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Total 100 articles, created at 2016-04-18 06:04 1 Reuters: U. S. - powered by FeedBurner ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters) - Pope Francis said on Saturday that his meeting with Bernie Sanders, contesting the Democratic candidacy for the U. S... 2016-04-17 23:19 (4.01/5) 651Bytes feeds.reuters.com 2 Brazil's lower house votes for impeachment A motion to impeach Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff garnered enough support to (4.00/5) pass in the country's lower house Sunday night. 2016-04-18 03:11 1KB www.cnn.com

3 Netanyahu Says Israel Will Never Withdraw From Golan Heights

(2.00/5) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday his country will never withdraw from the Golan Heights and the strategic plateau bordering Syria will forever stay in Israeli hands. In a ceremonial Cabinet meeting in the Golan marking the one-year anniversary of his current... 2016-04-18 00:43 3KB abcnews.go.com 4 The Times & The Sunday Times News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times 2016-04-17 23:16 562Bytes www.thetimes.co.uk (2.00/5)

5 Ecuador Searches for Victims After Powerful Quake Ecuador was reeling Sunday after its strongest earthquake in decades killed hundreds and destroyed buildings, bridges and roads. At least 246 people died in the magnitude- (2.00/5) 7.8 quake, the strongest in Ecuador since 1979. ... 2016-04-18 00:00 751Bytes article.wn.com 6 European roundup-Barca lose again, Leicester grab late equaliser

(2.00/5) LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - Barcelona completed a disastrous week by losing 2-1 at home to Valencia, their third consecutive league defeat. In England, Leic... 2016-04-17 22:50 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 7 Coco levy ‘biggest joke to hit century’ (First of two parts) AS A TEENAGER, Oscar F. Santos learned early on that the income from the family’s small coconut farm on Alabat island in Quezon province wasn’t enough to 2016-04-18 06:04 11KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 8 Economist sees close May 9 race DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte’s rise as the new front-runner in the presidential race indicates how day-to-day public service concerns have resonated more among voters than macro 2016-04-18 06:04 6KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 9 VP debate still focuses on no-show Marcos Jr. TRYING to dislodge Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. from the lead in the polls, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano stepped up his attack on the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos during a 2016-04-18 06:04 9KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 10 Duterte foes pounce on mayor’s rape joke Video from Rody Duterte Youtube account A VIDEO CLIP of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte making a joke about an Australian lay missionary who was raped during a 1989 hostage crisis in his 2016-04-18 06:04 7KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 11 PAL flight diverts to India after baby couldn’t wait A MANILA-bound Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane from Dubai was diverted to India on Sunday when a seven-month pregnant passenger went into premature labor mid-flight. PR 669 left Dubai at 2016-04-18 06:04 1KB globalnation.inquirer.net

22 Downtown Islamic library opens to the public The library, on the third floor of the stately Islamic Da'wah Center located at 201 Travis in downtown, opened as part of a larger goal to offer a comprehensive educational resource to Houston residents, including its 200,000 Muslims, according to executive director Ameer Abuhalimeh... 2016-04-17 21:50 3KB www.chron.com 23 North Houston illegal game room shut down, owner arrested A north Houston unauthorized game room was raided late Friday, resulting in one arrest and surprising a new Houston city council member who spent her day riding along with officers. 2016-04-18 01:10 2KB www.chron.com 24 Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years - CNN.com NASA's launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington. 2016-04-18 04:47 4KB edition.cnn.com 25 Indian lunar orbiter hit by heat rise - CNN.com Scientists have switched off several on-board instruments to halt rising temperatures inside India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft. 2016-04-17 21:49 2KB edition.cnn.com 26 Shuttle Endeavour lands at California air base - CNN.com Space shuttle Endeavour landed safely Sunday afternoon at California's Edwards Air Force Base after NASA waved off two opportunities for a Florida landing because of poor weather. 2016-04-17 21:49 3KB edition.cnn.com 27 'Junior the Wendy’s Guy,' a UT Austin icon, dies at 61 A beloved University of Texas at Austin icon and mainstay of the student union died Monday. 2016-04-17 21:54 2KB www.chron.com 28 Houston couple who solved grisly 'Ice Box Murders' profiled by true crime podcasters From tales of a cheerful Massachusetts nurse who became a prolific poisoner in late 19th Century Massachusetts to the contemporary story of an eighth-grader with a loaded gun at a Minnesota middle school, the popular true crime podcast Criminal keeps listeners connected to their earbuds. 2016-04-17 22:00 3KB www.chron.com 29 Suspect sought in Tuesday's fatal hit-and-run has turned himself in The man sought by the Harris County Sheriff's Office in a Tuesday hit-and-run that killed two people has turned himself in, officials said. 2016-04-17 22:00 2KB www.chron.com 30 Wife of Texas ex-cop dies as result of disease contracted from a bite Truman Bradshaw's fight against a deadly virus is nearly 30 years old. And while the ex- cop from Blue Mound has survived liver infections resulting from Hepatitis C, his wife eventually succumbed to the illness. 2016-04-17 22:00 1KB www.chron.com 31 Suspect sought in deadly robbery spree that left Wahoo's Fish N Wings owner dead Police have released a composite sketch of a suspect in a brief but deadly crime spree late last month in southwest Houston and Missouri City. 2016-04-17 22:00 2KB www.chron.com

