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Total 100 articles, created at 2016-05-09 00:12 1 Libya Premier Urges Lifting of Arms Embargo, Asset Freeze Libya's new prime minister called on the international community to help his country bolster its fight against terrorism on Sunday, urging the lifting an arms embargo and (1.02/2) release of funds that remain frozen under U. N. sanctions. The call was the latest move by the... 2016-05-09 00:11 3KB abcnews.go.com 2 Massive Alberta Wildfire Expected to Burn for Months The images are ones of devastation — scorched homes, virtually whole neighborhoods (1.02/2) burned to the ground. It rained a little Sunday morning in Fort McMurray, but Canadian officials say they expect to fight the massive wildfire that has destroyed large parts of Alberta's oil sands town for... 2016-05-09 00:11 6KB abcnews.go.com 3 Suspect sought in shooting of police officer near Champaign Police in Central Illinois are searching for a 34-year-old man in connection with in a weekend shooting of a Mahomet police officer. 2016-05-09 00:11 1KB chicago.suntimes.com (1.02/2)

4 Hillary Clinton schedules campaign stop in Louisville Democratic president candidate Hillary Clinton will make a campaign stop in Louisville this week. 2016-05-08 23:00 1KB www.washingtontimes.com (1.02/2)

5 Police: Man shot at shopping center in Birmingham Police say a man has been shot at a shopping center in Birmingham. 2016-05-08 21:55 1KB www.washingtontimes.com (1.01/2)

6 Aquino tells voters: I can’t fight this alone President Benigno Aquino III has appealed to Filipinos not to vote for front-runner Rodrigo Duterte, warning that “dark days” could return to the Philippines if the tough- (1.00/2) talking mayor of 2016-05-09 00:11 6KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 7 Gun rights advocates say Donald Trump is their candidate for the White House

(0.01/2) Donald Trump heads this month to the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Kentucky riding a wave of strong support from the country’s gun owners. 2016-05-08 22:30 3KB www.washingtontimes.com 8 JaDine love story still unbelievable to many It has been more than two months since that much-talked about evening when James Reid and Nadine Lustre drove their fans bonkers. Finally, the two admitted that their love story, which 2016-05-09 00:11 4KB entertainment.inquirer.net 9 Rachelle Ann Go returns to London On May 1, the Manila staging of “Les Misèrables” held its last show and closed its curtains after a stellar seven-week run. And Rachelle Ann Go, who played tragic character Fantine in the 2016-05-09 00:11 3KB entertainment.inquirer.net 10 TRO filed to stop DOLE guidelines on work hours in show biz industry Broadcast network ABS-CBN has filed a petition for a 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the implementation of the labor department advisory providing the guidelines on work hours in the 2016-05-09 00:11 3KB entertainment.inquirer.net 11 7 nabbed for carrying gun, distributing leaflets vs mayor in Muntinlupa MANILA -- Shortly after the end of the campaign season for the May 9 polls, police officials arrested seven men who pretended to be members of the media in distributing leaflets against 2016-05-09 00:11 2KB newsinfo.inquirer.net

12 Not all great minds think alike in new season of ‘Silicon Valley’ The HBO comedy series, “Silicon Valley,” returns for a third season, pointedly satirizing the goings-on in the tech biz anew with its collection of socially confused geniuses and their 2016-05-09 00:11 2KB entertainment.inquirer.net 13 Vote-buying? It’s ‘sharing of blessings’ “Have you received your showers?” This has been the familiar greeting in Bohol province in the past days instead of “Hello” or “How are you?” It happens only during the election 2016-05-09 00:11 6KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 14 Jowen wants to end sad plight of OFW families (Fifth of a series) Jowen Avila, 23, has always looked forward to this time of the year, when his parents would return home from abroad. For his mother Annie, the event this time 2016-05-09 00:11 6KB globalnation.inquirer.net 15 Monitor poll results in Inquirer Want to be among the first to know who the new President is? The Inquirer will give you that information fast. After voting ends at 5 p.m. today, the Inquirer will start reporting the results 2016-05-09 00:11 5KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 16 Comelec expects 75-80% voter turnout The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expecting today a turnout of 75-80 percent from 54,363,844 registered voters in what it promises to be the “most transparent” polling in recent 2016-05-09 00:11 4KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 17 Duterte man to beat The race for Malacañang ends in national balloting today with mass murder advocate Rodrigo Duterte the man four other candidates need to beat to become the next President of the 2016-05-09 00:11 7KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 18 Arrest Made in Hit-and-Run Death of MMA Fighter in Florida Police in Florida have arrested a man whose license had been suspended for the fatal crash that killed mixed martial arts fighter Jordan Parsons. Delray Beach police spokeswoman Dani Moschella said in a statement Saturday that Dennis Wright faces multiple charges including leaving the scene... 2016-05-09 00:11 2KB abcnews.go.com 19 Investigative journalism more important than ever Follow @andyshawbga 2016-05-09 00:11 4KB chicago.suntimes.com

20 Yemeni Officials Say Forces Evicting Northerners From Aden Yemeni officials say pro-government forces in the southern port city of Aden are detaining and evicting to the north hundreds of civilians. They say armed groups have been raiding shops, restaurants and homes, arresting more than 2,000 northerners they say pose a threat to "security. "... 2016-05-09 00:11 1KB abcnews.go.com 21 Israel Nabs Group Suspected of Scamming European Companies Israeli police say they have caught a group of Israeli citizens, including French immigrants, suspected of tricking European companies into sending the group millions of euros in recent months. Police say the group of eight posed as individuals known to the companies, and convinced company... 2016-05-09 00:11 1KB abcnews.go.com

33 IPL-9: Gujarat Lions beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 5 wickets Gujarat Lions came up with an all-round effort to outclass Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) comprehensively with five wickets and 12 balls to spare in an Indian Premier League (IPL) game at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday 2016-05-08 23:53 4KB www.mid-day.com 34 Over 20 stray dogs allegedly poisoned to death in Bhayandar In what can be termed as an inhuman act and a case of animal cruelty, more than 20 dogs were allegedly poisoned to death in Bhayandar east on Friday 2016-05-08 23:36 2KB www.mid-day.com 35 Mayoral bet’s followers block vote count machines in Lanao Norte MUNAI, Lanao del Norte – Supporters of mayoral candidate Dante Batinggolo of the Liberal Party here, have blocked the transfer of the vote counting machines from the municipal hall to the 2016-05-08 23:30 2KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 36 Man shot, dog stolen during carjacking in downtown Atlanta A man was shot and carjacked downtown Saturday, according to Channel 2 Action News. 2016-05-08 23:17 886Bytes www.ajc.com 37 Right place, Right time: Paul Lee heroic anew for Rain or Shine Paul Lee could've been anywhere on the floor in the waning seconds of Game 2 of the 2016 Commissioner's Cup Finals on Sunday. But as his Rain or Shine teammate Beau Belga fired a triple 2016-05-08 23:10 3KB sports.inquirer.net 38 Pune: Ex-employees of Serum Institute booked for stealing vaccine info Two former employees of the Serum Institute of India have been booked for breach of trust for allegedly stealing confidential information about a vaccine and filing for patent on behalf of their present employer, police said on Sunday 2016-05-08 23:04 2KB www.mid- day.com 39 Female inmates record books for their children Many children buy flowers or take their moms out to dinner for Mother’s Day, but the idea is to spend time with the women who raised them. 2016-05-08 23:01 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 40 Israel indicts nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu Israel has indicted Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordecai Vanunu for meeting with American citizens in Jerusalem and violating other court-ordered restrictions. 2016-05-08 23:01 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 41 Passengers on cruise ship docked in Portland have norovirus Federal health officials say the first cruise ship to dock in Portland, Maine, this season is under surveillance for norvirus. 2016-05-08 23:01 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 42 Hawaii man charged in deaths of woman, 2 children Police say a Hawaii man arrested in connection with the deaths of a woman and two children has been charged. 2016-05-08 23:01 1KB www.washingtontimes.com

43 Groups: Commutation in drug case could offer hope to inmates Justice reform groups are hopeful that Gov. Mary Fallin’s recent decision to commute the sentence of an inmate serving life without parole for possessing an ounce of cocaine could lead to the re-evaluation of cases for about four-dozen prisoners handed similar terms for nonviolent drug-related crimes. 2016-05-08 23:01 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 44 Mother of 4 kids deploys with National Guard on Mother’s Day One of the 60 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers leaving on Mother’s Day for a yearlong deployment in Afghanistan is a mother of four. 2016-05-08 23:01 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 45 Searchers seek missing hiker by Blanca Lake near Index Snohomish County authorities are searching for a missing hiker near Blanca Lake in the Index area. The sheriff’s office received a call about a lost hiker around 9 p.m. Saturday after she became separated from her group and could not be found. 2016-05-08 23:01 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 46 Penn State president decries new Joe Paterno allegations The president of Penn State is decrying new allegations that former coach Joe Paterno was told that Jerry Sandusky had sexually abused a child as early as 1976 and that two assistant coaches witnessed the abuse of other children. 2016-05-08 23:01 3KB www.washingtontimes.com 47 Rescuers save hiker injured after falling down NC mountain A climber who tumbled about 200 feet down a North Carolina mountain is receiving treatment for his injuries. 2016-05-08 23:01 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 48 Rhode Island considers requiring preschools to test for lead A state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require all Rhode Island preschools to test their tap water each year for lead. 2016-05-08 23:01 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 49 Retired soldier, family move into donated Detroit-area home A retired Army medic describes the three-bedroom home donated to his family as “life- changing.” 2016-05-08 23:01 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 50 Facebook’s No. 2 exec pays tribute to single mothers Facebook’s No. 2 executive Sheryl Sandberg says she never realized how hard it is to be a single parent until her husband died a year ago. 2016-05-08 23:00 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 51 Infant dies of injuries after crash that killed 2, injured 6 Authorities say an infant has died of injuries from a northwest Philadelphia crash that earlier killed another child and a man and injured six other people. 2016-05-08 23:00 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 52 Dual immersion program to expand by fall The students in the state’s pilot program for dual language immersion are now teenagers with the potential to earn college language credit. 2016-05-08 23:00 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 53 Man without pants accused of assaulting pastor in California Authorities in Santa Barbara County say a college student naked from the waist down and likely intoxicated was arrested after allegedly assaulting a pastor. 2016-05-08 23:00 1KB www.washingtontimes.com

54 Cleveland Browns’ player is Ohio teen’s surprise prom date A teenager in Ohio got a treat on prom night: a surprise date with a Cleveland Browns player. 2016-05-08 23:00 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 55 Sandia Peak Tramway rings in 50th anniversary with new cars The Sandia Peak Tramway got a new set of wheels for its 50th anniversary of providing transportation high above the Sandia Foothills. 2016-05-08 23:00 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 56 Lawmakers asks why some state tax refunds are being delayed A New Mexico lawmaker says attempts to crack down on tax refund fraud is delaying money to legitimate taxpayers throughout the state. 2016-05-08 22:59 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 57 Theater forced to cancel gala at Prince’s Paisley Park A Minneapolis theater has been forced to cancel a gala that was planned this month at Prince’s Paisley Park recording complex. 2016-05-08 22:59 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 58 UK’s former spy chiefs say Britain more secure inside EU Britain’s former spy chiefs have asked voters to keep the United Kingdom inside the European Union, arguing that the alliance gives their nation an edge in gathering anti- terror intelligence and underpins continental peace. 2016-05-08 22:58 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 59 Central Idaho second-degree murder trial moved south The second-degree murder trial of a central Idaho man has been moved to south-central Idaho following a mistrial. 2016-05-08 22:58 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 60 Coast Guard suspends search for missing watercraft rider The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a Trenton man who was tossed from his personal watercraft while riding with a friend in the Delaware River. 2016-05-08 22:57 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 61 Once unthinkable in US, drug shoot-up rooms get serious look Across the United States, heroin and other drug users have died in alleys behind convenience stores, on city sidewalks and in the bathrooms of fast-food joints - because no one was around to save them when they overdosed. 2016-05-08 22:57 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 62 Father-son put together 'dental' museum in Vadodara A dentist father-son duo opened a museum exhibiting more than a thousand artifacts, including oothbrushes made of ivory, here today 2016-05-08 22:52 2KB www.mid-day.com 63 Sri Lanka President to visit Sanchi Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena would arrive here on May 14 to visit Sanchi, the world-famous Buddhist heritage site in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh 2016-05-08 22:52 929Bytes www.mid-day.com 64 Williams sisters aiming for another Olympic gold in Rio ROME — The Williams sisters are making another run for Olympic gold. The winningest team in Olympic tennis history has entered the doubles draw at this week's Italian Open to kick off 2016-05-08 22:51 4KB sports.inquirer.net 65 Footballer dies after match in Brazil A 26-year-old footballer named Bernardo Ribeiro took ill and died following a match in Brazil, the Friburguense club said on Sunday 2016-05-08 22:50 1KB www.mid-day.com 66 Dry cleaning business owner admits avoiding payroll taxes The co-owner of a dry cleaning firm has admitted that he and his partner conspired to evade payroll taxes for workers who were living in the country illegally. 2016-05-08 22:49 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 67 Lawsuit complicates reduction in phone rates at Iowa jails County jails in Iowa will soon be required to follow new federal rules aimed at making it cheaper for inmates to call loved ones, but a pending lawsuit is expected to complicate the effort. 2016-05-08 22:45 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 68 Flagstaff weighs in on revising reclaimed wastewater rules State regulators are reconsidering the process of treating and distributing reclaimed wastewater, an issue that greatly concerns Flagstaff residents. 2016-05-08 22:45 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 69 Body found near Westminster Fraternal Order of Police lodge Police are investigating after a woman’s body was found in the parking lot near the Fraternal Order of Police building in Westminster. 2016-05-08 22:44 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 70 Ex-Kentucky basketball star Farmer files for bankruptcy Former state agriculture commissioner and University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer, who went to prison for violating state ethics and campaign finance laws, has filed for bankruptcy. 2016-05-08 22:44 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 71 Driver charged in death of former Justice O’Connor’s sister An Arizona man is facing a manslaughter charge in connection with a collision that killed the sister of former U. S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. 2016-05-08 22:44 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 72 Gujarat Congress leader Modhwadia's son held for consuming liquor Police arrested former Gujarat Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia's son, Parth and 24 others for allegedly consuming liquor at a party in Satellite area of the city 2016-05-08 22:39 2KB www.mid-day.com 73 Rajasthan: Eight month old baby girl found abandoned in Bundi An eight-month-old baby girl was today found abandoned on the railway track in Rajasthan's Bundi district 2016-05-08 22:37 1KB www.mid-day.com 74 Behind closed doors, lawyers dig into Prince’s estate MINNEAPOLIS — Prince left behind no known will when he died April 21, and the work of settling his multimillion-dollar estate is being carried out behind closed doors by tight- lipped lawyers. 2016-05-08 22:36 4KB entertainment.inquirer.net 75 Landslides in Uttarakhand bury vehicles, block roads More than half-a-dozen vehicles parked on the road were buried under the debris following a massive landslide triggered by heavy rainfall today in Tharali Tehsil of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand but there were no reports of casualties, officials said 2016-05-08 22:35 1KB www.mid-day.com 76 Decade later, Cosby could face accuser behind sex charges PHILADELPHIA— A decade after she last saw Bill Cosby, a Toronto woman could face the TV legend in court this month at a hearing in suburban Philadelphia on charges he drugged and molested her in 2016-05-08 22:35 4KB entertainment.inquirer.net

