly allowed the use of our companies by individuals having any relationship with North Korea , Zimbabwe, Syria and other countries or individuals sanctioned by the United States or European Union. We routinely resign from client engagements when ongoing due diligence and/or updates to sanctions lists reveals that a party to a company for which we provide services has been either convicted or listed by a sanctioning body. “Also, sometimes the authorities require the registered agent not to file any resignation in order to prevent obstructing their investigation.” Panama Papers reporting team: Juliette Garside, Luke Harding, Holly Watt, David Pegg, Helena Bengtsson, Simon Bowers, Owen Gibson and Nick Hopkins

2016-04-06 07:00 Juliette Garside www.theguardian.com

95 Carmen with cha-cha-cha: adaptation with all Cuban cast opens in Paris It is Carmen , but not as we know it, and almost certainly not as French composer Georges Bizet intended. A new version is mixing opera and the Broadway adaptation with some Latin American cha-cha- cha thrown in for good measure. Carmen la Cubana, which has its world premier at Paris’s Théâtre du Châtelet on Wednesday, sees the femme fatale in 1950s Cuba at the time Fidel Castro and Che Guevara are fomenting revolution and the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista. Christopher Renshaw, nominated for a Tony award for his production of The King and I on Broadway, which also played in London with Elaine Paige in the lead role, auditioned 200 artists in Havana for the production – 50 of whom have been rehearsing in Paris for the last two months. It has an all Cuban cast, songs in Spanish – with French surtitles – and a script that sees Carmen working in a cigar factory in a small town near Santiago, where the revolutionaries were based. Carmen and her friends dream of leaving their squalid existence for the bright lights of Havana, but true to the original, Carmen’s hot temper leads her into trouble. Renshaw said he had long dreamed of setting the Bizet opera in a Latin American style. He described Carmen la Cubana, with its mix of opera, salsa, mambo and cha-cha-cha, as “a first”. “I have always wanted to set the story of Carmen in a Latin American atmosphere, or more precisely Cuba, because I’m totally entranced with the culture of the island … I felt it was time to take a real look at Cuba , away from the tourist postcard image, via the story of this fascinating woman called Carmen,” Renshaw said. “I suppose the big freedom is that the composer is not alive, and to be working with the musical styles of Cuba, re-seeing it – and hearing it – through Cuban eyes,” he said. “Working with this style that I know so well ... setting it in 1958 … we’ve created a new story,” he said. Choreographer Roclan Gonzalez Chavez told Paris Match : “Carmen ends tragically and in Cuba stories usually have happy endings. We always want to be happy to do the best we can with the little we have. So, our experience of life will also be on the stage.” Carmen was composed by Bizet as a four-act opera based on a novella by Prosper Mérimée published in 1845. It was first performed at Paris’ Opéra Comique in March 1875 and shocked and scandalised the audience. Bizet died suddenly of a heart attack after the 33 rd performance, aged just 36, never living to see it become a success in Vienna. The opera was a favourite with the then German chancellor Otto von Bismarck who reportedly saw it 27 times. The great diva Maria Callas recorded the role, that demands a challenging combination of singing, dancing and acting skills, but never performed it on stage. It has since become one of the most frequently performed classical operas and the Habanera and the Toreador Song are among the best known arias. Oscar Hammerstein turned it into a Broadwway musical called Carmen Jones in 1943, and it was adapted for film a decade later by director Otto Preminger.