32 ISIS orders assassination of Clear Lake Muslim leader The assassination order advised ISIS sympathizers that if they could not joined organized groups, they must wage jihad alone "with the resources available - knives, guns, explosives, etc. - to kill the crusaders and other disbelievers and apostates. " 2016-04-17 22:00 1KB www.chron.com 33 Weekend Edition: The week's best reads Features to enjoy, including your comments. 2016-04-18 01:00 3KB www.bbc.co.uk

34 Go Figure: The week in numbers The week's big numbers visualised. 2016-04-17 16:14 772Bytes www.bbc.co.uk 35 Broadband speed advertising misleading, say MPs The way broadband speeds are advertised is misleading and should be changed, a cross-party group of 50 MPs says. 2016-04-18 01:02 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 36 Election 2016: What bets plan for Caloocan IN A SERIES leading to the May 9 elections, Inquirer Metro has asked mayoral candidates in Metro Manila about their plans to address three of the most pressing concerns that affect residents and 2016-04-18 01:46 13KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 37 CBS New York Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Knicks, Nets, Devils, Rangers and more. 2016-04-18 02:12 5KB scoresandstats.newyork.cbslocal.com

38 Police: Parent says he accidentally shot, killed 4-year-old PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The parent of a 4-year-old girl who was killed in a Philadelphia neighborhood has confessed to accidentally shooting her, police said. Au... 2016-04-17 17:38 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 39 Motorist of disabled vehicle gets out on freeway, gets hit and dies A driver whose car stalled in the middle of the Gulf Freeway early Saturday was hit by a passing vehicle and killed. 2016-04-18 01:57 1KB www.chron.com 40 Radio titan: Here's what will collapse West Contact WND (NEW AMERICAN) – There has never been a successful and long-lasting atheistic civilization — and there never will be — is the opinion of many astute observers. And it’s also apparently the belief of radio giant Michael Savage, as he issued a dire warning on his Wednesday show. “Unless Christianity receives a new enthusiasm that […]... 2016-04-18 01:13 1KB www.wnd.com 41 Gay rights: GCHQ boss 'sorry' for historical ban Not letting gay people join UK surveillance agency GCHQ until the 1990s was wrong and "their suffering was our loss", its boss says. 2016-04-17 16:14 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 42 Newspaper headlines: Taj Mahal photograph and Brexit controversy Pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Taj Mahal, where Princess Diana once sat, figure prominently among Sunday's front pages, as well as conflicting views on Brexit. 2016-04-17 16:14 4KB www.bbc.co.uk 43 GOP rules fight flares up behind scenes Donald Trump's continuing onslaught against the Republican Party's nominating rules has top members fighting behind the scenes shortly before their critical meeting in Florida later this week. 2016-04-18 00:59 960Bytes www.cnn.com 44 Oil exporter talks hit difficulties in Doha A meeting of leading oil exporting countries in Qatar, called to address the low level of prices, has run into difficulties. 2016-04-17 16:14 6KB www.bbc.co.uk 45 The children uprooted to live the 1970s Good Life Four readers share their memories of how their parents pursued self-sufficient living. 2016-04-17 16:14 9KB www.bbc.co.uk 46 David Walliams apologises for not replying to 'stolen post' Author David Walliams apologises if fans have not received replies from him, saying his post was stolen, including a "large box of letters from children". 2016-04-17 23:52 1KB www.bbc.co.uk 47 Roman villa unearthed 'by chance' in Wiltshire garden An "elaborate" Roman villa, described as extraordinarily well-preserved, is unearthed by chance in a garden in Wiltshire by a man laying electric cables. 2016-04-17 16:14 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 48 My shop: The shop for men that attracts the ladies BBC News visits a shop that caters for men, but is proving highly attractive to women. 2016-04-17 16:14 1KB www.bbc.co.uk 49 Livonia - News Livonia - News 2016-04-17 23:36 2KB rssfeeds.hometownlife.com 50 Trial Begins for Ex-Reserve Who Fatally Shot Unarmed Man Lawyers for an Oklahoma reserve sheriff's deputy who killed an unarmed suspect lying face-down on the ground and being restrained are expected to argue that the victim's drug use and health could have contributed to his death. Robert Bates, a 74-year-old insurance executive who moonlighted... 