77 Kim Jong Un says North Korea won’t use nuclear weapons first North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country will not use its nuclear weapons unless its sovereignty is invaded and announced a five-year economic plan at a milestone congress of North Korea’s ruling party, which entered its third day Sunday. 2016-05-08 22:30 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 78 Girl commits suicide alleging molestation by BSF jawan, force denies claim A class seven girl committed suicide at her home after a BSF personnel allegedly molested her at Gosaipur in the Hili police station area of South Dinajpur district, close to the international border with Bangladesh 2016-05-08 22:29 2KB www.mid-day.com 79 Princess Diana's burial site to get makeover The site where Britain's Princess Diana is buried is set for a 20 million pound makeover to mark the 20th anniversary of her death 2016-05-08 22:29 2KB www.mid-day.com 80 Luistro reminds poll bets not to harass teachers over voting results MANILA -- Education Secretary Armin Luistro has appealed to politicians and their supporters not to intimidate the teachers who will facilitate and oversee Monday's general 2016-05-08 22:28 3KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 81 Colorado theater’s security at issue in civil trial Nine months after the Colorado theater shooter was sentenced to life in prison, some victims are returning to the same courtroom in hopes of holding the suburban Denver movie theater accountable for not doing more to prevent his bloody rampage. 2016-05-08 22:22 4KB www.washingtontimes.com 82 'Someone is trying to kill me' - Thuli Madonsela Thuli Madonsela is living in fear for her life after she was warned that a prominent Western Cape gang boss had been paid to arrange a hit on her. 2016-05-08 22:18 5KB www.timeslive.co.za 83 Planned Parenthood draws outrage with Mother’s Day tweet Planned Parenthood celebrated Mother’s Day with a tweet picturing two mothers holding their children. 2016-05-08 20:49 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 84 NY ethics panel reaches $62,000 settlement with lobbyist New York’s ethics commission has reached a settlement including $62,000 in fines with a lobbyist over required registration fees and bi-monthly reports. 2016-05-08 20:49 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 85 High Court split vote lets Deri keep interior minister's post With only Justice Neal Hendel dissenting, the High Court majority made two points to clear the cloud hanging over Deri’s head. 2016-05-08 22:09 3KB www.jpost.com 86 Sisters drown while swimming in Locust Fork River Authorities say two girls drowned while swimming in Locust Fork River in north Alabama. 2016-05-08 22:04 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 87 On seventh heaven: Pitso's smooth operation They have hardly celebrated their seventh PSL championship, but newly crowned 2015- 16 Absa Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns are already activating plans to strengthen their squad. 2016-05-08 22:01 4KB www.timeslive.co.za

88 Evansville woman crowned next Alice in Dairyland A 25-year-old woman from southern Wisconsin has been chosen as the state’s 69th Alice in Dairyland. 2016-05-08 21:50 1KB www.washingtontimes.com 89 Sarah Palin endorses Paul Ryan’s primary opponent, says House speaker’s ‘political career is over’ Sarah Palin eviscerated House Speaker Paul Ryan, saying his “political career is over” and publicly endorsing his primary opponent. 2016-05-08 20:23 2KB www.washingtontimes.com 90 Zuma's Nkandla bill may come to just R1 million President Jacob Zuma is unlikely to pay back more than a million rand of the R246-million of taxpayers' money spent on his Nkandla home. 2016-05-08 21:48 6KB www.timeslive.co.za 91 SA born explorer begins Pole2Pole challenge South African-born Swiss explorer Mike Horn has set off from Monaco at the start of an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in an unmotorised expedition. 2016-05-08 21:34 1KB www.news24.com 92 Bloem building burns Firefighters spent most of Sunday putting out a raging fire at a warehouse in Bloemfontein, police say. 2016-05-08 21:32 1020Bytes www.news24.com

93 Man arrested after Nyanga shootings Police have arrested the grandson of an 83-year-old woman, who was killed in what seemed to be a spate of revenge killings in Nyanga in April, Western Cape police say. 2016-05-08 21:32 1KB www.news24.com 94 DA wants probe of Madonsela hit threat claim The DA has joined the call for an urgent probe by police into the death threats against Public Protector Thuli Madonsela after it was reported that a contract is out on her life. 2016-05-08 21:32 2KB www.news24.com 95 Afghan road crash inferno leaves at least 73 dead GHAZNI, Afghanistan -- At least 73 people were killed Sunday when two passenger buses and an oil tanker burst into flames in a head-on collision in eastern Afghanistan, health officials said, in 2016-05-08 21:27 3KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 96 Martin Luther King Jr.’s son champions father's dream for Ethiopian Jews Three Israelis presented with the 2016 Unsung Hero Awards for championing the rights of the country’s marginalized Ethiopian community. 2016-05-08 21:26 5KB www.jpost.com 97 Shaina NC: Lack of toilets: Why only women suffer In the fourth of her seven-part series on sanitation in the city, BJP leader Shaina NC explains how lack of public toilets affects every facet of a woman's life 2016-05-08 21:25 5KB www.mid-day.com 98 Allegations made of sexual harassment against Father Gabriel Naddaf The allegations were reported by Channel 2 on Sunday night. 2016-05-08 21:20 2KB www.jpost.com 99 London’s new Muslim mayor joins Holocaust memorial LONDON — London's newly elected Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, has joined an annual memorial to the millions of Jews slain in the Holocaust as his first official act in office. Khan made 2016-05-08 21:15 1KB newsinfo.inquirer.net

100 Antitrust Authority to fast-track noncontroversial mergers The idea behind the policy is to cut regulation and waiting time in clear-cut situations that raise little or no concern about increasing market concentration. 2016-05-08 21:14 1KB www.jpost.com Articles

Total 100 articles, created at 2016-05-09 00:12

1 Libya Premier Urges Lifting of Arms Embargo, Asset Freeze (1.02/2) Libya's new prime minister called on the international community to help his country bolster its fight against terrorism on Sunday, urging the lifting an arms embargo and release of funds that remain frozen under U. N. sanctions. The call was the latest move by the head of Libya's United Nations-backed government to assert authority, after it began to set up shop in a naval base in the capital, Tripoli, since Fayez al-Serraj's return to the country in March. He has been unable to exercise much power beyond his office walls — much like his predecessors. Speaking at the Arab League in Cairo, al-Serraj, prime minister of the U. N.-backed Government of National Accord, said the Libyan people were suffering and needed both the arms and assets to battle the extremist Islamic state group. "It doesn't make sense that the international community supports our war against terrorism, and forbids us from arming ourselves," he said. The European Union has been seeking to boost al-Serraj's authority. Western nations hope that his government can unite the country in order to combat an increasingly powerful IS affiliate there. IS militants gained a foothold in Libya amid the power struggle and security vacuum, taking over the central city of Sirte and carrying out deadly attacks across the country. Libya has been torn apart among rival militias, tribes, governments and parliaments since the 2011 downfall of longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in a NATO-backed rebellion. At the moment, the forces of Libya's rival powers in the east and west of the country are moving on the city of Sirte, vowing to free it from the hold of the Islamic State group, with each side aiming to capture the central city as a way to gain advantage over the other. The danger is they could very well fight each other as well. Al-Serraj also met the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during his trip, whose office said in a statement later that he wished al-Serraj success, and would continue to support him and the Libyan army. Egypt supports the lifting of the weapons embargo. Al-Serraj also said that the root causes of illegal immigration must be addressed.

Libyan PM urges lifting of arms embargo, asset freeze news24.com 2016-05-09 00:11 By abcnews.go.com

2 Massive Alberta Wildfire Expected to Burn for Months (1.02/2) The images are ones of devastation — scorched homes, virtually whole neighborhoods burned to the ground. It rained a little Sunday morning in Fort McMurray, but Canadian officials say they expect to fight the massive wildfire that has destroyed large parts of Alberta's oil sands town for months. There's fear the growing wildfire could double in size and reach a major oil sands mine and even cross into the neighboring province of Saskatchewan. The Alberta government said the massive blaze in the province will cover more than 200,000 hectares (495,000 acres) by Sunday and continue to grow because of high temperatures, dry conditions and high winds. Chad Morrison of Alberta Wildfire said it's not uncommon to fight such an inferno in forested areas for months. Morrison said the fire was burning away from communities this weekend. He expected cooler temperatures along with the rain Sunday, but significant rainfall is needed to put out the flames. The Rural Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which includes Fort McMurray, tweeted a picture of the rainfall and wrote: "It was only for a few minutes but the sight of rain has never been so good. " Alberta Premier Rachel Notley retweeted the picture and wrote "Here's hoping for much more! " Officials had hoped to complete the mass evacuation of work camps north of Fort McMurray on Saturday. Thousands of displaced residents got a drive-by view of some of the burned-out neighborhoods as convoys continued. No deaths or injuries have been reported since the fire started last Sunday. Notley said about 12,000 evacuees have been airlifted from oil sands mine air fields over the past two days, and about 7,000 have left in highway convoys escorted by police. She said the goal was to complete the evacuation from northern work camps by Sunday. The fire could reach the edges of the Suncor oil sands facility, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) north of Fort McMurray. Non-essential staff have been evacuating and efforts to protect the site were under way. Notley, however, said that the facility was highly resilient to forest fires. Oil sands mines are cleared and have no vegetation. Morrison said the fire wasn't expected to reach the oil sands mines north of Suncor. The fire and mass evacuation has forced a quarter or more of Canada's oil output offline and was expected to impact an economy already hurt by the fall in the price of oil. The Alberta oil sands have the third-largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Its workers largely live in Fort McMurray where some neighborhoods have been destroyed. Police said many parts of smoke-filled Fort McMurray are burnt and visibility is low. Officers wore masks as they checked homes to make sure everyone was out. More than 80,000 people have left Fort McMurray in the heart of Canada' oil sands, where the fire has torched 1,600 homes and other buildings. Gas has been turned off, the power grid is damaged and water is not drinkable. Officials said there is no timeline to return residents to the city, but the Alberta government has begun preliminary planning, though it stresses fighting the fire is still the first priority. About 25,000 evacuees moved north in the hours after Tuesday's mandatory evacuation, where oil sands work camps that usually house employees were used to house evacuees. Officials are moving everyone south where it is safer. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had no immediate plans to visit the region. "We don't want to distract from the important work right now," Kate Purchase, a spokeswoman for Trudeau said. Syncrude, a major oil sands mining company, also shut down operations and evacuated. The company said in a statement that while there is no imminent threat from fire, smoke has reached its Mildred Lake site. The 200,000 hectares (494,211 acres) size estimate for the fire includes burned areas and those areas still in flames. The fire started last Sunday and has destroyed about than 2,000 square kilometers (772 miles) of northern Alberta forest. Lac La Biche, Alberta, normally a sleepy town of 2,500 about 175 kilometers (109 miles) south of Fort McMurray, was helping thousands of evacuees, providing a place to sleep, food, donated clothes and even shelter for their pets. Jihad Moghrabi, a spokesman for Lac La Biche County, said that 4,400 evacuees have come through The Bold Center, a sports facility in town. At the center, tables were piled with clothes, towels and other items. The center was offering three free meals a day and other services, including mental health services. A kennel housed people's pets on site. Nicole Cormier, a photographer from Fort McMurray, is staying with family in Lac La Biche but brings neighbors that she evacuated with her to the center every day for services. She showed cellphone photos she shot from her backyard of the advancing fire, and photos of flames on the side of the road while they were evacuating. Cormier said she checks the security doorbell camera on her house several times a day just to see if it's standing. For now, it is. "It's weird, you feel a big sigh of relief but you feel totally guilty because of what others have lost," she said. ——— Gillies reported from Toronto.

Massive Alberta wildfire expected to burn for months globalnation.inquirer.net 2016-05-09 00:11 By abcnews.go.com

3 Suspect sought in shooting of police officer near Champaign (1.02/2) CHAMPAIGN — Police in a central Illinois village are searching for a 34-year-old suspect in a weekend shooting of a police officer. The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports that a Mahomet officer was shot Saturday night outside a home. Mahomet Police Chief Mike Metzler says the officer is recovering after being released from a local hospital Sunday morning. Metzler told the newspaper that the officer was shot after a traffic stop initiated by a different police officer. The suspect then got into a fight with the second officer, who reportedly attempted to use a stun gun on the driver. A Champaign County judge on Sunday issued an arrest warrant for Dracy “Clint” Pendleton, accusing him of aggravated battery with a firearm. Authorities say Pendleton fled the area in a stolen pickup truck.