2016-04-06 07:00 Kim Willsher www.theguardian.com

96 Darfuris reject controversial referendum as fierce fighting continues ​ Tensions are running high in Darfur ahead of a controversial referendum that could see the war- torn region reorganised into a single semi- autonomous zone. President Omar al-Bashir – who has been charged by the international criminal court for war crimes in Darfur – said he is holding the vote next week in partial fulfilment of the 2011 peace agreement between Khartoum and the various rebel groups that have been battling his forces for more than a decade. The ballot, which gives residents the option to keep the five existing states or vote to see Darfur reunited as one entity, has been roundly rejected by locals who say it will merely provoke further clashes at a time when fighting has already intensified and millions have been forced to flee their homes. As recently as February the UN reported tens of thousands of civilians were leaving Darfur’s Jebel Marra area after weeks of clashes between Bashir’s troops and rebels. “We are displaced and most of us have no identity papers. How can we be actively involved in this referendum?” says Naima, a woman living with her family in a makeshift camp in Kalmah, South Darfur. Fighting originally flared between forces loyal to the president and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA-AW), led by Abdelwahid Nur, in 2003. Since then more than two million people are estimated to have been forced to flee, with the population living in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) now thought to have reached 1.4 million. For Naima, living with thousands of others in crowded temporary shelters, the issue of the region’s administration is not a priority. “We want stability first – and for the war to be halted,” she said. Her words have been echoed by various refugee representatives who have refused to register to vote, calling the president’s recent tour of the five existing states “provocative”. During voter registration in February, hundreds of residents from within the five major IDP camps marched to the United Nations and the African Union mission in Darfur (Unamid) and handed over a memorandum expressing their concerns. However Adam Dalel, rapporteur for the referendum commission, claimed they “did not reflect the majority of people’s views in Darfur” and said “about 76% of the total voters have completed the registration process in preparation for the ballot”. In September a Human Rights Watch report confirmed that civilians remain subjected to a campaign of violent attacks by the government’s Rapid Support Forces, a military group under the control of the Sudanese national intelligence and security services. They interviewed 151 victims and witnesses who described women being gang-raped in hospitals, civilians being shot and burned alive, and other acts of torture committed during two military campaigns in February and May 2015. Minni Minawi, head of the opposition group the Sudan Liberation Movement and Army (SLMA), said it’s this treatment at the hands of forces loyal to the government which has already undermined the referendum. It has made the vote “ an issue that concerns the government alone” and which “does not have the support of citizens who are being shelled daily by heavy artillery,” he said. An opposition MP from Darfur speaking from the Sudanese parliament in Khartoum, Esmael Hussein, agreed that the referendum is deflecting attention from more pressing humanitarian and human rights issues. “First the government must guarantee the return of displaced persons and refugees to their villages, and to compensate them fairly,” he said. “They must conduct reconciliations, and the trial of those involved in acts of violence, and the settlement of land issues.” Voting is due to take place between 11-15 April.