2016-04-18 00:46 4KB abcnews.go.com 51 WATCH: Sitting in Tacoma traffic in search of stories to tell The News Tribune traffic reporter Adam Lynn talks about what drives him crazy about his commute and how he finds stories people want to read. 2016-04-17 21:08 2KB www.thenewstribune.com 52 A Point of View: Can you tell if you've got too much money? The Panama papers exposed how far some people were prepared to protect their wealth. Can anyone be certain they wouldn't do the same? 2016-04-17 16:14 9KB www.bbc.co.uk 53 Asia Times News & Features – Asia Times By Mbom Sixtus YAOUNDE (Cameroon)—Learning Chinese language and culture has become a passion among Cameroon’s youth. Most of them admire Chinese people... 2016-04-17 23:24 9KB atimes.com 54 Congress Considering US-Made Footwear for Military A bill in Congress would require the Department of Defense to provide U. S.-made footwear to personnel. The Stepping Up for American Workers and Troops Act is sponsored by Maine Reps. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, and Bruce Poliquin, a Republican, and Democratic Rep. Niki Tsongas, of... 2016-04-18 00:25 1KB abcnews.go.com 55 Maine Sunday Telegram News The murky liquid is a tincture of medical marijuana mixed with glycerin, and Ham takes it to control the chronic pain she experiences from... 2016-04-17 19:32 14KB www.pressherald.com 56 Ronnie Corbett's widow suffers health scare on eve of his funeral As Ronnie Corbett's (right) family and friends gather today for the comedy legend's funeral, his devoted widow Anne (left) will be more grateful than ever, writes SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE. 2016-04-18 00:20 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 57 Alesha Dixon's girl band Mis-Teeq 'plot comeback' Sources tell The Sun , the Scandalous hitmakers have reportedly been reminiscing about the past leading to an eye to reunite - much to the joy of their fans 2016-04-18 00:09 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 58 Monday, April 25 Today is Monday, April 25, the 116th day of 2016. There are 250 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date: 1707 - British forces are defeated... 2016-04-18 00:07 6KB www.dailymail.co.uk 59 Kevin Rudd jokes he has no chance at being UN secretary- general Kevin Rudd (pictured) has played down his chances of becoming the next United Nations secretary-general, joking he would have a better chance if he was from eastern Europe and named 'Ruddovich'. 2016-04-18 00:05 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 60 Driver believed on drugs during accident that severely injured 3 kids Three young boys are clinging to life after they were hit, Friday night, by a driver suspected of being on drugs at the time. 2016-04-18 00:01 2KB rssfeeds.11alive.com 61 James Franco Is, Actually, an Artist. So Why Won’t the Art World Take Him Seriously? James Franco has famously resisted being identified as merely an actor, pursuing a simultaneous life in the art world — making videos of dollhouses split in half, painting fat pets, and restaging Cindy Sherman’s iconic 1977–1980 “Untitled Film Stills,” with Franco himself standing in for Sherman... 2016-04-18 00:00 1KB article.wn.com 62 1 killed, 8 injured as minivan, SUV crash in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES (AP) — One man was killed and eight people including at least three children were injured when a minivan and an SUV collided on a Los Angeles street. ... 2016-04-18 00:00 649Bytes article.wn.com 63 Calls for more aid for Japan quake zone; 42 dead, 11 missing MINAMIASO, Japan (AP) The U. S. military prepared to join relief efforts Monday in disaster-stricken areas of southern Japan as authorities struggled to feed and care for tens of thousands of people who sought shelter after two powerful earthquakes that killed at least... 2016-04-18 00:00 856Bytes article.wn.com 64 While the GOP worries about convention chaos, Trump pushes for 'showbiz' feel The volatility of the Republican presidential race threatens to undermine the party's July convention, putting potential donors on edge, raising security concerns and prompting some GOP politicians, including those in competitive reelection battles, to skip the Cleveland gathering altogether. A...... 2016-04-18 00:00 981Bytes article.wn.com 65 Blues rally for 3-2 win over Blackhawks in Game 3 CHICAGO (AP) — Jaden Schwartz scored at 13:32 of the third period with Patrick Kane in the penalty box for high-sticking, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3- 2 on Sunday for a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. ... 2016-04-18 00:00 792Bytes article.wn.com 66 Donald Trump's Rants Risk Annoying Those Who May Decide Nomination Donald Trump's relentless assault on the rules that govern how Republicans choose their nominee is coming far too late to change what even defenders acknowledge is a complicated selection system. 2016-04-18 00:00 732Bytes article.wn.com