1 dead after shooting in Twin Falls, police investigating washingtontimes.com 2016-05-09 00:11 Associated Press chicago.suntimes.com

4 Hillary Clinton schedules campaign stop in Louisville (1.02/2) LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Democratic president candidate Hillary Clinton will make a campaign stop in Louisville this week. According to her campaign website, the former secretary of state will be in Louisville on Tuesday ahead of the state’s May 17 Democratic presidential primary. The event is free and open to the public, although registration is encouraged. Doors to the event open at 4 p.m. Clinton spoke at a campaign event in Ashland last week. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, visited Lexington, Louisville and Morehead last Tuesday.

Clinton set to assemble 'Republicans for Hillary' mid-day.com 2016-05-08 23:00 - Associated Press - Sunday, May 8, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

5 Police: Man shot at shopping center in Birmingham (1.01/2) BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Police say a man has been shot at a shopping center in Birmingham. Birmingham Police Sgt. Bryan Shelton tells Al.com (http://bit.ly/1TxjEfp ) that the shooting occurred around 12:45 p.m. Saturday outside City Gear. Police say the man suffered life-threatening injuries and being treated at UAB Hospital. Shelton says a person of interest in the shooting is currently in custody. The name of the victim has not been released. Police are still investigation the motive of the shooting. Long Beach police kill man who had realistic replica gun washingtontimes.com Man shot and killed outside Guadalupe home washingtontimes.com 2016-05-08 21:55 - Associated Press - Sunday, May 8, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

6 Aquino tells voters: I can’t fight this alone (1.00/2) President Benigno Aquino III has appealed to Filipinos not to vote for front-runner Rodrigo Duterte, warning that “dark days” could return to the Philippines if the tough-talking mayor of Davao City captured Malacañang. “Like you, I have only one vote. Alone, I cannot ensure that dark days will not return to our motherland. I need the help of all of you,” Mr. Aquino told a crowd of 150,000 who came to the final rally for his chosen presidential candidate, Mar Roxas, at Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City on Saturday night. READ: Aquino warns voters of PH’s possible nosedive under a Duterte admin It was Mr. Aquino’s most scathing speech of the three-month presidential campaign that ended on Saturday with the foul-mouthed Duterte maintaining a huge lead in voter preference polls over his two rivals, Roxas and Sen. Grace Poe. READ: Aquino takes swipe at Duterte Duterte has captured the admiration of millions of Filipinos with his promises of killing tens of thousands of criminals outside the justice system and ending official corruption. At his final rally in Manila’s Rizal Park on Saturday night, Duterte told 300,000 supporters that there would be mass killings under his presidency and that he would butcher criminals right in front of human rights campaigners or other critics. READ: Presidential favorite Duterte to ‘butcher’ criminals Outrage Such talk, often laden with expletives, has outraged critics and rivals, but propelled Duterte to the head of the presidential race, alarming President Aquino, who took the lead in warning voters about an “impending dictatorship” in the closing days of the campaign. At the ruling Liberal Party’s final rally for Roxas and his vice presidential running mate Leni Robredo, Mr. Aquino appealed to the crowd to talk to their families and friends who were “likely still confused or have lost their way” in choosing the country’s next leader. He warned of a return of the Philippines to the old days under a Duterte presidency, tossing out the gains his administration achieved in the past six years. Mr. Aquino said he had been wondering how Duterte, the “exact opposite of the good manners and values” taught to every human being, was leading in the voter preference polls for the presidential election. He said that in 2010, as the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was coming to an end, the economy began to pick up. Now the opposite is happening, he said. “As the possibility grows of him becoming the next President, the value of the peso has begun to drop,” Mr. Aquino said. The stock market is jittery, he added. READ: Stocks down ahead of polls Hidden wealth Mr. Aquino pointed to questions recently raised about Duterte’s undisclosed bank accounts, allegedly containing millions of pesos. The President reminded his audience that a public official’s failure to declare his finances was a violation of the Constitution, and challenged Duterte to sign a waiver that would allow the public to scrutinize his bank accounts. “But instead of answering the allegations, he now asks people to respect the rights he is so ready to deny others,” Mr. Aquino said. The President was not as pugnacious in speaking about Duterte in recent weeks, but no one was prepared for his attack on the mayor on Saturday. “Today is the last day of the campaign. On Monday, we will troop to the polls to vote for our new leaders. It is as if by fate that tomorrow the world will celebrate Mother’s Day. It is good to remember the good manners that our mothers have taught us. My own mother told me not to cuss and to respect our fellowmen,” Mr. Aquino said, drawing cheers from the mostly yellow-clad crowd. Mr. Aquino continued: “And because I have four sisters, I was taught not to disrespect women. I was taught that as a true Christian, I should foremost follow the Ten Commandments, including ‘Thou shall not kill.’” Once again the crowd burst into cheers and applause. What change? “But what does he mean by change? He said: I will fix this country. But to me: Is our country truly in tatters? We said this in 2010. And our promise was we would leave the Philippines in a much better situation than when we took over,” Mr. Aquino said. He gave examples of what his administration had achieved, which had the crowd chanting “P- Noy” in a show of appreciation for the good work he had done. In his six years in office, Mr. Aquino said 185,000 classrooms were built nationwide; 1.7 million former street children were now studying, and only 5.2 percent of young Filipinos were out of school. PhilHealth coverage has reached 93 million Filipinos and the government continues to expand the membership, he added. South China Sea row President Aquino also expressed concern over Duterte’s bombastic statements with regard to the country’s maritime row with China. The Philippines, Mr. Aquino said, has earned allies, from Southeast Asia, Europe, the Americas and Australia—even at the risk of affecting their own economies, as China was their trade partner as well. “Doesn’t he understand that whatever comes out of his mouth affects the whole Philippines?” Mr. Aquino stressed, drawing yet another loud cheer from his audience. With some 50 days left in office, the President emphasized that Roxas and Robredo were the ones who could truly lead the Philippines. “The most significant thing is they are the ones who would continue to bring integrity to government and give real public service to our people—not just in words but, more important, in deeds,” he added. TVJ RELATED VIDEOS

Treason raps vs Aquino have no legal basis—Palace newsinfo.inquirer.net 2016-05-09 00:11 Nikko Dizon newsinfo.inquirer.net

7 Gun rights advocates say Donald Trump is their candidate for the White House (0.01/2) Donald Trump heads this month to the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Kentucky riding a wave of strong support from the country’s gun owners, who say he’s just what they’re looking for in November. While pro-lifers, tax-cutters and others in the conservative coalition are struggling with Mr. Trump as the likely GOP presidential nominee, gun-rights leaders say there’s no hurdle for them. “I have not seen anything on the issue of guns that’s caused me to hesitate with him,” said Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League. “He seems to be the real deal on guns,” Mr. Van Cleave said. “I’ve not seen anything where he’s done anything but very much in line with what gun owners want.” Mr. Trump has frequently touted his pro-gun bona fides on the campaign trail, and will bring his positions with him to Louisville later this month when he speaks at the NRA Institute for Legislative Action Leadership Forum at the gun group’s annual gathering. “Hillary Clinton wants to take your guns away and she wants to abolish the Second Amendment,” Mr. Trump said at a rally in Washington over the weekend. “We’re going to cherish the Second Amendment. We’re going to take care of the Second Amendment.” Mr. Trump did write in his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve,” that while he generally opposes gun control, he supported a ban on so-called assault weapons and a slightly longer waiting period for a gun. Erich Pratt, a spokesman for Gun Owners of America, pointed to those comments as evidence that Mr. Trump has taken “some anti-gun positions in the past” — but he also said the candidate has “certainly staked out a pro-gun position on supporting concealed carry and opposing gun- free zones.” Mr. Trump ’s position statement on the Second Amendment now calls gun and magazine bans a “total failure,” and it says the country shouldn’t expand a broken background check system. He also is calling for national right to carry and says a concealed carry permit should work in all 50 states, and that U. S. military personnel should be able to carry firearms on bases and at recruiting centers. “Whatever his comments have been in the past, he’s been very vocal and he often addressed the issue before other candidates have,” said John R. Lott Jr., president of the Crime Prevention Research Center. “Surely, since at least the campaign and maybe a little bit before, he’s been very consistent on the gun issue.” Indeed, he’s released a policy paper on Second Amendment rights — one of only seven such papers he’s produced in the 11 months since he entered the campaign. On his website he also touts the fact that he is a gun owner and has a permit to carry a concealed firearm. Mr. Van Cleave said Mr. Trump presents a stark contrast to likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who has frequently gone after the gun lobby and the NRA on the campaign trail. “These are two choices [who] couldn’t be further apart,” he said. Story Continues →

John McCain says Donald Trump should retract statement about POWs washingtontimes.com 2016-05-08 22:30 What Gun www.washingtontimes.com

8 JaDine love story still unbelievable to many It has been more than two months since that much-talked about evening when James Reid and Nadine Lustre drove their fans bonkers. Finally, the two admitted that their love story, which was merely for reel, had turned real. Still, there are observers who have remained skeptical about the authenticity of the young stars’ romantic relationship. But it is fine by them, the couple said; they couldn’t care any less. “The issue isn’t new to us. They claim that what we have is not real; that it is just for promo. But we’re used to it by now,” Nadine told reporters at a recent press conference for their latest film, “This Time,” which opened on May 4. “If they do not want to believe it, that’s OK. What’s important is that we know the truth.” James, on the other hand, seemed a tad more dismissive of the intrigue. “They can say what they want to say. Personally, I have nothing to say to bashers,” he said, casually. “Maybe they’re just bitter,” he added, drawing some laughs from the show biz press. For their first “monthsary” last March, James and Nadine went on an intimate date in Tagaytay. They were not able to celebrate their second month together because of their hectic filming schedule. “We were so busy, giving 100 percent of our efforts to the project. But I hope we can make up for it soon,” James said. The upside, of course, is that they get to spend time with each other almost all day, every day. “Working is such a joy at the moment. This is the reason I get out of bed in the morning. I could not be any happier, and it shows onscreen,” related James, who appreciates the fact that Nadine loves him for who he is. “She does not try to change me.” “I always look forward to seeing him,” said Nadine, who admitted that she isn’t too big on public displays of affection. “I am not used to that. I am shy!” As part of the romantic drama, produced by Viva Entertainment and directed by Nuel Naval, the duo flew to Saga, Japan, in the thick of spring to shoot scenes against the country’s famous cherry blossoms. “It was my first time to visit the country, and we were all very happy. Seeing cherry blossoms was one of my childhood dreams. They were beautiful, especially as they started falling,” Nadine said. “I am happy to have spent that moment with James.” “This Time” follows the lives of childhood sweethearts, Coby (James) and Ava (Nadine), and the challenges they face as they try to maintain a long-distance relationship. “The movie is also a family drama. It is different from our other movies that focus on kilig and abs!” quipped James, whose tandem with Nadine is called JaDine. Meanwhile, James and Nadine admitted they were surprised when the Star Cinema rom-com, “Just the 3 of Us,” which features John Lloyd Cruz and Jennylyn Mercado, pushed its play date back from April 27 to May 4, thus pitting it not only against their movie, but also against the blockbuster Marvel superhero movie, “Captain America: Civil War.” “I was surprised…But we’d rather focus on our own movie. And we are feeling confident, because we all did our best,” Nadine said. According to James, he does not know how to react as it is the first time he has experienced such a situation involving movie play dates. Does he feel threatened? “John Lloyd is the king of this genre…Our movies may be different in feel but, still, that’s John Lloyd,” he said. “But I have always believed in healthy competition—we need that to improve.” E-mail [email protected]

2016-05-09 00:11 Allan Policarpio entertainment.inquirer.net

9 Rachelle Ann Go returns to London On May 1, the Manila staging of “Les Misèrables” held its last show and closed its curtains after a stellar seven-week run. And Rachelle Ann Go, who played tragic character Fantine in the iconic musical, described the experience as “bittersweet.” “I’m so happy I was able to share with the Filipino audience what I do in London. At the same time, I am sad that I will be leaving my family again—I will miss them,” said the singer-actress, who will continue portraying the role in the production’s residency in the West End, starting May 12. “I will also miss the packed meals my mother always prepared for me,” she added. “I am spoiled here!” So, despite her busy schedule, which required her to do eight shows a week, Rachelle Ann made the most out of her stay in the country, making sure to spend her free time with family and close friends. She also took the opportunity to finally move into her new home in Pasig City. “I have been praying for this my whole life. It’s a simple home, but my family and I will all be living in it—and that’s what’s important,” she told a group of reporters at a media conference for “Divas: Live in Manila,” the concert she’ll topbill with Kyla, Angeline Quinto, Yeng Constantino and KZ Tandingan at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Nov. 11. “My new bedroom has a London vibe to it, to remind me of that part of my life and career. It is rustic…I also have a music room,” added the 29-year-old artist, who previously landed the role of hardened bar girl Gigi in “Miss Saigon,” also in London. “It was tiring, but this is what I want.” Unfortunately, juggling work and her personal life amid the punishing Manila weather eventually took a toll on her body. Rachelle Ann fell sick, lost her voice and was thus forced to miss a number of shows. While some people couldn’t help but air their frustrations over not seeing Shin—as she is fondly called by those close to her—there were many others, she said, who were more understanding of her situation. “I was just as frustrated about it because of the terrible timing. I felt bad,” she said. “Perhaps it was a gentle reminder from God that I have to take things easier.” “Les Misèrables’” London staging runs until December this year. After that, Rachelle Ann said she intends to pursue still-under-wraps plans: “I’m turning 30 this year. I can see myself continuing my theater work.” In “Divas,” Rachelle Ann said fans can expect her to perform songs from the two musicals she’s been part of, as well as show tunes associated with characters from other musicals she hopes to act in someday— like “Wicked” or “Hamilton.” “I’d love to perform on Broadway, too,” she disclosed. “I like claiming things—so, one day, it will happen!” E-mail [email protected]

2016-05-09 00:11 Allan Policarpio entertainment.inquirer.net

10 TRO filed to stop DOLE guidelines on work hours in show biz industry Broadcast network ABS-CBN has filed a petition for a 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the implementation of the labor department advisory providing the guidelines on work hours in the movie and television industry. In a petition filed with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court last Tuesday, ABS-CBN and its cable TV production subsidiary Creative Programs Inc. (CPI) questioned the validity of Labor Advisory 04-2016 issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on April 26. It claimed that Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz issued the advisory “with undue haste and without consulting” key industry players. The network said that consultations were not completed when the DOLE “suddenly issued the labor advisory…despite the ongoing meetings with broadcast management and workers.” It pointed out that the advisory was issued on the very day the [DOLE] “hurriedly met with broadcast management representatives—a meeting attended only by ABS-CBN—to request data that would help them understand the TV industry.” In the same meeting, the DOLE announced that it would conduct site visits in the first week of May, then draft a department order, which would then be presented to industry stakeholders for comment. The petition also described the assailed labor advisory as the DOLE’s latest “public relations gambit…[to] grandstand and project a sham pro-labor image in time for Labor Day.” The network claimed that the DOLE’s move to “regulate” even non-employees, such as independent contractors, “is a clear case of executive overreach.” Once implemented, the provisions of the DOLE advisory would interfere with the network’s existing contracts with its employees or workers, as well as its independent contractors, the petition stated. ABS-CBN, in a statement sent to the Inquirer, however, stressed that it “has always championed and supported any development, whether initiated by the DOLE or not, that ensures the health and well-being of its workers.” The labor advisory was a response to a call to action by industry personalities on what they deemed as stressful environment and long working hours on the set of television shows and films. Under the advisory, workers and talents should not exceed eight hours of work a day, and that their maximum actual hours of work should not exceed 12 hours in any 24-hour period. Baldoz added that provisions found in Republic Act 9231 should be strictly followed in relation to the employment of children. She likewise said that the “waiting time” spent by workers during production period should also be considered as “working time, if they are required or engaged to wait.” Also included in the labor advisory are provisions on occupational safety and health standards. It further stated that “adequate transportation to and from the location or set must be provided to the workers or reimbursed by the network, company or outfit of the costs incurred by the worker in commuting.” Lastly, the labor chief declared that industry workers should also be covered by agencies such as Pag-Ibig, PhilHealth, Social Security System, Employees’ Compensation Program, among others.