2016-04-06 07:00 Mohamed Hilali www.theguardian.com

97 'Nobody wants to stay in Lebanon. It’s a miserable life' F rom the window of his childhood home in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Mohammad Safwan gazed at a Mediterranean that two weeks earlier had claimed the lives of his father, mother, three sisters and sister-in-law. The last froze to death in the sea a month before she was due to give birth. “That is what God decreed. What will we gain if we weep and weep and weep?” asked Safwan. “But I hate the sight of the sea now.” That hatred is not shared by everyone. In Lebanon’s northern capital, Tripoli, a colourful local singer in the city’s Mina district smiled as he played a WhatsApp voice message from his four-year-old granddaughter, who had arrived that morning on a Greek island. “Grandad, I miss you! The water came over me and I threw up! The water came into the boat,” the girl said excitedly. “Tell grandad goodbye, sweetheart,” her father could be heard saying in the background. These are Lebanese families, not Syrians, but they are also now braving the high seas in the thousands in a phenomenon that local officials predict will only grow this year. Fifteen years after the end of Lebanon’s civil war and the mass migration it sparked to the west, Latin America and Africa, Lebanon’s youth are fleeing once again. Their movement is now fuelled by endemic corruption, political dysfunction and rising unemployment, inequality and poverty. A facade of stability has so far spared this tiny Levantine nation with 18 official sects the upheaval that has destroyed other countries in the Middle East and redrawn the region’s borders. “I’m very happy my son is in Europe,” said a driver from Tripoli, whose son travelled to Greece by boat and ultimately reached Sweden after a two-week journey. “Maybe if he gets citizenship he can take us to him. What do we have to keep us here? There are many stories like this. Nobody wants to stay in Lebanon. It’s a miserable life.” Interviews with relatives, travel agents and local officials outlined the paths that Lebanese migrants take in order to reach Europe – and the reasons why they seek out the perilous journey in the first place. It is unclear how they will be affected by a recent deal struck between Turkey and the EU to return refugees who fled the war in Syria. The interviews were conducted prior to the signing of the deal. Most Lebanese tend to first travel to Turkey legally by ferry or plane from Tripoli and Beirut as they do not require visas. They then connect with local smugglers in port cities such as Izmir, sometimes paying for a forged Syrian passport, and then paying $1,000-$2,000 to take small boats to the nearest Greek island, before jumping out a short distance away and swimming to shore. They then make their way to Athens and onwards to Germany or Sweden along established refugee trails, often by train or walking. Palestinians from both Lebanon and Syria often attempt a direct route from Tripoli to Europe, since they have greater difficulties obtaining visas to Turkey, and are often arrested by local authorities, though Palestinian officials here say thousands have died at sea. The fact that so many are fleeing from a country that has been largely spared the region’s traumatic disintegration is widely seen as an indictment of Lebanon’s political class, which has achieved almost tragicomic levels of dysfunction. The country has been without a president since May of last year, as rival factions backed by regional heavyweights Iran and Saudi Arabia failed to agree on a consensus candidate, another symptom of what many see as a regional cold war. Parliament has extended its own term twice, forgoing elections amid a political vacuum in a process that has tested Lebanon’s claim to being a democracy. The leader of the Saudi-backed and mostly Sunni Future Movement is under self-imposed exile for security reasons, while the Iranian-backed Hezbollah essentially sets Lebanon’s defence and foreign policy, having intervened in the Syrian quagmire alongside President Bashar al-Assad, saving his regime from collapse and prolonging the civil war. Amid the vacuum, the government has failed to deal with key issues such as the Syrian refugee crisis – displaced Syrians have no camps and now represent one in five people in Lebanon, bringing the country near its previously projected population levels for 2050. The authorities even failed for months to collect garbage in a dispute over new landfills. “The reasons are obvious: unemployment and poverty which has prompted people to migrate on this road of death,” said Abdullah al-Bakka, a mokhtar or local mayor in Tripoli, who said 2,000 people in his own district alone had left between August and October. “But people we’ve asked say to us: we might as well be dead here, too. “It’s dereliction of duty by the state and the political leaders,” he added. “They don’t provide the people with enough because they want them to remain servants begging at their doorsteps. This is Lebanon: the politicians will never serve the people they are supposed to be representing.” Tripoli is especially hard-hit – long neglect by the state has left Lebanon’s northern areas poverty-stricken, compounding the breakdown in infrastructure and the periodic stints of violence linked to the Syrian war. Despite being chastened by the deaths at sea, especially by the widely reported news of the death of Safwan’s family, many are still attempting the journey. “We have a lot of demand,” said the manager of a local travel agency in Tripoli. “They are giving us whatever money they have and telling us to just get them out of here.” In the late summer and early autumn, the travel agent said ferries carrying about 400 travellers, both Lebanese and Syrian, were leaving six days a week from Tripoli’s port. The numbers have dropped to three per week with the onset of winter, but he expects them to pick up again in the spring. “Nobody comes back,” he said. “By spring, the migration will increase exponentially,” said Bakka, the local mayor, who estimates overall unemployment among Tripoli’s youth at over 50%. “But honestly, even I want to follow them with my family. It is unbearable.” But one person who has decided not to brave the high seas is Safwan. “What reaction can you have when you lose your entire family in a single moment?” he said, sitting by the window overlooking the water. “We were born here and grew up here, and they went and died in the sea. The house is empty.”

2016-04-06 07:00 Kareem Shaheen www.theguardian.com

98 Battered Fiji braces for fresh disaster with arrival of Cyclone Zena Fiji is preparing for the arrival of Cyclone Zena, just weeks after the most powerful storm in the Pacific nation’s history laid waste to large swaths of land and left 42 people dead. On Wednesday, the government imposed a nationwide curfew from 6pm, ordering all residents to remain indoors until the threat from the category three tropical storm had passed. Cyclone Zena, with winds in excess of 120kph (75mph), is due to hit Fiji on Thursday. Category five Cyclone Winston , one of the most powerful storms recorded in the southern hemisphere, killed 42 people and flattened settlements when it struck in February. Prime minister Frank Bainimarama said it could take years for Fiji to recover. With widespread damage to homes across Fiji, many people have returned to shelters used when Cyclone Winston hit. Nearly 80 evacuation centres have been opened with 3,592 people taking shelter there, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “We have pretty significant concerns of public health outbreaks,” Alice Clements, Fiji representative at the UN Children’s Agency, Unicef, said. “In times of flooding there is an increase in water borne diseases such as diarrhoea, eye inflections and the spread of mosquito diseases such as dengue fever and the Zika virus.” Reuters contributed to this report