67 Humayun's tomb gets a 24-carat gold crown The Humayun’s Tomb - one of Delhi's three UNESCO World Heritage Sites - has finally got a new 24-carat gold finial installed on its imposing dome, after the original was damaged in 2014. 2016-04-17 23:56 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 68 Mother who was set to be deported is told she can stay in Britain US-born Katy James, 40, was left devastated when government officials said she must leave the country and her family within 14 days when the Home Office turned down her application. 2016-04-17 23:56 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 69 Austin shoots 64, beats Short in playoff to win Mitsubishi DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Woody Austin's Sunday putter came through again. Austin tied the tournament record with an 8-under 64 and beat Wes Short Jr. with a par on... 2016-04-17 23:54 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 70 Police search for vehicle in deadly pedestrian accident Police are asking the public to be on the lookout for a vehicle they say was involved in a deadly pedestrian accident. 2016-04-17 23:53 1KB rssfeeds.11alive.com 71 Rahul Gandhi leaves Captain hanging over Punjab 2017 polls Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi is yet to announce former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh as the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the 2017 Assembly elections. 2016-04-17 23:52 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 72 Jin Lopez blows Olympic bid Pauline Louise Lopez failed to chase down her opponent for one solid head kick and saw her Olympic dream vanish. The last surviving Filipino jin in the Asia Olympic Qualifying Tournament missed the 2016-04-17 23:49 2KB sports.inquirer.net 73 Joss Stone cancels Caribbean tour dates to be with her sick pet dog She's in the middle of her Total World Tour, which will see her perform in every country in the world. But Joss Stone has postponed shows in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago to be with her dog. 2016-04-17 23:41 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 74 Schools at breaking point, says employment minister Employment Minister Priti Patel said 'uncontrollable' migration from the EU has put 'unsustainable' pressure on UK primary schools with more and more demand for places each year. 2016-04-17 23:39 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 75 Bodyguard of mayoral bet stabbed dead in Antique town ILOILO CITY — A bodyguard of a mayoral candidate was stabbed dead in Bugasong town in Antique, Saturday evening. But a police official said the killing of Emmanuel Tauro, a close aide of Vice 2016-04-17 23:37 3KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 76 Branden Grace wins RBC Heritage for first PGA Tour title HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S. C. (AP) — Branden Grace has had his share of big moments. He believes winning the RBC Heritage is his biggest, by far. The 27-year-old... 2016-04-17 23:35 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 77 ‘Anachronism with no military or mission’: NATO foundations crumbled, says Stratfor founder The foundations of NATO have “dissolved” since the end of the Cold War, with Europeans reluctant to invest financially and militarily, and the US unwilling to operate within the constraints of the alliance which lacks any unified strategic outlook, wrote George Friedman. 2016-04-17 23:29 3KB www.rt.com

78 UH student dies and his girlfriend injured after hit by 'drunk driver' Mark Tartaglio was walking Cornia Burnett back to her sorority house when they were struck just feet away from the Chi Omega home. Michael Patrick Shoen, 23, was arrested. 2016-04-17 23:24 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 79 Prospective leaders of Cuba should retire at 70, says Raúl Castro Current president, 84, suggests older party members should spend time with family to allow the young to rise through the ranks 2016-04-17 23:23 3KB www.theguardian.com 80 The brilliant son you adore is brain damaged beyond hope When Lu Spinney’s son Miles crashed while out snowboarding in Austria, it shattered both their lives — leaving him severely brain damaged and her in a turmoil of rage and grief. 2016-04-17 23:22 14KB www.dailymail.co.uk 81 California Highway Patrol probe video of daredevil stunts The clip is an ad for Topher Ingalls with Buschur Realty in San Luis Obispo. Ingalls spent six years doing professional motocross riding before switching to a real estate career. 2016-04-17 23:19 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk 82 Race to Dubai rankings April 17 (Infostrada Sports) - Race to Dubai rankings 1. (1) Danny Willett (Britain) 2740474 2. (2) Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 1547861 3. (4) Rafael Cab... 2016-04-17 23:10 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 83 Nine million patients failed by second-rate GP practices So far, 15 per cent of practices in England have been rated either 'inadequate' or 'requires improvement', which is equivalent to 1,140 surgeries, covering just over 9.1million people. 2016-04-17 23:09 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 84 Lily Allen demands answers from police over seven-year stalking ordeal Lily Allen said she was made to feel like a "nuisance rather than a victim" by police investigating a stalker as she revealed horrifying details of the seven... 2016-04-17 23:04 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 85 Jennifer Garner celebrates turning 44 by taking her children to church Jesus isn't the only person who celebrates his birthday in a church. Jennifer Garner celebrated turning 44 on Sunday by taking her eldest and youngest to a sermon in Brentwood 2016-04-17 23:00 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk 86 In need of cash, India chases $117 bln in elusive back taxes By Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI, April 18 (Reuters) - India's finance ministry is asking for regular progress reports from tax collectors and has set a date for an... 2016-04-17 23:00 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 87 NHL-National Hockey League roundup April 17 (The Sports Xchange) - The New York Rangers and free agent forward Malte Stromwall agreed to terms on a contract Sunday. Stromwall, 21, skated in 49... 2016-04-17 22:57 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 88 Rangers still have a gap to make up on Celtic, says Mark Warburton Warburton was irked by the fact few observers had backed his side ton win their semi- final at Hampden Park but insisted there is still work to be done to catch Celtic next season. 2016-04-17 22:55 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk 89 Danielle Lloyd quits social media after ex Jamie O'Hara Twitter rant Model Danielle, 32, announced she was quitting social media for the immediate future after she was criticised by her ex-husband, 29, for her spending. 2016-04-17 22:51 5KB www.dailymail.co.uk 90 AstraZeneca has held internal talks for Medivation bid - Sunday Times April 17 (Reuters) - Drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc has held internal talks about a bid for cancer treatment maker Medivation Inc but has yet to make a formal off... 2016-04-17 22:47 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk 91 Inzamam quits as Afghanistan coach to become Pakistan chief selector Pakistan batting legend and former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has resigned as the coach of Aghanistan and is set to be named his country's chief selector 2016-04-17 22:43 2KB www.mid-day.com 92 Haunting Photos From the Boston Marathon Bombing The photos that defined the bombing at the 2013 Boston Marathon. 2016-04-17 20:00 838Bytes abcnews.go.com 93 Photos: The Big Chicken through the years The Big Chicken KFC in Marietta has stood in Cobb County since 1963. 2016-04-17 15:14 782Bytes www.ajc.com 94 Guantanamo Bay: Nine Yemenis released to Saudi Arabia Nine Yemeni prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba have arrived in Saudi Arabia after being transferred, US officials say. 2016-04-17 13:53 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 95 IPL 9: Erratic Hyderabad look to bounce back against inconsistent Mumbai Plagued by injuries and poor form, hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to quickly get their act together to bounce back from the twin defeats when they clash with defending champions Mumbai Indians in an IPL T20 match here tomorrow 2016-04-17 22:41 4KB www.mid-day.com 96 BUHARI VANGUARD APPOINTS CORDINATORS……. Supports Buhari for 2019 BUHARI VANGUARD APPOINTS CORDINATORS……. Supports Buhari for 2019 - Buhari Vanguard has appointed former APC Gubernatorial Aspirant in Bayelsa state, Hon. Romeo Bekeyei as its Coordinators in South and Alhaji Umar Ab... 2016-04-18 02:04 1KB worldnewsvine.com 97 E-skin 'can monitor body's oxygen level' Scientists in Japan say they have developed ultra-thin electronic "skin" that can measure oxygen levels when stuck to the body. 2016-04-17 16:14 1KB www.bbc.co.uk 98 Nitesh Rane 'beheads' former Maharashtra AG Shrihari Aney Congress MLA Nitesh Rane on Sunday cut a cake with the image of former Maharashtra Advocate General Shrihari Aney, in a symbolic gesture to oppose those favouring division of the state 2016-04-17 22:30 1KB www.mid-day.com 99 100 years ago: Beyond the reach of urban root-grubbers Originally published in the Manchester Guardian on 18 April 1916: In the fields primroses are plentiful, and jack-in-the-hedge and silver stitchwort whiten many a roadside ditch 2016-04-17 22:30 2KB www.theguardian.com 100 'Shelter in place' notice issued for some in Texas City Texas City officials issued a "shelter in place" notice late Friday after an incident at a Marathon Petroleum Corp. refinery. 2016-04-17 20:20 1KB www.chron.com Articles