2016-05-09 00:11 Marinel R entertainment.inquirer.net

11 7 nabbed for carrying gun, distributing leaflets vs mayor in Muntinlupa MANILA — Shortly after the end of the campaign season for the May 9 polls, police officials arrested seven men who pretended to be members of the media in distributing leaflets against re-election seeker, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi. Senior Supt. Nicolas Salvador, officer-in-charge of the Muntinlupa City Police, identified the suspects as Eufemio Reynaldo, Robert Andrew Enagan, Limuel de Luna, Michael Madarang, Ronaldo Manalo, Aldrin Bunyi, and Roberto Apostol. A report by the city’s police station said the suspects were caught distributing leaflets at the corner of San Guillermo and Bruger Streets in Barangay Putatan in Muntinlupa around 12:10 a.m. on Sunday. The leaflets contained the masthead of a major broadsheet and a press release intended to attack the negative deeds of Fresnedi’s administration. “Dukha na, inaapi pa (Already poor but oppressed further),” read the head of the leaflet, which was attached to a rolled national broadsheet. It also alleged that Fresnedi earned from the recent fires in the city. Meanwhile, city government employees said the attempt at black propaganda was an act of a demolition job from one of Fresnedi’s rivals. One employee who asked for anonymity said that they were surprised by the attack on the mayor as his administration “only offers good governance to its people.” Police recovered from the suspects a .45-caliber gun and black propaganda materials. The suspects will be charged with two counts of libel and illegal possession of firearms under the Omnibus Election Code. Further inquest proceedings will be done before the Muntinlupa City Prosecutor’s Office. The suspects remain in the custody of the Muntinlupa police. (With reports from John Cyril Yee, trainee) SFM

2016-05-09 00:11 Maricar B newsinfo.inquirer.net

12 Not all great minds think alike in new season of ‘Silicon Valley’ The HBO comedy series, “Silicon Valley,” returns for a third season, pointedly satirizing the goings- on in the tech biz anew with its collection of socially confused geniuses and their less-than- ideal business dealings involving their brainchild. The series, populated by the tech hub’s ultracompetitive geeks and their über-wealthy rivals, centers on a brainiac, Richard Hendriks (Thomas Middleditch), whose business decisions aren’t always sound. It’s either that or his naiveté is taken advantage of by such competitors, who think of ways to profit from his work, a unique compression algorithm. Following his victory in a copyright infringement lawsuit, Richard has been fired as CEO of his own company, and very reluctantly accepts the input of the new boss, Jack Barker (Stephen Tobolowsky), to focus on the technical nitty-gritties of his work as chief technology officer. Two episodes in, it’s still a heady mix of highbrow and lowbrow humor—for every scene with near-incomprehensible tech-speak or science gobbledygook, there are genitalia jokes and bizarre imagery—like mating horses in a barn, for instance (Jack likes horses). The early episodes of the new season show how Richard and Jack may be exceptional in their respective fields, but not all great minds think alike—they don’t see eye to eye on how the startup company should be run and advertised. After the untimely demise of actor Christopher Evan Welch, who played eccentric investor Peter Gregory, Richard’s future, as well as that of his team of techsperts and smart alecks, was greatly affected in Season Two. But the show was able to integrate that loss into the storyline, and tap into various possibilities. Richard, while still mostly the mild-mannered developer, gets to show other facets, mainly his rage and utter confusion at his new business ordeal. His “discoverer” Erlich Bachman (TJ Miller) is considerably less cocky, but remains a smart entrepreneur—and is still a hilarious foil to the protagonist. The satire is relevant, an enlightening and mostly accessible skewering of not-so-wonderful things about the information age, while presenting universal conundrums mirthfully. (“Silicon Valley” airs Mondays, 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., on HBO.)

2016-05-09 00:11 Oliver M entertainment.inquirer.net

13 Vote-buying? It’s ‘sharing of blessings’ “Have you received your showers?” This has been the familiar greeting in Bohol province in the past days instead of “Hello” or “How are you?” It happens only during the election season when candidates resort to vote-buying to win races for various positions. READ: Vote buying makes its presence felt In the Visayas, the going rate ranges from a low P50 per voter for a single candidate to P3,000 for a straight vote for a party slate and to P10,000 for votes of an entire family. Elections are a traditionally volatile time in a country infamous for lax gun laws and a violent political culture, and the people have been inflamed again this year by allegations of massive corruption from the local village to presidential level. Everywhere “Vote-buying is everywhere,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Luie Tito F. Guia told reporters. “We are receiving reports that everything is being used to buy votes, not only money. It could be [plastic] basins, groceries.” Such small gifts are an effective, if illegal, way for politicians to win support in a country where roughly one quarter of its 100 million people live below the poverty line. To try to check vote-buying, the Comelec has banned mobile phones in polling places. This is so people cannot photograph their ballots to prove to vote-buyers that they cast their ballots for the right candidates. Aside from cash, candidates are offering and giving groceries, including laundry soap, coffee and noodles. Some give money in the guise of “educational assistance.” Going rates In Bohol, the going rate for local positions is P100 to P1,000 per voter, depending on how close the contest is perceived in a particular area. Sometimes it’s a “package deal” for a whole family or household for as much as P3,000 to P10,000, according to voters interviewed by the Inquirer. Maricel (not her real name), 40, a registered voter in Tagbilaran City, slept late on Thursday. She was waiting for someone who would deliver the uwan-uwan (showers). A mother of three children, aged 3, 8 and 12, Maricel said she was not selling her vote, reasoning she would stick to her choice of candidates. “They (candidates) are just sharing their blessings to us [and] we just received it,” she said. She showed the P740 given to her on Friday. “It’s only during elections that we can have this big amount,” she said. In Tagbilaran, a political party gave P200 to P500 per voter. But voters would receive more because the majority of candidates also gave P20 to P50 per voter on top of the party handout. First wave In Panglao town, also in Bohol, voters received at least P1,400 each on Saturday from several candidates. “That’s for the first wave. We are expecting second wave on Sunday evening or early Monday,” said Nora, 35, a resident of Barangay Tawala. In Balilihan and Corella towns, voters were given sachets of instant coffee, noodles, laundry soap, lighter and cash ranging from P20 to P50. Rice and liquor were also given. Voters in Ubay town got from P20 to P300 and two bars of laundry soap. The two dioceses of the Catholic Church in Bohol have discouraged vote-buying and vote- selling, which were rampant in the province. Rev. Fr. Felix Warli Salise, director of the Diocese of Tagbilaran Social Action Center, said the Church was reminding parishioners to choose morally upright leaders. In Calbayog City in Samar province, envelopes containing P100 to P3,000 and sample ballots were distributed to voters early Saturday. In the southern area of Samar, vote-buying ranges from P1,500 to P2,000, while in island-towns, the rate rose to up to P5,000 per voter, according to voters. Coming home Some voters have returned to their hometowns to claim the money. Rochelle, who is working as a nanny in Calbayog, went home to the island-town of Tagapul-an upon instruction of her father because the “budget” must be claimed personally. “P5,000 is a big amount,” she said. Some of her friends and relatives in Manila also went home with free fare, according to Rochelle. Politicians reportedly chartered buses to transport voters living outside the province. Free boat rides were given to those coming from Cebu. Iloilo prices In Iloilo, some candidates have offered P3,000 to families as “educational assistance,” said Msgr. Meliton Oso, provincial coordinator of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. “We have received many reports. We expect the reports to increase on Sunday and Monday,” he told the Inquirer. Candidates are giving out P500 to P1,000 per voter, depending on what position they are running for. Lea (not her real name), a voter in Molo District in Iloilo City, said each voter in her family had received P500 from a supporter of a vice presidential candidate. She declined to identify the candidate. The amount being given by political parties ranges from P1,500 to P3,000 for a “straight vote,” including candidates for President and Vice President and local positions. But Roel (not real name), a pedicab driver in Pavia town in Iloilo, expected to get P300, the same amount he received in 2013. “There’s really no tight contest and many candidates are unopposed. So the amount may be just the same or smaller,” he told the Inquirer in Hiligaynon. With a report from AFP/TVJ RELATED STORIES Vote-buying, ‘indelible ink’ operations rampant in Manila, claim bets Police arrest 7 for vote buying in two Bulacan towns Marcos warns of admin’s ‘Plan B’ on poll cheating Aquino: Look who’s talking about cheating

2016-05-09 00:11 Jennifer Allegado newsinfo.inquirer.net

14 Jowen wants to end sad plight of OFW families (Fifth of a series) Jowen Avila, 23, has always looked forward to this time of the year, when his parents would return home from abroad. For his mother Annie, the event this time is special. She will vote for the first time in today’s elections. Now 61, Annie left the country in 1984 for a nursing job at a hospital in Saudi Arabia. His father, Josefito, 56, followed in 1990 to work as an engineer. Recent national statistics show that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) numbered an estimated 4 million, anytime from April to September 2015. Saudi Arabia remains to be the top destination of OFWs for the given period, with one in every four Filipinos, or 24.7 percent, working there. The situation has not changed despite job insecurity, harsh political, working and geographical conditions abroad, and most importantly, the sacrifice of separation from family. All five presidential candidates—Jejomar Binay, Rodrigo Duterte, Grace Poe, Mar Roxas and Miriam Defensor Santiago—have vowed to strengthen the Philippine economy and provide more jobs so it would not be a necessity for Filipinos to leave. They have also proposed improvements in legal assistance for the OFWs. Greener pastures “Like other OFWs, my parents have gone abroad to seek greener pastures—to be able to provide their children a comfortable life,” Avila said. His elder sister, Joanne, 25, also works as a nurse in Saudi Arabia. Nephews, nieces and cousins have sought better lives outside the Philippines. His parents live and work in two different cities in Saudi Arabia. Annie had to return home to give birth to him in Surigao, without her husband who was still bound by his working contract. Avila grew up with aunts, uncles and grandparents, only meeting his parents once a year every summer. He would look forward to the end of school because it would also mean his parents would be home. But growing up without them also meant a different family structure. Avila and his sister, before she went abroad for better fortunes abroad, had been only family members left in the Philippines. As a child, Avila looked forward to balikbayan boxes filled with toys and goodies. Communicating through Skype helped bridged the gap and somehow brought the family together. “My parents and sister spent their first Christmas together last year in Saudi Arabia, but it was also the first Christmas that I spent here alone, because I chose to stay here,” Avila said. He refused to follow in the footsteps of his parents, sister and relatives who are abroad. “I don’t want to feed the cycle they started,” he said. A sophomore law student at San Beda College, Avila said that being a lawyer in the Philippines is his best shot for a better future. Before attending law school, Avila, a journalism graduate from University of Santo Tomas, didn’t have much luck in finding a job suitable to his degree. His first employment was at an outsourcing company in Makati City, but he didn’t pass the probation period. His next job was at an online English tutoring firm in Quezon City. He stayed in the job for a year and three months. He said he wasn’t happy anymore. “I applied for other jobs, but I didn’t hear anything from them. I thought of applying for call centers for easy money,” he said. While seeking employment, Avila felt demoralized going through all the processes: applying for several, almost nonrelated jobs, knowing his employment would probably be terminated soon and finding a job fit for his degree. “When I got home [from an interview], I talked with my mom via Skype and told her I don’t know, I don’t think I want [the job],” he said, referring to one of his many applications. He said his father had suggested that he leave the country, too. But he refused, knowing that most employment opportunities abroad look for technical skill and hard labor. Writing is not one of them, he said. Avila added that his parents had no plan to work abroad. “They will retire soon. If I work there, I would have to stay there,” he said. “And if that’s the case, I don’t want for us to be separated again.” Bittersweet Compared to many other stories of OFWs abroad, Jowen’s parents—as licensed professionals —are still fortunate. Many other OFWs working as domestic helpers or hard laborers face abusive employers and unjust living conditions. Yet, no matter the type of work, there is no complete sense of security in a foreign land. Avila said that along with fellow nurses, his sister had been petitioning for their passports to be returned to them by their employer. “It’s scary there, too. My sister tells of stories of Filipinos who just went out to buy something, then a random stranger would take them,” he said. “They really have to be alert… And even discreet in celebrations.” To be called “modern heroes” as they search for job stability away from home is bittersweet for OFWs. They have continued to become a formidable economic force with remittances that amounted to $25.76 billion in 2015. Yet out of 7,182 OFWs facing legal problems abroad, 79 of them are in death row, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Jowen hopes that time will come when there will be no need for Filipinos to leave and work abroad. But he knows that as long as the economy and the working conditions in the Philippines would not improve, many Filipinos would still be forced to do so. “The next President needs to go great lengths in ensuring job security, especially since this year is a transition stage in our economy,” he said. TVJ RELATED STORIES Mass layoff due to energy crisis threatens OFWs in Saudi–Migrante Cayetano laments gov’t’s shortcomings in protecting OFWs