2016-04-06 06:52 Staff and www.theguardian.com

99 Cruz wins Wisconsin, invigorates anti-Trump camp Texas Senator Ted Cruz scored a commanding victory over Donald Trump in Wisconsin's presidential primary Tuesday, putting the Republican frontrunner on notice that his march to the nomination is not a done deal. Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton also crashed to defeat, against upstart Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders has now won six of the last seven Democratic contests and can bolster his claim to be a viable alternative standardbearer to the former secretary of state. But the Wisconsin results are almost certainly more damaging for Trump. The brash billionaire stormed to the fore last year but has suffered campaign trail setbacks in recent weeks with a series of controversial comments about abortion, NATO and nuclear weapons. Cruz's capturing most of Wisconsin's 42 Republican delegates now makes it far less likely that Trump will win the 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the nomination outright. This raises the prospect of a contested convention in July when the delegates meet to choose the party nominee for the November presidential election. - 'Turning point' - "Tonight is a turning point. It is a rallying cry," Cruz told cheering supporters in Milwaukee after he received a hug from Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, one of several former 2016 presidential candidates who have endorsed Cruz. "It is a call from the hardworking men and women of Wisconsin to the people of America. We have a choice, a real choice. " Cruz and the anti-Trump movement had eyed Wisconsin, birthplace of the Republican Party, as a crucial firewall against the real estate tycoon's march to become the GOP flag bearer. The Texas senator's win in Wisconsin could well alter the trajectory of the Republican race. "Trump needs every delegate to get to 1,237, and tonight was a significant setback," veteran election analyst Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia told AFP. "It's not impossible for Trump to still get there, but the likelihood is that Trump will be a few dozen delegates short of a majority," he added, meaning the likelihood of a contested convention has increased substantially. Tuesday's results cement Cruz's status as the leading anti-Trump candidate, with Ohio Governor John Kasich far back in the nomination battle. But Cruz kept his victory speech positive, highlighting his policy platforms and turning his attention toward a possible general election face-off with Clinton. "Hillary, get ready. Here we come," he said. Cruz also predicted he could earn the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination. That goal will be extremely difficult to reach; experts have projected Cruz would need to win 90 percent or more of remaining delegates to reach the magic number. US networks called the race for Cruz and Sanders within half an hour of polls closing in the Midwestern state that borders Canada. With 98 percent of votes counted, Cruz, a conservative senator from Texas, was ahead with 48.3 percent of the vote, compared to 35 percent for Trump. Kasich was a distant third at 14 percent. On the Democratic side, Vermont Senator Sanders led with 56.4 percent to 43.3 percent over Clinton. "This campaign is giving energy and enthusiasm to millions of Americans," Sanders told supporters in Wyoming, which holds a Democratic vote Saturday. Sanders said his momentum gives him an "excellent chance" to win California, Oregon and other states. "We have a path toward victory, a path toward the White House," he declared. But Clinton, the onetime first lady who is aiming to become the nation's first female commander in chief, has the delegate math in her favor and can look forward with some confidence to the upcoming races. She leads Sanders by double digits in New York, her adopted home state which votes April 19, and Pennsylvania, which casts ballots a week later. Trump also leads handily in his home state of New York and in Pennsylvania. - Trump's sour grapes - His campaign for months had appeared immune to criticism or self-implosion. Yet the brash billionaire went into Tuesday's vote having suffered a brutal week on the campaign trail, including comments expected to hurt him with women voters. After the Wisconsin vote his team defiantly lashed out at Cruz, saying the senator had "the entire party apparatus behind him. " "Ted Cruz is a puppet -- he is a Trojan horse being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr. Trump," said the campaign in a statement reported by MSNBC. Trump had 740 delegates heading into Tuesday. Cruz had 474 and Kasich 145, according to CNN. If none reaches the magic number of 1,237 before the Republican primary races wrap up on June 7, the nominee could be decided at a contested convention where, after the first ballot, delegates will be free to vote according to personal preference instead of being bound by the primary results. Clinton secured 1,742 delegates prior to Tuesday -- including 483 so-called "super-delegates" who are not bound by primary results -- while Sanders has 1,051 total, according to a CNN tally. A candidate needs 2,383 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination.

2016-04-06 06:47 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk

100 The Eminem cover inspiring millions online An inspirational cover of an Eminem song posted on YouTube has made a 12-year-old boy an internet star. Sparsh Shah's Indian-infused version of "Not Afraid" has been viewed more than 12 million times and has won praise from famous R&B singers and Bollywood celebrities. The youngster, from New Jersey in the US, has a brittle bone disease which means he suffers frequent fractures and has to use a wheelchair. Video Journalist: Alex Dackevych For more videos subscribe to BBC Trending's YouTube channel. Or find us on Facebook.

2016-04-05 23:10 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

Total 100 articles. Created at 2016-04-06 12:03