Total 100 articles, created at 2016-04-18 06:04

1 Reuters: U. S. - powered by FeedBurner (4.01/5) ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters) - Pope Francis said on Saturday that his meeting with Bernie Sanders, contesting the Democratic candidacy for the U. S. Presidency, was not meddling in politics and that anyone who thought otherwise should "look for a psychiatrist".

FOXNews.com - powered by FeedBurner feeds.foxnews.com

Politics - powered by FeedBurner feeds.feedburner.com AdWeek : All News - powered by FeedBurner feeds.adweek.com 2016-04-17 23:19 feeds.reuters.com

2 Brazil's lower house votes for impeachment (4.00/5) On one side: pro-government demonstrators outside #brazil congress denouncing #impeachment vote pic.twitter.com/68N9Vplsnr On the other side of 2-meter high barricade, anti- govt demonstrators cheering for #impeachment in #brazil congress pic.twitter.com/qIcLVXq2Ms CNN's Shasta Darlington and Flora Charner reported from Brasilia. CNN's Catherine E. Shoichet reported from Atlanta. CNN's Marilia Brocchetto and Paulo Nogueria contributed to this report.

Brazil's Rousseff makes last-minute bid for support bbc.co.uk Brazilian congress votes to impeach president Dilma Rousseff theguardian.com 2016-04-18 03:11 Shasta Darlington www.cnn.com