2016-05-09 00:11 Jhesset O globalnation.inquirer.net

15 Monitor poll results in Inquirer Want to be among the first to know who the new President is? The Inquirer will give you that information fast. After voting ends at 5 p.m. today, the Inquirer will start reporting the results of the national and local elections straight from the mirror server of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) and Inquirer.net are among the few news organizations the Comelec has granted access to electronically transmitted election precinct results from its mirror server at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Ermita, Manila. It will be the same election results that will be received by four parties directly from the transparency server—the Liberal Party as the dominant majority party, United Nationalist Alliance as the dominant minority party, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), the citizen’s arm authorized by the Comelec to conduct the unofficial count. Official, unofficial count Under the automated election system, results from 92,509 vote-counting machines (VCMs) in 369,138 precincts are electronically transmitted to the board of canvassers, the Comelec central server and the transparency server at Pope Pius. The media organizations will receive the same data from a mirror or redundancy server. The PPCRV will conduct the authorized unofficial count from its command center at Pope Pius. Ana de Villa Singson, PPCRV national media and communications director, said the group expected the first unofficial count around 7 tonight. The Comelec will later hold the official canvass of senatorial and party-list winners at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, followed by the official canvass of the presidential and vice presidential candidates conducted by the joint houses of Congress. Delivering fast unofficial results on different media platforms to our readers is one of the highlights of the Inquirer Group’s #VotePH2016 ThinQ. Vote. election coverage. With more than 200 reporters, editors, correspondents and photographers in Metro Manila and other parts of the country, the Inquirer promises to deliver credible, relevant, timely and comprehensive report of the hotly contested 2016 elections. The Inquirer Group includes the PDI, Inquirer.net, Radyo Inquirer 990 AM, Inquirer Bandera, Inquirer Libre, Cebu Daily News and its accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Viber, Line, Kakao Talk, FireChat, WeChat and Telegram. Latest results With access to the Comelec-GMA mirror server for the first time, the different Inquirer news platforms will post up-to-the-minute results to our readers on their smartphones, desktops, tablets and smart watches. Inquirer.net’s updated special site with results (inquirer.net/elections2016) is set to go live at 3:30 p.m. today and will be updated every 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the transmissions from the transparency and mirror servers. Highlighted on the election site homepage are the number of votes received by the five presidential, six vice presidential and 52 senatorial candidates, and their rankings. The election site homepage will also display the number of precincts that have transmitted their results, as well as a map of the Philippines, whose 81 provinces and Metro Manila will change from gray to the assigned color of the presidential candidate leading in the area. Users can also find out the leading candidates for President, Vice President and governor by hovering on each province if they use a desktop, or by clicking if they use a mobile phone or tablet. Local election results will also be made available on the website in table form. Other features of the election special site include the latest stories, election-related primers and curated, crowdsourced posts from Inquirer reporters, the Inquirer volunteer corps and users who add to their social media posts the hashtag #VotePH2016. Results in infographic form will also be posted on Facebook.com/inquirerdotnet and Twitter.com/inquirerdotnet, the Inquirer’s official, verified Facebook and Twitter accounts. On the go and glued to your smartphone? Get alerts and the latest results on FireChat (http://firech.at/inquirerdotnet), Kakao Talk (http://inq.news/kakao), Line (http://inq.news/line), Viber (http://www.viber.com/inquirer) and WeChat (http://inq.news/wechat). Mobile app You can also download the Inquirer Mobile app at http://inq.news/app. Radyo Inquirer 990AM will also report the results as they come. The paper will report the latest results at press time, aside from reports from more than 80 correspondents in the provinces. The Inquirer is one of the election partners of GMA Network. RELATED STORIES ELECTION 2016: AGENDA OF THE NEXT PRESIDENT The Election Coverage with Inquirer 990 TV

2016-05-09 00:11 Juliet Labog newsinfo.inquirer.net

16 Comelec expects 75-80% voter turnout The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expecting today a turnout of 75-80 percent from 54,363,844 registered voters in what it promises to be the “most transparent” polling in recent history. More than 40 million voters are projected to report to 92,000 precincts across the country to cast their ballots in the country’s second automated presidential election. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the poll body was expecting a voter turnout of at least 75 percent, surpassing the 74-percent turnout in the 2010 presidential election. READ: Filipinos set to vote: Slow reform or promise of big change? To add a layer of transparency to today’s elections, the Comelec announced on Sunday that an online site system would be made available to the public once voting ends later today. The public can view at the online site “near real-time” the transmitted election returns and certificates of canvass. “Anyone with a calculator and a lot of time could actually do [the computation]. That’s precisely the point of this website. It democratizes the count so anyone can [predict the winners] … and make an educated guess,” Jimenez said. The site, www.pilipinaselectionresults2016.com, will show transmissions received, election returns by location and certificates of canvass by area. On the eve of the elections, Comelec Chair Andres Bautista issued last-minute tips to voters to avoid possible disenfranchisement brought about by long lines and the summer heat. At a press briefing, Bautista said that while the Comelec was better prepared today than it was in 2010 and 2013, it was a bit wary of the effects of the activation of the voter’s receipt feature. Long lines “What is new to the automated elections is the printing of the receipt and we don’t know how this will affect the implementation [and] the process of voting, especially the time a voter can cast his ballot,” he said. He said long lines aggravated by sizzling temperatures could discourage people from going to voting centers. To ease the possible long queues, Bautista advised voters to have a prepared list of their chosen candidates, know their designated precincts in advance and wear comfortable clothes. “Fourth, bring a lot of patience,” he said. He instructed voters not only to file a complaint with the board of election inspectors should they find discrepancies between their ballots and the printed voter receipts, but also to use social media prudently. “You can use social media in a good way but also to spread disinformation. We are calling on voters and netizens to be critical about what they read or see on social media,” Bautista said. Ready Jimenez said the poll body was 100 percent ready. “We are better prepared in this year’s elections compared to the previous ones and as what our chairman has promised, this will be the most transparent elections in the history of the Comelec,” he told reporters. Jimenez also said that so far, the agency had not encountered hitches in its preparations. At the press briefing, Bautista said the Comelec had already checked the veracity of reports of poll fraud from overseas Filipino voters and from precincts in Lanao del Sur province, Davao Oriental province and Cagayan province. Votes for a certain presidential candidate were said to have been credited to an opponent. “There is no truth to these reports and we expect more of these reports to come,” the poll chief said. TVJ RELATED STORIES Philippine election could cause heartburn for its US ally 11 Things You Should Bring to the Polling Precinct

2016-05-09 00:11 Jocelyn R newsinfo.inquirer.net

17 Duterte man to beat The race for Malacañang ends in national balloting today with mass murder advocate Rodrigo Duterte the man four other candidates need to beat to become the next President of the Philippines. Duterte’s promises of aggressive, even deadly, measures to wipe out crime have alarmed rivals, who warned at their final campaign rallies on Saturday night of danger should the Davao City mayor clinch the presidency. Outgoing President Benigno Aquino III, making a final pitch for straggling administration standard-bearer Mar Roxas, warned that voting for Duterte carried dangers similar to Hitler and would bring terror to the nation. READ: Distasteful Duterte: The Maid Episode “I hope we learn the lessons of history. We should remember how Hitler came to power,” Mr. Aquino said at the final rally for Roxas at Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. “If you allow them to oppress your fellowman and you do not speak up, you will be the next to be oppressed,” Mr. Aquino said. READ : ‘Dutertismo’ or clearheaded patriotism? Duterte, the front-runner in all the voter preference polls for the presidential election, has hypnotized millions of voters with his promises to eradicate crime and corruption. Mass killings At his final rally in Rizal Park in Manila on Saturday night, the trash-talking mayor of Davao City repeatedly warned more than 300,000 supporters that there would be mass killings under his presidency. READ: Presidential favorite Duterte to ‘butcher’ criminals In his 90-minute, well-applauded speech, the last of his campaign, Duterte vowed to forget human rights if he won the election and “butcher” criminals. “Forget the laws on human rights,” Duterte said, as he boasted of killing criminals during his more than two decades as mayor of Davao. “If I make it to Malacañang, I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, holdup men and do-nothings, you better get out because I’ll kill you,” he said. Duterte said he was prepared to butcher a criminal even in front of human rights campaigners or other critics. “I will butcher him in front of them if they want,” he said. “Duterte! Duterte!” the crowd chanted every time the brash mayor used the word “kill.” Duterte, 71, has made his threats to kill criminals outside the justice system the centerpiece of his campaign strategy, outraging critics but winning the hearts of millions in an electorate who are fed up with rampant lawlessness and official corruption. Foul mouth He has used foul language, including calling the Pope a “son of a bitch,” to cast himself as an antiestablishment politician, capturing the admiration of millions who have brought him from the political backwaters of poverty-ridden Mindanao to the forefront of national elections dominated by the elite. His rivals and critics have been alarmed by his campaign promises of ending crime within six months of his presidency by ordering the military and the police to kill tens of thousands of suspected criminals, then pardon himself if he is found guilty of mass murder. Duterte has been accused of running death squads in Davao that have killed more than 1,000 suspected criminals. At times he has boasted about his involvement but on other occasions denied any links to the vigilantes. READ: Davao Death Squad to go national? / WHAT WENT BEFORE: Davao Death Squad Not a communist He has also warned that as President he will shut down Congress and establish a revolutionary government if lawmakers do not endorse his policies or move for his impeachment. But at his final rally on Saturday night, Duterte said he would not declare martial law except if the people rose against him. “I won’t declare martial law. But if you mutiny, I will do it. I have to protect the government,” he said. READ : Ping Lacson on Duterte presidency: God help us He promised to replicate throughout the Philippines his achievements in Davao City, bringing not only peace and order but also food on every table by making basic goods always “available and affordable.” Duterte said he would be the country’s first “left-leaning President,” but denied he was a communist, though he was a student of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison. READ: Duterte is Joma Sison’s disciple—Trillanes “I am not a communist. But I am a socialist. I belong to the left of center,” he said. READ: Joma Sison: Duterte victory good for national unity Controversies Duterte has most recently caused disgust in international diplomatic circles with a joke that he wanted to have been the first to rape a beautiful Australian missionary who was gang-raped and murdered in a prison riot in Davao in 1989. READ: Despite outcry over rape ‘joke,’ Duterte refuses to say sorry Called out by the Australian and American ambassadors on the joke, Duterte told them to “shut up” and dared them to sever ties with the Philippines. As the campaign went into its last two weeks, Duterte was accused of concealing millions of pesos in undisclosed bank accounts and charging for 11,000 nonexistent employees in the Davao municipal government. READ: Duterte used bank accounts to launder funds from ‘ghost workers’–Trillanes No dent on popularity The accusations, however, failed to dent his popularity and the campaign ended on Saturday with the thuggish political outsider keeping a huge lead in the polls. A last-minute attempt by President Aquino to unify the other presidential candidates to prevent the election of Duterte failed as soon as it became known on Friday, with the mayor’s other rivals refusing to give way to Roxas, who failed to gain traction with the voters during the three- month campaign. Challenger Duterte’s closest rival, Sen. Grace Poe, the adopted daughter of the late movie actor Fernando Poe Jr., is seen as the most likely to challenge him in today’s ballot. The principal target of Mr. Aquino’s call for an alliance against Duterte, Poe refused to withdraw from the race, calling such as a decision a “subversion of the people’s will.” Poe’s propoor platform has resonated among Filipinos, as her life story: abandoned in a church shortly after birth and adopted by movie stars. Vice President Jejomar Binay, the early favorite, has fallen to fourth place under the weight of a barrage of corruption allegations. Sen Miriam Defensor Santiago, battling lung cancer, finished the race but never got past the last spot. With reports from AFP/TVJ RELATED VIDEOS

2016-05-09 00:11 Niña P newsinfo.inquirer.net

18 Arrest Made in Hit-and-Run Death of MMA Fighter in Florida Police in Florida have arrested a man whose license had been suspended for the fatal crash that killed mixed martial arts fighter Jordan Parsons. Delray Beach police spokeswoman Dani Moschella said in a statement Saturday that Dennis Wright faces multiple charges including leaving the scene of a crash causing death. Jail records show he also faces charges of tampering with evidence and driving with a suspended license. Parsons was wearing headphones in a crosswalk when he was hit by a Range Rover traveling up to 120 miles per hour on Federal Highway last Sunday. The Range Rover never stopped, and neither did a Mercedes being driven by Wright's friend that was traveling behind the SUV, according to Delray Beach police. An anonymous tipster passed on Wright's name to detectives and they discovered that Wright's mother owned a Range Rover. Wright attempted to have the vehicle repaired at a body shop but the owner refused to do the work. Wright then rented a bay at a storage facility and hid the Range Rover there, according to a statement from the Delray Beach Police. Wright's license has been suspended six times, Moschella said. On Sunday, a judge set Wright's bond at $600,000, well above the $50,000 bond requested by Wright's attorney. Wright's attorney, Robert Resnick, told The Palm Beach Post ( http://pbpo.st/1WSV7Xd ) that all the facts in the case haven't yet come out. "There are a lot of facts that have not been established in this case," Resnick said. Parsons fought for Bellator MMA and had an 11-2-0 record. Bellator president Scott Coker last week called Parsons "an exceptional athlete and a rising star in the sport. " ——— Information from: The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, http://www.pbpost.com ——— Information from: The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, http://www.pbpost.com

2016-05-09 00:11 By abcnews.go.com

19 Investigative journalism more important than ever Follow @andyshawbga Investigative reporters at newspapers like the Sun-Times and watchdog organizations like the Better Government Association do what they do because they’re committed to uncovering nasty secrets about what’s really going on, and hoping their disclosures spark necessary changes. It’s a mission epitomized by our BGA mantra: “Shining a light on government and holding public officials accountable.” We’re not in it for money or accolades, but we’re fiercely competitive — get it first, get it right, have it matter — and that’s one reason we compete for local and national awards. Follow @andyshawbga Competition helps us measure the quality of our work — the investigative choices we make, the information we uncover and disclose, and its impact. I’m proud to say the BGA and Sun-Times, frequently in partnership, have been honored numerous times. We also host our own journalism competition every spring, with a panel of experts judging entries for the BGA’s annual awards reception, sponsored by The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. The receptions also feature conversations with prominent national investigative journalists, and next Monday, May 16, we’ll be welcoming the now-famous Boston Globe Spotlight team that won print journalism’s biggest prize, a Pulitzer, in 2003, for uncovering a sex abuse scandal in the Boston Archdiocese, and a cover-up by top church officials. You may have seen the reporters, and the actors who portrayed them, at the Academy Awards in February, where “Spotlight,” the movie based on their extraordinary reporting, won Best Picture. Michael Keaton as Walter “Robby” Robinson, Rachel McAdams as Sacha Pfeiffer, and Mark Ruffalo as Mike Rezendes. Onstage, producer Michael Sugar dedicated the Oscar to the abuse victims, saying: “Pope Francis, it’s time to protect the children and restore the faith.” The Globe characterized the award as “an underdog win for a movie about an underdog profession,” calling the film “an ode to the hard-nosed, methodical work of a journalism increasingly seldom practiced.” Sadly, there is less investigative journalism these days because of media cutbacks driven by declining ad revenues. Investigations are expensive, time-consuming and labor-intensive — an easy target for bean counters. Newspaper executive Marty Baron supervised the sex abuse investigation at the Globe, and now, more than a decade later, he’s uneasy about the future of investigative work: “It’s a cause for grave concern.” We’ll be talking about that concern with the Spotlight team next week, and debriefing their investigation: How a few isolated abuse stories eventually sparked a painstaking, 20-month fact- finding hunt that uncovered an enormous scandal — ugly travesties that rocked a venerated religious institution, shocked an entire city and gave the victims a measure of justice. It should be a fascinating and inspiring evening that will also include BGA awards to this year’s finalists: WBEZ, the online magazine Slate, and a newspaper in downstate Belleville. We’ll recap the event and post pictures and videos on our website. Clearly, economic pressures will continue to threaten traditional investigative journalism, but nonprofits like the BGA, with the help of generous donors, are picking up some of the slack. And as I watch our investigative team and its media partners speak truth to power — buoyed by the celebration of their craft at cinema’s highest level — I’m confident the quality of their work will continue to make a difference. As Blye Pagon, another “Spotlight” producer, told the Academy Awards audience: “We would not be here today without the heroic efforts of our reporters. Not only do they affect global change — they absolutely show us the necessity for investigative journalism.” Amen. Email: [email protected] Tweets by @andyshawbga

2016-05-09 00:11 Andy Shaw chicago.suntimes.com

20 Yemeni Officials Say Forces Evicting Northerners From Aden Yemeni officials say pro-government forces in the southern port city of Aden are detaining and evicting to the north hundreds of civilians. They say armed groups have been raiding shops, restaurants and homes, arresting more than 2,000 northerners they say pose a threat to "security. " The officials say they suspect the evictions are the work of secessionists who want southern Yemen to break away from the north, with which it was united in 1990. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Aden was among the first cities where forces of the internationally recognized government drove out Shiite rebels as part of Yemen's war pitting government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, against Shiite rebels known as Houthis and their allies.

2016-05-09 00:11 By abcnews.go.com

21 Israel Nabs Group Suspected of Scamming European Companies Israeli police say they have caught a group of Israeli citizens, including French immigrants, suspected of tricking European companies into sending the group millions of euros in recent months. Police say the group of eight posed as individuals known to the companies, and convinced company employees to transfer them money. They say the group then tried to hide the funds. Police arrested the group members last week. The Israeli news site Ynet says group members posed as company executives and scammed companies in Belgium , France and Italy. Police say they are working to expose other similar Israel-based scams, and are cooperating with law enforcement agencies abroad. Gilbert Chikli, a French-Israeli living in Israel and wanted in France, is credited with inventing a similar scam that has inspired copycats.

2016-05-09 00:11 By abcnews.go.com

22 Nursing Homes Turn to Eviction to Drop Difficult Patients Nursing homes are increasingly evicting their most challenging residents, testing protections for some of society's most vulnerable, advocates for the aged and disabled say. Those targeted for eviction are frequently poor and suffering from dementia, with families unsure of what to do, according to residents' allies. Removing them allows an often stretched-thin staff to avoid the demands of labor-intensive patients in favor of ones who are easier and more profitable. "When they get tired of caring for the resident, they kick the resident out," said Richard Mollot of the Long Term Care Community Coalition, a New York advocacy group. Complaints and lawsuits across the U. S. point to a spike in evictions even as observers note available records only give a glimpse of the problem. An Associated Press analysis of federal data from the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program finds complaints about discharges and evictions are up about 57 percent since 2000. It was the top-reported grievance in 2014, with 11,331 such issues logged by ombudsmen, who work to resolve problems faced by residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other adult- care settings. The American Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes, defends the discharge process as lawful and necessary to remove residents who can't be kept safe or who endanger the safety of others, and says processes are in place to ensure evictions aren't done improperly. Dr. David Gifford, a senior vice president with the group, said a national policy discussion is necessary because there are a growing number of individuals with complex, difficult-to-manage cases who outpace the current model of what a nursing home offers. "There are times these individuals can't be managed or they require so much staff attention to manage them that the other residents are endangered," he said. The numbers of both nursing homes and residents in the U. S. have decreased in recent years; about 1.4 million people occupy about 15,600 homes now. The overall number of complaints across a spectrum of issues has fallen in the past decade, though complaints about evictions are down only slightly from their high-water mark in 2007, the federal figures show. Meanwhile, the share of complaints that evictions and discharges represent has steadily grown, holding the top spot since 2010. Advocates say offending facilities routinely flout federal law, attempting to exploit and widen justifications for discharge. They say hospitalizations are a common time when facilities seek to purge residents, even though the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 guarantees Medicaid recipients' beds must be held in their nursing homes during hospital stays of up to a week. "They try and take the easy way out and refuse to let the person back in," said Eric Carlson, an attorney who has contested evictions for the advocacy group Justice in Aging. Bruce Anderson, 66, suffered a brain injury more than a decade ago, and had been through several transfers before ending up at Norwood Pines Alzheimer's Care Center in Sacramento, California. His daughter, Sara Anderson, said the facility began insisting it wasn't an appropriate setting for him, and after he was hospitalized with pneumonia, he wasn't allowed back. She saw the action as retaliatory after repeated complaints about her father's care. She appealed the facility's action and won, but said it still refused to let him back. He remains hospitalized. "It doesn't matter if you win or lose it, there's not enforcement of these hearings. We didn't know that the hearing was pointless," she said. Norwood Pines did not return calls seeking comment. Federal law allows unrequested transfers of residents for a handful of reasons: the facility's closure; failure to pay; risk posed to the health and safety of others; improvement in the resident's condition to the point of no longer needing the home's services; or because the facility can no longer meet the person's needs. Though that final category is often cited in evictions, advocates dispute how often it fits. "The majority of the time, it's because the resident is considered difficult," said Tony Chicotel, an attorney for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. Chicotel says involuntary discharges are almost entirely focused on Medicaid beneficiaries and that economics sometimes play a role in the ousters. Rather than a long-term Medicaid patient, many facilities would prefer to fill a bed with a private-pay resident or a short-term rehabilitation patient, whose care typically brings a far higher reimbursement rate under Medicare. Vicki Becker of Sammamish, Washington, said she began receiving pressure from administrators at her mother's assisted living facility about two years ago to have the then-94- year-old transferred elsewhere. For the first six years she had lived in the home, she had paid more than $5,000 monthly. It was only after Becker's mother exhausted her savings and went on Medicaid that the facility initiated discharge proceedings, making her wonder if money was a factor. Becker hired a lawyer and enlisted the help of the local ombudsman to fight the eviction. Though the facility eventually dropped the discharge case, it left her feeling as if her mother's rights had been violated. "It was her home," she said. "What an awful thing to do to somebody. " Whatever facilities' reasons, the process can be harrowing. "It's not just losing their home. It's losing their whole community, it's losing their familiar caregivers, it's losing their roommate, it's losing the people they sit with and have meals with," said Alison Hirschel, an attorney who directs the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative and has fought evictions. "It's completely devastating. " Agyemang Bediako knows the feeling well. After breaking both legs in a jump from a burning building, he found himself recovering at a New York City nursing home. He said he was still undergoing rehabilitation when the facility told him it would be discharging him to a homeless shelter. "I was panicked," he said, describing his thoughts before a successful appeal of his case. "What am I going to do? I couldn't even eat. I became depressed. I wanted to kill myself. " ——— Sedensky can be reached at [email protected] or https://twitter.com/sedensky

2016-05-09 00:11 By abcnews.go.com

23 The Latest: Alberta officials optimistic now on fire EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The latest on Canada’s massive wildfire in Alberta. (All times local). ___ 1:10 p.m. Chad Morrison of Alberta Wildfire says the wildfire has reached a turning point with the recent cooler temperatures and he’s very happy. Morrison says the cooler temperatures make for great firefighting weather and firefighters can now really get a handle on it and put the fire in a “death grip.” He also says the fire has not reached the Suncor or Syncrude oil sands facilities north of five- ravaged Fort McMurray. ____ 12:40 p.m. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says the wildfire grew much more slowly than was feared and it is now 161,000 hectares (397,831 acres). Notley said Sunday the blaze is quite a bit smaller than was feared on Saturday, when officials expected the fire to double in size. She says the fire is still west of the Saskatchewan border. Chad Morrison of Alberta Wildfire says that a break in the hot weather allowed them to further protect fire-ravaged Fort McMurray. He also says they prevented the fire from reaching the Suncor oil sands site. He said with cooler temperatures in the next three or four days, firefighters should be able to put out hot spots. ___ 12:30 p.m. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says officials have completed the transport of residents of wildfire-ravaged Fort McMurray out of the area. Police and military oversaw a procession of thousands of vehicles Friday and Saturday, and a mass airlift of thousands of evacuees was also employed from work camps north of five-ravaged Fort McMurray Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

2016-05-09 00:11 By Associated mynorthwest.com

24 Wilmette man sentenced in Decatur drunken driving death DECATUR — A Wilmette man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the drunken driving death of a 20-year-old woman who was riding in his car when he crashed into a tree. The (Decatur) Herald and Review reports that James Comp was sentenced Thursday in Macon County after pleading guilty in February to aggravated DUI. Comp was driving on a revoked license and had a blood-alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit when he lost control of his speeding Pontiac Firebird on a wet road in July 2014, killing Sara J. Barnett. Authorities say Comp also had cocaine and other drugs in his system. He was sentenced to an additional year in prison, to be served consecutively, for another aggravated DUI conviction in a February 2014 case.

2016-05-09 00:11 Associated Press chicago.suntimes.com

25 Looming Marijuana Ruling Could Limit Federal Prosecutions Rolland Gregg and his family have fought federal marijuana charges for more than three years, arguing that the roughly 70 marijuana plants investigators found on their Washington property were for their own medicinal use and fully complied with state law. A federal jury last year convicted Gregg, his mother and his wife of growing 50 to 100 marijuana plants — amounts their attorney said are in compliance with state medical marijuana law. With prison sentences looming, they have now turned to a recent act of Congress that they say should have stopped the U. S. Department of Justice from prosecuting them because they were doing what their state allowed. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, and the DOJ disagrees with Gregg's understanding of the new law. "It's been the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with in my life when you see the government coming down on you for simply trying to be healthy," Gregg said. A federal appeals court is expected to issue a ruling soon on the scope of the law that could pave the way to end or overturn at least six federal marijuana criminal prosecutions and convictions in California and Washington, including Gregg's, and limit future prosecutions of medical marijuana users and dispensaries in eight Western states that allow them. "The 9th Circuit is the biggest circuit, one that contains lots of marijuana states. If they were to say, 'The federal government is prohibited from enforcing medical marijuana law,' that would be huge," said Sam Kamin, a professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law who studies marijuana regulation. At issue is a Congressional amendment that said the DOJ could not use funding Congress allocated to it for 2015 and 2016 to prevent states that have legalized medical marijuana from implementing laws that permit its use, distribution and possession. The amendment's bipartisan sponsors — California Congressmen Sam Farr, D-Carmel, and Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa,— say it prohibits the DOJ from prosecuting people who are complying with state medical marijuana laws. California and more than 20 other states have legalized marijuana for medical use. The drug, however, remains illegal under federal law. The DOJ has interpreted the law more narrowly, saying it prevents prosecutors from trying to block state medical marijuana laws or charging state officials who implement them, yet permits U. S. attorneys to go after marijuana dispensaries and growers. The 9th Circuit is expected to clarify the amendment in appeals by three sets of defendants who have cited it as grounds for judges to dismiss their marijuana charges. Steve McIntosh, a dispensary owner in Los Angeles, had permits from local officials that show him in compliance with state law, according to his attorney, Marc Zilversmit. Under the Congressional amendment, the most the federal government can do is refer him to state authorities for prosecution, Zilversmit said. Another defendant, marijuana grower Samuel Doyle, met Washington's requirements for collective cannabis grows for medical marijuana patients, his attorney Douglas Hiatt said. "He was growing medical marijuana for people who needed it, whether they could afford it or not," Hiatt said. The DOJ says McIntosh's dispensary had ties to a street gang, and Doyle and his co-defendants did not meet the legal requirements for medical marijuana in Washington. Investigators found more than 550 plants growing on the Spokane property Doyle oversaw, and at least one of Doyle's co-defendants indicated the marijuana was being sold, prosecutors said. The DOJ did not respond to a request for further comment. Gregg's case is not among the ones the 9th Circuit is set to rule on. But he has raised the same argument as the other defendants, and the 9th Circuit has put his appeal on hold pending the outcome of the other appeals, his attorney Phil Telfeyan said. "The feds think they have the power to override voters of the State of Washington and the will of Congress," said Telfeyan, co-founder of the nonprofit civil rights group Equal Justice Under Law. "It's up to the 9th Circuit to tell them, 'Enough is enough. You can't keep prosecuting people who are using medical marijuana for their needs.'" The DOJ cited a county investigator's testimony that he saw evidence of a for-profit marijuana growing operation on Gregg's family property. The investigator said he found records that he believed were for drug sales, a scale and packaging material in the house as well as firearms, according to court documents. Gregg, 34, who owns an alternative energy company, denied he sold marijuana, saying he used the drug to treat pain following a snowboarding accident that left him with a broken back and neck. His mother has rheumatoid arthritis and his ex-wife had an eating disorder, he said, adding that all three had medical marijuana authorizations. But the DOJ argued in his case and Doyle and McIntosh's cases that the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment doesn't bar it from prosecuting people violating federal drug law, even if they meet state law. Alex Kreit, a marijuana law expert at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, said the DOJ and marijuana defendants have strong arguments for their conflicting interpretations of the amendment. "The (amendment's) language is not a model of clarity," he said. "It really is open to a number of different interpretations. "