3 Netanyahu Says Israel Will Never Withdraw From Golan Heights (2.00/5) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday his country will never withdraw from the Golan Heights and the strategic plateau bordering Syria will forever stay in Israeli hands. In a ceremonial Cabinet meeting in the Golan marking the one-year anniversary of his current government's formation, Netanyahu said he doubts Syria will ever return to what it was before the devastating civil war that has gripped it for more than five years. He said he would not oppose diplomatic efforts to stabilize Syria as long as they didn't come at the expense of Israel's security. Netanyahu added that, regardless, the border would not change and it was time for the world to finally recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan. "I chose to have this festive Cabinet meeting on the Golan Heights to send a clear message: The Golan Heights will forever remain in Israeli hands," he said. "It's time, after 50 years, that the international community finally recognizes that the Golan will forever remain under Israeli sovereignty. " The remarks drew quick condemnation from Syria, which lays claim to the territory under international law. Syria's Foreign Ministry lodged complaints with the U. N. Secretary General and Security Council over the Cabinet meeting, calling it "reckless" and "provocative. " It called on the international community to push Israel out of what it called the, "occupied Syrian Golan. " Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in 1981. An Israeli withdrawal was long seen as a key to any Israel-Syria peace agreement. But as Syria began to disintegrate, the odds of Israel giving up the Golan — never a popular prospect among Israelis — have dimmed. Since the aftermath of the 1973 Mideast war, the Golan has been the quietest of Israel's front lines, a place of hiking trails, bird-watching and winery tours. Constantly looming in the background was the prospect of the Golan eventually returning to Syria as part of a peace accord. A plateau that looms over northern Israel, the Golan is considered by Israelis to be vital to their security and, unlike the West Bank, has carried far less political baggage. Israel has largely stayed on the sidelines of the Syrian civil war and refrained from directly intervening. However, Netanyahu last week confirmed for the first time that Israel, as long suspected, had in fact struck a number of advanced weapon shipments from Syria to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows that Israel will never give up Golan Heights article.wn.com 2016-04-18 00:43 By abcnews.go.com

4 The Times & The Sunday Times (2.00/5) Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12 With analysis from Henry Winter, Mike Atherton and Stuart Barnes. Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12 From the FTSE 100 to SMEs to entrepreneurs. Get the story behind the headlines with 12 weeks for £12.

Clinton: 'I Have No Time' for Partisanship article.wn.com 2016-04-17 23:16 www.thetimes.co.uk

5 Ecuador Searches for Victims After Powerful Quake (2.00/5) Ecuador was reeling Sunday after its strongest earthquake in decades killed hundreds and destroyed buildings, bridges and roads. At least 246 people died in the magnitude-7.8 quake, the strongest in Ecuador since 1979. ... 7.8-magnitude quake hits Ecuador cnn.com 2016-04-18 00:00 article.wn.com

6 European roundup-Barca lose again, Leicester grab late equaliser (2.00/5) LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - Barcelona completed a disastrous week by losing 2-1 at home to Valencia, their third consecutive league defeat. In England, Leicester City came from behind to earn a late draw, while Bayern Munich look unstoppable at the top of the Bundesliga. SPAIN Barcelona's title bid suffered another setback when they lost 2-1 at home to Valencia -- their third straight La Liga defeat -- while Atletico Madrid moved level on points with the league leaders after a 3-0 home win over Granada. Barca have 76 points along with Atletico, who knocked the holders out of the Champions League in midweek, and remain top only due to a superior head-to-head record. Real Madrid, whose coach Zinedine Zidane said in February that the title race was over, thrashed Getafe 5-1 away and stand just one point behind the leading pair. An own goal by Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic put Valencia ahead at the Nou Camp and Santi Mina added a second before Lionel Messi pulled one back with his 500th career goal. ENGLAND Leicester City scored a penalty with the last kick of the game to draw 2-2 with West Ham United and open an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur will reduce Leicester's lead to five points if they win their match in hand at Stoke City on Monday. Leicester are top with 73 points, followed by Spurs on 65 and Manchester City on 60. City leapfrogged Arsenal into third place after their 3-0 win at Chelsea and Arsenal's 1-1 home draw with Crystal Palace. Manchester United, fifth on 56 points, condemned Aston Villa to relegation when they beat them 1-0 at Old Trafford. GERMANY Bayern Munich edged closer to a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title with a 3-0 victory over Schalke 04 as the league's leading scorer, Robert Lewandowski, scoring twice. Bayern, chasing a treble of titles in what they hope will be a repeat of the 2013 season, are seven points clear of Borussia Dortmund with four matches left. Dortmund comfortably beat nine-man Hamburg SV with 17-year-old American Christian Pulisic becoming the fourth-youngest Bundesliga scorer and Colombian Adrian Ramos netting twice. ITALY Juventus tightened their grip on top spot in Serie A with a comfortable 4-0 home win over Palermo to go nine points clear of second-placed Napoli, who lost 2-0 at Inter Milan. Juve took a giant step towards a record fifth consecutive Scudetto but lost midfielder Claudio Marchisio to a ruptured cruciate ligament injury which has ruled him out of Euro 2016. Francesco Totti scored a late equaliser to rescue a point for Roma in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Atalanta, but the game was overshadowed by media reports of a spat between the 39-year-old forward and Luciano Spalletti, which the coach denied. Juve have 79 points after 33 matches, with Napoli on 70 and Roma on 65. FRANCE Paris St Germain rebounded from their Champions League elimination at the hands of Manchester City with a resounding 6-0 victory over mid-table Caen. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice for PSG, who were crowned Ligue 1 champions in March and need one win to equal the club's all-time record points total for a season in the top flight. Second-placed Monaco beat troubled Olympique Marseille 2-1 to move two points clear of Olympique Lyonnais, who drew 1-1 at home to fourth-placed Nice. NETHERLANDS Ajax Amsterdam scored twice in the final five minutes, including a controversial last-gasp penalty, to secure a 2-2 home draw with Utrecht and reclaim top spot. The result threw the Dutch title wide open with Ajax in first place on goal difference from champions PSV Eindhoven, who beat Roda JC Kerkrade 3-0, with three games to play. The Amsterdam side's Polish international Arek Milik won a last-minute penalty which he scored to rescue a point for Ajax, who were 2-0 down with four minutes left. (Compiled by Neil Robinson; editing by Ken Ferris)