2016-05-09 00:11 By abcnews.go.com

26 Reversal Unlikely as Deadline Approaches on N Carolina Law North Carolina government and university officials were given until Monday to tell federal attorneys whether they would stop enforcing a new law blocking LGBT protections, particularly provisions requiring transgender people to use public restrooms that correspond to their biological sex. Republican Gov. Pat McCrory said Sunday he will decide how to respond to the U. S. Justice Department by the deadline but sounds little interested in capitulating to the agency. Government attorneys contend the law approved by the state Legislature in March violates the federal Civil Rights Act. The Justice Department is "trying to define gender identity, and there is no clear identification or definition of gender identify," McCrory said on "Fox News Sunday. " McCrory said he was not aware of any North Carolina cases of transgender people using their gender identity to access a restroom and molest someone, a fear frequently cited by the law's supporters as the main reason for its passage. The governor said there was no comparison between civil rights laws that forbid racial discrimination and the Justice Department's claim that the federal law also protects transgender people. "We can definitely define the race of people. It's very hard to define transgender or gender identity," McCrory said, adding his request for more time to respond to the Justice Department was denied. McCrory has called the law is a common-sense measure designed to protect the privacy of people who use bathrooms and locker rooms and expect all people inside the facilities to be of the same gender. The governor has become the public face of the law called House Bill 2, which has been the subject of intense criticism by gay rights groups, corporate executives and entertainers who demand the law be repealed. DOJ last week demanded McCrory, University of North Carolina leaders and the state's public safety agency to respond by Monday whether they intended to stop enforcing the law. Repealing the law also would satisfy the attorneys, but GOP lawmakers who run the General Assembly had no plans before to do so by the deadline. The legislature scheduled no recorded votes or substantive action during Monday's House and Senate sessions. North Carolina has already paid a price for the law, with some business scaling back investments in the state and associations cancelling conventions. The costs to state government could be even more acute. The 17-campus UNC system risks losing more than $1.4 billion in federal funds if they don't comply. Another $800 million in federally backed loans for students who attend the public universities also would be at risk if it's found that enforcing the law violates Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on sex. The letter to McCrory said the law also violates Title VII, which bars employment discrimination. Senate leader Phil Berger of Eden said late last week he is frustrated because "we have a federal administration that is so determined to push a radical social agenda that they would threaten" federal funding. "I just think the people should be frustrated and people should be angry. " UNC President Margaret Spellings , who started her job in March, has said while the university system is obligated to follow the law, it did not endorse the law. Spellings said later she hoped legislators would change the law, which could discourage promising faculty and students from coming to system campuses. A response from UNC or McCrory considered unacceptable to DOJ could lead to litigation. Civil liberties groups and several individuals already have sued to challenge the law, which also prevents local governments from passing rules giving protections to lesbians, gays and bisexual and transgender people while using public accomodations like restaurants and stores. The state law was designed to block an ordinance by the city council in Charlotte. ——— Associated Press writer Emery P. Dalesio contributed to this report.

2016-05-09 00:11 By abcnews.go.com

27 Austin Voters Keep Fingerprinting for Uber, Lyft Drivers Fingerprinting drivers for ride-hailing companies must continue in Texas ' capital city after voters rejected a $9 million campaign by Uber and Lyft to overturn the safety measure. Both Uber and Lyft threatened to leave Austin, which hosts major annual events such as the South by Southwest and Austin City Limits music festivals, on Monday after Saturday's defeat, the Austin American-Statesman reported ( http://atxne.ws/1O8v8tb ). "Lyft and Austin are a perfect match and we want to stay in the city," Lyft spokeswoman Chelsea Wilson said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the rules passed by City Council don't allow true ridesharing to operate. " Voters decided to keep city rules that require ride-hailing company drives to undergo fingerprint- based background checks by Feb. 1, 2017. Austin also prohibits drivers from stopping in traffic lanes for passenger drop-offs and pick-ups, includes requirements for identifying vehicles for hire and imposes data reporting on the ride-hailing companies. The finger-printing question was the key fight in the campaign, and spurred the most expansive campaign in city history. Austin appeared to be the chosen battleground for ride-hailing companies that are facing similar restrictions in major cities across the country, including Chicago , Los Angeles and Atlanta. Uber recently threatened to Houston, which requires drivers to be fingerprinted, drug-tested and undergo a physical before they can drive for the service. Advocates for fingerprinting say it's the best way to weed out drivers with criminal records. Ride- hailing companies have said their background checks suffice and that fingerprint databases can be out of date. Fingerprinting can also slow down the process of quickly adding new drivers. "Uber, I think, decided they were going to make Austin an example to the nation," said political consultant David Butts, who led the Austin campaign to defeat the repeal. "And Austin made Uber an example to the nation. " Uber Austin general manager Chris Nakutis said the company was disappointed to be shutting down operations in Austin. "We hope the City Council will reconsider their ordinance so we can work together to make the streets of Austin a safer place for everyone," Nakutis said. Ride-hailing companies may try to go around local governments if they can; in 2015, they pushed for a statewide ride-hailing regulation bill for Texas and could try again in 2017. Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who had urged defeat of the ordinance repeal, said he hopes to get Uber and Lyft back to the negotiating table. "We're at a place right now where we welcome Uber and Lyft to stay in the community, and I hope that they'll continue to talk with me," Adler said Saturday night.

2016-05-09 00:05 By abcnews.go.com

28 Canada Cruises to 7-1 Win Over Hungary at Worlds Canada routed Hungary 7-1 at the world championship on Sunday for its second win of the tournament. After ending the first period 2-1 up, Canada took total control in the second with four straight goals in less than six minutes against a Hungarian team that has no NHL players and is only in its second world championship since 1939. After the first period, "we knew we had to be a little bit better, a little bit sharper with the puck," Canada captain Corey Perry said. "We talked about it each and every game, getting better in every period of every game, and I thought we did that in the second and third. " Seven players scored Canada's goals, with Brad Marchand scoring his second goal of the tournament. "It's definitely something that we enjoy seeing, all four lines getting in on the action," Perry said. The win follows an opening 5-1 victory over the U. S. and puts Canada at the top of the standings in the St. Petersburg group for the preliminary round. Finland is also 2-0 for the tournament after it beat Germany 5-1, with two goals and an assist for highly rated 18-year-old Patrik Laine, who is widely expected to be the No. 2 NHL draft pick next month behind American Auston Matthews. The U. S. plays Finland on Monday, coming off Friday's loss to Canada and a 6-3 win over Belarus on Saturday. While there's no personal rivalry with Matthews, who scored two goals for the U. S. against Belarus, Laine is aiming to beat him to the No. 1 draft spot. "The people in the stands can think about those things, I just want to play hockey," Laine said. "Of course I want to prove to everybody that I can play at this level, like this, against those top countries, and of course I want to be the top pick. " Finland beat the U. S. 3-2 in an exhibition game before the tournament. "When you look at their power play and the guys that they can put out on the power play, whether it's in the exhibition or game or even the other night vs. Belarus, it's deadly, so our discipline is going to be important, special teams will be key," U. S. coach John Hynes said. "I think they're a complete team but they have a lot of firepower up front so we have to make sure that we eliminate time and space when we don't have the puck. " In Moscow, Chicago Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin was injured as host nation Russia's struggles continued in a tighter-than-expected 6-4 win against underdog Kazakhstan. Russia, which had lost its opener 3-0 to the Czech Republic on Friday, was level with Kazakhstan at 4-4 early in the third on an off-form day for goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who allowed four goals from 19 shots. Former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Anton Belov was Russia's hero with two goals, including the game-winner, and two assists. Panarin seemed to hurt his left shoulder in a hard collision with the boards in the second period and did not play in the third. Russia coach Oleg Znarok told local media that Panarin was "okay," without providing further details. Switzerland suffered its second loss in two games when it was beaten 4-3 by Norway in overtime.

2016-05-09 00:05 By abcnews.go.com

29 Nevada Reluctantly Killed Bighorn Sheep to Save Them Nevada state wildlife veterinarian Peregrine Wolff worked at zoos in the Midwest, with farm animals in Florida and exotic species on movie sets in Hollywood. She never dreamed she'd have to help pull the trigger on a contentious strategy to slaughter a diseased herd of bighorn sheep. Ed Partee, a state game biologist who's spent much of his 24-year career rebuilding bighorn populations, drew the grim task of tracking and gathering the carcasses of the 27 sheep. The animals were gunned down from a helicopter in February in an emergency attempt to save a neighboring herd. "Having to kill an animal like that is probably one of the worst feelings I've ever had in this job," said Partee, a native Nevadan who grew up fishing and hunting and knew by the time he was in junior high that he wanted to be a wildlife scientist. Now, they wait to see if their gamble paid off in a race against the spread of pneumonia that's also hit bighorns in Washington, Wyoming, Utah , Idaho , Montana and Utah, and threatens efforts to rebuild native populations that were on the brink of extinction a half century ago. About 2 million bighorn sheep roamed North America before numbers started declining in the late 1800s to about one-tenth of that today due primarily to overhunting, habitat loss and disease — often transmitted by domestic animals. "It's been a concern since the Old World European settlers started bringing their domestic sheep with them across the West," said Wolff, president of the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians. She suspects Desert bighorns in northwest Nevada contracted the biological agents that spread the pneumonia from domestic sheep or goats, as has been the case elsewhere. That's been a point of contention in Montana and Idaho, where ranchers and conservationists have been fighting for decades over management of domestic sheep that biologists blame for transmitting the disease. Livestock producers suffered a setback in March when the 9th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2010 U. S. Forest Service decision to protect bighorns in Idaho's Payette National Forest by closing 70 percent of the domestic grazing allotments. The Idaho Wool Growers Association had argued that the service failed to consult the Department of Agriculture's research service before it pushed 10,000 sheep out of the area, running many ranchers out of business. It's a "heated topic that has vast socio-economic and ecological impacts in the western United States," said Maggie Highland, a USDA animal disease researcher at Washington State University. She's among those who question the science and wonder whether Nevada acted prematurely, "without really understanding all of the factors that caused the first outbreak. " "I'd also question how we know for certain that none of the members of the affected herd hadn't already intermingled with the herd that they were reportedly trying to protect," Highland wrote in an email to AP. Skeptics include Mark Thurmond, professor emeritus of veterinary epidemiology at the University of California-Davis. "What they are doing is illogical — to say we found these agents therefore we've got to eradicate this entire herd," Thurmond said. He says disease transmittal involves a complex combination of multiple agents and outside impacts, ranging from drought and wildfires, to extreme cold and snow. "If the herd is doing well otherwise, why destroy the gene pool that has been able to handle these agents? " he told AP. But by all accounts, the Nevada herd was not doing well. State officials knew if they didn't act fast, the sheep would disperse as the snowpack melted. Partee said they were lucky to get an early warning of trouble in December because they'd just fitted several sheep with radio-signal collars in a partnership with Oregon to monitor movement across state lines. "You could tell right away there was something not right because of the fact they weren't moving," Partee said. "Within weeks we started realizing we were at the start of a devastating disease event. " Necropsies confirmed the dead animals had pneumonia. Others were in such bad shape that Wolff was "surprised they were still alive. " "In January, we started talking about the fact that if we lost this herd, it would be tragic, but if it spread to the neighboring herd to the south, we'd lose both of those," Wolff said. By the time the decision was made to kill the herd, fewer than a third of the 100 animals remained and those were so weak that they barely attempted to flee when the helicopter approached. The move wasn't without precedence. British Columbia killed a herd in hope of saving others in 2000. Utah officials killed 25 in 2010, and Washington 63 in 2013. Wolff consulted experts, including those in British Columbia, before conceding that killing the herd was the only hope to keep the disease from spreading in the state with the most bighorns in the Lower 48. Nevada is the only state with all three North American species — Desert, California and Rocky Mountain. Early indications are the kill may have kept the disease from reaching the neighboring herd. Wolff stands by the decision. "I take exception to anyone in the domestic sheep industry looking over my shoulder and telling the Nevada Department of Wildlife how to manage," she said. "I totally understand the politics. But to deny the science because of the politics is sort of short-sighted to me. "

2016-05-09 00:00 By abcnews.go.com

30 Drug boss ‘El Chapo’s’ new prison rated as Mexico’s worst MEXICO CITY — The northern Mexico prison where authorities suddenly transferred convicted drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is rated as the worst in the federal penitentiary system by human rights officials. A 2015 report by the governmental National Human Rights Commission gave the Cefereso No. 9 in Ciudad Juarez, which borders Texas, a 6.63 rating on a scale of 0 to 10. That’s the lowest for any of Mexico’s 21 federal prisons. By comparison, the maximum-security Altiplano facility where Guzman was confined before was 10th best with a rating of 7.32. However the Cefereso No. 9 scores well on “conditions of governability.” That could indicate authorities believe they can control Guzman’s environment there and reduce the risk of him pulling off a third brazen jailbreak. The Sinaloa cartel boss was transferred Saturday. TVJ

2016-05-09 00:00 Associated Press newsinfo.inquirer.net

31 Florida man bit in thumb after mistaking gator for dead ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A central Florida man was bit by an alligator after mistaking it for dead. Orlando television station WESH (http://bit.ly/1Oj7aXa ) reported Sunday that 41-year-old Bryan Rohm was bit on the thumb and taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Rohm and his son were on a boat Saturday and had a permit to hunt alligators. They shot an alligator twice with a specialized firearm known as a “bang stick” and thought it was dead. But the alligator bit Rohm as he tried to get the alligator in the boat. The alligator then jumped back into the water.