Barcelona loses third straight La Liga game edition.cnn.com 2016-04-17 22:50 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

7 Coco levy ‘biggest joke to hit century’ (First of two parts) AS A TEENAGER, Oscar F. Santos learned early on that the income from the family’s small coconut farm on Alabat island in Quezon province wasn’t enough to support his studies or his five siblings. At the age of 13, he lost his father, who was tortured and killed before his eyes by the Japanese during World War II. He had to help the family, fishing and farming on the island in Lamon Bay that sweeps out to the Pacific. Upon liberation, he studied law in Manila while working as a janitor and newsboy, delivering 200 copies of Star Reporter in an area from Legarda to Quiapo in what is now called the University Belt. He overcame the odds stacked against children, like him, of impoverished coconut farmers, whose families comprise a quarter of the nation’s population, and are courted in this election season. Politicians are promising to end the farmers’ decades-long struggle to recover billions of pesos in assets acquired from a martial law coconut levy scheme—described as the biggest legalized racket in the nation’s history—that are either tied up in a complex web of legal cases or in proposed legislation for their use. A strapping young man, Santos passed the bar in 1955 with high marks. He joined “The Firm” of the time—a reference to the John Grisham novel and blockbuster movie about a group of brilliant lawyers with a Mafia money launderer as a client. Local media people now use the term to describe a partnership of influential legal eagles. One associate in the law office was Juan Ponce Enrile, who would later become defense secretary and head of the triumvirate created during the martial law years that would oversee the multibillion-peso coconut levy fund. The others were Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, president of United Coconut Planters’ Bank (UCPB), and the late Clara Lobregat, head of the Philippine Coconut Producers’ Federation (Cocofed), purportedly the largest organization of farmers, charged with “developing” the industry. Marcos decree Enrile, as head of the Philippine Coconut Authority (Philcoa), prepared the decree President Ferdinand Marcos issued in 1973, a year after the declaration of martial law, imposing initially a P15 tax—later expanded to as much as P100—on every 100 kilos of copra produced that was to last until 1982. Enrile also devised the scheme under which the government, in the name of 1 million coconut farmers, acquired majority of holdings of First United Bank from the grandfather of President Aquino, using the levy fund. It became UCPB, and it retained its private character. UCPB was supposed to provide a permanent solution to the credit problems of the farmers, but its operation was regarded as unusual: public funds were normally administered in a bank owned and managed by the government. A state audit later revealed that a total of P9.6 billion was collected during the nine years the copra tax was enforced. Critics put the figure at up to P200 billion, saying that in the rural areas there was no way to check declarations by copra traders and millers. The levy allegedly funded showcase circuses of the “smiling martial law” regime—the Miss Universe Contest, the zany World Chess Championship between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi, and the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier “Thrilla in Manila.” It became the source of fabulous wealth for the Marcos cronies. No benefit to farmers No significant benefit went to the farmers. Because of its oppressive character, the program also fed a simmering communist insurgency. “I personally knew young people, some of them my philosophy students and Cocofed scholars in Xavier University, who joined the National Democratic Front, the Communist Party of the Philippines, and the New People’s Army to protest the injustice of the levy,” wrote Tony La Viña, dean of the Ateneo school of government. On July 21, 1982, the late Emmanuel Pelaez, a former senator and Vice President, was ambushed and critically wounded while returning home at night. His driver was instantly killed. Pelaez later said the attempt on his life was prompted by his strong stand against the levy. A month after the incident, which was never solved, Marcos scrapped the tax. Pro-bono lawyer A native of the coconut-producing heartland, Santos did not stay very long in The Firm with Enrile. He was the preferred lawyer of laborers and slippered farmers, who felt embarrassed going to his air-conditioned law office, seeing all those Spanish and American associates. And so he quit. A turning point was when he took up the celebrated “Whitecliff” land-grabbing case, winning it for the 434 farmers who turned 2,200 hectares of a forested sprawl in Bondoc Peninsula into farmlands. He had earlier in 1967 succeeded in overturning the cancellation of the results of 1,051 medical board examinees accused of cheating. He refused to be compensated for his services, accepting only baskets of fruits from the farmers, and from the new doctors a pledge that they would heed his call that they offer free medical services to the destitute. It became inevitable that Santos would become embroiled in the “coco levy” controversy—as a pro-bono lawyer, a lawmaker as in the Marcos-created parliament and later in the reborn House of Representative upon the ouster of the dictator. He was always at the forefront of a movement that included former Sen. Wigberto Tañada and the late Jovito Salonga to recover the assets. For benefit of farmers “Imagine, for every