2016-05-08 21:55 - Associated Press - Sunday, May 8, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

32 Liberty board member resigns amid disagreement over Trump LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) - A Liberty University board member who criticized the school president’s endorsement of Donald Trump has resigned. The News & Advance reports (http://bit.ly/1TO2FrJ ) that Mark DeMoss resigned after several fellow board members took issue with his position on Jerry Falwell Jr.’s endorsement of the Republican presidential hopeful. DeMoss is a former spokesman for Liberty’s founder, the late Jerry Falwell Sr. He criticized Jerry Falwell Jr.’s endorsement of Trump in an interview with The Washington Post a day before the Super Tuesday primaries. DeMoss said his critics continued to question whether one of Trump’s GOP rivals was behind his criticism, even though he had made it clear that was not the case. He said that “fundamental lack of trust” would make it difficult for him to remain on the board. ___ Information from: The News & Advance, http://www.newsadvance.com/

2016-05-08 21:55 - Associated Press - Sunday, May 8, 2016 www.washingtontimes.com

33 33 IPL-9: Gujarat Lions beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 5 wickets Kolkata: Gujarat Lions came up with an all-round effort to outclass Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) comprehensively with five wickets and 12 balls to spare in an Indian Premier League (IPL) game at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday. With the win, Gujarat go atop the points table with seven wins from 11 outings. Dinesh Karthik top scored for the visitors with a 29-ball 51, while Aaron Finch contributed with a quickfire 29 to their total of 164/5. Dinesh Karthik plays a shot during the 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Lions at the Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium in Kolkata. AFP PHOTO Chasing Kolkata's 158/4, Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCulllum helped Gujarat get off to a bit of a flyer. However, the latter seemed to have edged one-through to the keeper in the second over but there was no appeal from the hosts. The partnership lasted just 5.3 overs but by then the Lions had gathered 42 runs. Smith (27) was clean bowled by Shakib Al Hasan and then McCullum (29) after smashing Morne Morkel for a 17-run over was out caught at long on. The double blow brought a huge smile on KKR co-owner and Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan who had come in without his son AbRam. But the innings did not show any signs of running out of steam as Suresh Raina and Dinesh Karthik got together to knit another brisk partnership. By the end of 10 overs the Lions were comfortably placed at 89/2. The stand went on for a few more overs which got the Lions closer to the target. But, with 43 runs required, Raina perished trying to hook an Andre Russell delivery. Finch who came in next did not hang around much and started clobbering the bowlers. He smashed 31 runs off the 15th and 16th over. Though Brad Hogg got rid of Karthik in the next and Finch got run-out, it was too little too late for the men-in-purple. Earlier in the evening, Yusuf Pathan and Shakib Al Hasan's unconquered fifth wicket stand of 134 rescued KKR after a disastrous start and helped them post a challenging total. Hasan remained unbeaten with a 49-ball 66, while Pathan carried his bat through with a knock of 63 from 41 deliveries. For the Lions, Praveen Kumar returned figures of 2-19 on a wicket that helped him swing the leather. Put into bat, it was Uthappa for KKR who started on the right note slamming two back-to-back boundaries of Dhawal Kulkarni. But then in the very next over, veteran pacer Pravin Kumar got rid of Gautam Gambhir and then Manish Pandey. Barely had KKR recovered from the double jolt, Uthappa, who was looking dangerous, headed back to the dugout. Next it was Suryakumar Yadav who perished as Suresh Raina held onto an incredible slip catch. After six overs, the Knights were tottering at 28/4. The hosts finally got hold of some momentum as Pathan hammered Chinaman bowler Shivil Kaushik for 14 runs in the 10th over. Though it was not easy hitting the long ball in such humid conditions, Pathan managed to pierce the gap time and again. Hasan - dropped by Pravin Tambe in the seventh over - too played his role by giving his partner much of the strike. The Bangladesh batsman brought up his side's hundred next in the 16th over with a monstrous six. And Pathan completed his fifty a little later. Hasan, who had been playing second fiddle finally found his feet in the 18th over as he lofted Dwayne Bravo for two back-to-back sixes. In the last two overs, KKR amassed 25 runs to finish on a strong note. Brief Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): 158/4 (Shakib Al Hasan 66, Yusuf Pathan 63; Praveen Kumar 2-19) vs Gujarat Lions: 164/5 (Dinesh Karthik 51, Aaron Finch 29).

2016-05-08 23:53 By PTI www.mid-day.com

34 Over 20 stray dogs allegedly poisoned to death in Bhayandar In what can be termed as an inhuman act and a case of animal cruelty, more than 20 dogs were allegedly poisoned to death in Bhayandar east on Friday. The stray dogs (pictured) are believed to have been poisoned Speaking to mid day, animal activist and complainant in the case Shubhang Sharma alleged, “I have been feeding the stray dogs and on Friday, we found that there were around five dogs lying unconscious. They appeared to be dead. I immediately reached the Navgahar police station and registered a complaint. " It is believed that the person, who allegedly killed the dogs had mixed poison in the food offered to them. CCTV cameras installed near the boundary of the building have captured the video of the man, who fed the dogs. Investigations into the case have revealed that the person seen in the video, identified as Shamlal Badal is involved in the business of slaughtering pigs. Locals allege that he might have killed the dogs as they used to cause problem to the pigs owned by the accused. According to Sharma, "The police have registered an FIR as per the Animal Cruelty Act and the accused was arrested on May 7 but was released on bail. " Following the incident a veterinarian was also called to the spot and the post mortem of five dogs was undertaken. Reports are awaited but the doctors suspect that it's a clear case of poisoning. Animal welfare activist Salim Chanaria from PAWA India said, "There was a mass killing of strays in Bhayandar East a few months ago and we suspect that this accused is is involved in killing more than 50 dogs by poisoning them. The killings on Friday were done in the same pattern. This man is dangerous to society as he can do anything. " An official from the police station said, "We have registered a case against an unidentified person for killing the dogs and the investigations are on. On suspicion we have questioned a man already and have again called him for inquiry but at this point it is difficult to ascertain whether he is the same person who might have killed the dogs as the CCTV footage is not clear. "

2016-05-08 23:36 By A www.mid-day.com

35 Mayoral bet’s followers block vote count machines in Lanao Norte MUNAI, Lanao del Norte – Supporters of mayoral candidate Dante Batinggolo of the Liberal Party here, have blocked the transfer of the vote counting machines from the municipal hall to the polling precincts. And with only a few hours left before polling precincts open for voters, none of the 27 vote counting machines here have been tested and sealed. Lieutenant Colonel Leomar Jose Doctolero, chief of the 15th Infantry Battalion, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer Sunday night that supporters of mayoral candidate Dante Batinggolo of the Liberal Party blocked the transfer of VCMs from the town hall of Munai to the polling precincts. “If we force transferring the VCMs, there will be trouble,” Doctolero said. He could not say in detail why Batinggolo’s group blocked the transfer of the VCMs. Munai Commission on Election officer Mastura Aleola was still at the municipal hall, as of this posting, but could not be contacted by phone. Doctolero said if Batinggolo’s camp would just allow the Comelec to bring the VCMs to the polling precincts, the final testing and sealing would be done in the first few hours of election day, Monday ( May 9 ). SFM

2016-05-08 23:30 Richel V newsinfo.inquirer.net

36 Man shot, dog stolen during carjacking in downtown Atlanta Just One More Thing... We have sent you a verification email. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your profile. If you do not receive the verification message within a few minutes of signing up, please check your Spam or Junk folder.

2016-05-08 23:17 Ellen Eldridge www.ajc.com

37 Right place, Right time: Paul Lee heroic anew for Rain or Shine Paul Lee could’ve been anywhere on the floor in the waning seconds of Game 2 of the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Sunday. But as his Rain or Shine teammate Beau Belga fired a triple from the left corner and missed, Lee was all alone under the basket watching where the ball might end up. The ball hit the right part of the iron — and fortunately for Lee — he was at the right place, just a couple of steps away where the ball bounced, at the right time, with exactly two seconds left when he secured the game’s final possession enough time to gather himself and make the fallaway jumper. “Nakita ko malakas so nagbaka sakali na lang ako na mapunta dito sa kabila eh ayun tumama sa ring so napunta yung bola malapit sakin. Pagkuha ko nakita ko two seconds pa yung oras so nag-focus ako sa tira ko,” Lee recalled after lifting Rain or Shine over Alaska, 105-103, at the buzzer Sunday night. “Buwenas lang talaga ako.” “The play was for Jericho (Cruz) to choose to go either left or right. We put two shooters at the corner supposed to be si Jeff (Chan) at si Paul. Inagaw ni Beau yung isang corner. Hindi naman siya dapat yung shooter, feeling shooter,” said ROS head coach Yeng Guiao with a grin. “Anyway, it wasn’t the play, but it turned out to be the winning play for us.” The 27-year-old Lee also played hero in Rain or Shine’s 105-97 victory in Game 1 last Friday and since his return from a left knee injury, he has returned to starring in his old role as his team’s go-to guy. “Paul again, [is] back to his old form just like in Game 1. He’s just back to his leadership role in this team,” Guiao said of his star guard. Lee’s resurgence is the result of his relentless pursuit to get back into his old position as one of the top players in the league. “Si Paul kasi talagang nagtiyaga siya. Coming from injury, talagang nagpa-kundisyon siya. Nung bumalik samin yan mataba eh. Nakita naman niya sa laro na parang hindi niya kayang magtagal ng sampung minuto dire-diretso,” said Belga. “So nagpa-kundisyon. Nag-o-oval mag-isa, talagang sariling sikap mag-isa. Maaga siya sa practice and nakikita naman niya kung ano yung nagiging sukli ng sipag niya.” A testament to that is his improved numbers starting in the semifinals series against San Miguel Beer where Guiao decided it was time to give Lee his usual minutes. Lee is averaging 18.5 points per game through two games in the Finals, but what’s more impressive is the pounds he has been able to shed off in just two months. “Balik na ako sa 200 pounds. In about two months, na-lose ko 18 pounds na.”

2016-05-08 23:10 Mark Giongco sports.inquirer.net

38 Pune: Ex-employees of Serum Institute booked for stealing vaccine info Pune: Two former employees of the Serum Institute of India have been booked for breach of trust for allegedly stealing confidential information about a vaccine and filing for patent on behalf of their present employer, police said on Sunday. The duo, identified as Dr Manoj Kumar Chhikara and Dr Rakesh Rana, who worked as assistant managers (R&D) and Quality Control at the institute respectively, allegedly put their names as researchers in the patent application. Police yesterday registered a case against them under IPC (Indian Penal Code) sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and provisions of the Information Technology Act. No arrests have been made in case yet, they said. The two are now working with Delhi-based MSD Wellcome Trust Hilleman Laboratories. "Both of them were working on the vaccine called 'MenAfriVac', however, in 2011, Rana left the job and in 2013 Chhikara too resigned from the Serum Institute of India," inspector Anjum Bagwan of Hadapsar Police station said. "The suspects, who were privy to the confidential details of vaccine, filed for patent on the basis of these details on behalf of their present employer and put their names as researchers in the patent application," Bagwan said, adding that, the Serum institute's vaccine too arrived in the market. However, when the officials from Serum found a plea for patent online with the same details recently, they started investigating and found that both the former employees had used their names as researchers in the patent, he said. Bagwan said Chhikara left Serum in August 2013 and within four months, he and Rana filed for the patent. "The matter came to light when the patent application became public recently and the Serum got to know that their details have been used," he added. The officer said Chhikara and Rana had signed a contract, when they were working on the project at Serum, that they would not divulge information outside but they allegedly violated the term after leaving the Institute. Serum Institute of India, which belongs to the Cyrus Poonawala Group, is a producer of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, BCG, r-hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella vaccines.

2016-05-08 23:04 By PTI www.mid-day.com

39 Female inmates record books for their children ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) - Many children buy flowers or take their moms out to dinner for Mother’s Day, but the idea is to spend time with the women who raised them. Certain parents don’t get to enjoy those holidays. Families divided by a jail cell spend not just special days apart, but every day. Parents of young children struggle, as well. Elizabeth Mansley, assistant professor of criminology at Mount Aloysius College, said she would describe these struggles to her students but was having a hard time eliciting empathy from them. To help, she started what she called Operation Storybook. Twenty-two students in Mansley’s Women in Crime class raised money this semester to buy audio books for inmates, so they could record themselves reading to their children. The students raised $900 for 11 books. Mansley said having students raise the money helped them explain the project to others. A lot of people had an “I’m not giving anything to people who broke the law” attitude, Mansley said, which challenged the students to explain how the prison system impacts more than just accused criminals. “Inmates are people who made bad decisions, but that doesn’t necessarily define everything about them,” she said. “You’re not just punishing the individual; you’re punishing the family,” too. Pairs of students interviewed 11 mothers at the Cambria County Prison, all of whom were nonviolent offenders and many of whom were in jail on drug charges. They asked about their crimes, how their children found out about it and how being jailed impacts their family. Heidi Reed, 35, of Johnstown has been in jail since May 29 for felony retail theft charges. She was sentenced to 11 1/2 to 48 months and is scheduled to be released in about three weeks. Jessica Brown, 34, of Johnstown was jailed in March for missing a scheduled court appearance. Her case remains open with sentencing scheduled for this summer. She’s charged with using her husband’s credit card without his permission, she said. Both women have small children. Story Continues →