P250 earned from copra, the farmers gave up P60 as tax. It was big money at a time when the daily wage was P4 per day,” Santos said. “But it’s not just about money, it is about justice,” he said in an interview in a modest townhouse unit, seated behind book shelves filled with folders of documents of his crusades. “Can you imagine the lost opportunities for the farmers. How many could have graduated from high school with that money. How many could have bought medicine and saved malnourished babies, the sick and the dying.” One night in the 1980s, Santos reviewed presidential decrees and letters of instruction issued by Marcos concerning the levy. Before he fell asleep, he had found the phrase “for the benefit of farmers” 82 times in the documents that sought to justify the perpetration of the scam. The poor farmers, now numbering 3.5 million in 25 million households with an income of P50 per day, never benefited significantly from the levy fund. The last time Santos read the lofty goal was in the Supreme Court decision on 24 percent of shares of stock of San Miguel Corp. (SMC)—part of 51 percent of the securities in one of the country’s largest diversified conglomerates acquired using the fund in 1983. The ruling handed down in September 2012 after three decades of litigation said that the SMC shares, worth P71 billion, belonged to the government to be used “for the benefit of the farmers and development of the industry.” Earlier, in April 2011, the high tribunal ruled that another 20 percent of the SMC shares—worth around P80 billion—belonged to Cojuangco, saying that the government had failed to prove that he had illegally acquired the shares and that he was a Marcos “crony.” In a dissenting opinion, Justice Conchita Carpio Morales described this decision as the “the biggest joke to hit the century.” Common decency Morales, now the Ombudsman, pointed out that Cojuangco, as president of UCPB, was “in such fiduciary position [that he] cannot serve himself first and his cestuis (beneficiaries) second … he cannot manipulate the affairs of his corporation to their detriment and in disregard of the standards of common decency.” The SMC portfolio represented only a portion of the assets purchased with the coconut levy. The other assets, including UCPB and half a dozen oil mills and trading companies, are worth around P30 billion. Discovery of the SMC stock certificates in the vault in Marcos’ room in Malacañang after he was ousted in the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution prompted the creation by President Corazon Aquino of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). In the first executive order she issued, President Aquino directed the sequestration and recovery of illegally acquired assets of Marcos and his cronies. Season of atonement After 30 years, the PCGG has recovered more than P170 billion of the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and their associates—estimated to be between $5 billion and $10 billion. The 24 percent of SMC shares represented the largest single item in the PCGG’s recovery efforts. Cojuangco, who fled with Marcos to Hawaii after the strongman’s ouster, averred in one paid newspaper ad that he acquired his 20-percent bloc from Enrique Zobel of the Ayala business empire, for $49 million, using borrowings from various sources, including UCPB, that he had repaid. He disavowed being a “close associate” of Marcos in the pejorative term associated with a partner in crime. Other Cojuangco properties are being pursued by the PCGG, including the sprawling Bugsuk farm in Palawan used for a disastrous P100-million seedling program to propagate a Malaysian-West African (Mawa) coconut variety for replanting in 2 million of the country’s 3.2 million coconut farms. The 24-percent bloc of SMC shares worth P71 billion had been redeemed by San Miguel. The amount is in the National Treasury in the meantime that the government has not decided what to do with it. Vultures lurk in the shadows, scheming to prey on it once more. “The calvary continues for the farmers,” said Santos, still spry and sharp at the age of 86. “The fight goes on.” Role for Enrile Enrile, 92, could play a role in securing justice for the coconut farmers. A love child born on Valentine’s Day, Enrile was raised as a fisherman. He came to Manila as a first year high school at the age of 21 to look for his biological father. He told him he wanted to finish his studies. He got his wish, passed the bar with a perfect score of 100 percent in mercantile law, went to Harvard and became the second most powerful man in the country as martial law administrator. Santos came face to face with Enrile during a Senate hearing in December 2011 on a proposed legislation seeking to implement the Supreme Court decision on the disposition of the P71-billion SMC portfolio in this season of atonement. He had vowed he would not allow the levy fund to be plundered this time around. Next: New President will decide fate of levy assets

2016-04-18 06:04 Fernando del newsinfo.inquirer.net

8 Economist sees close May 9 race DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte’s rise as the new front-runner in the presidential race indicates how day-to-day public service concerns have resonated more among voters than macro policy themes, an economist from American banking giant Citigroup said. In an April 13 Citi research note “Duterte’s Rising Star,” Filipino economist Jun Trinidad predicted that the upcoming presidential election on May 9 could be a “close race” with a near “split decision” outcome. As many political observers now expect an “anti-Duterte” campaign to intensify, Trinidad said voter preferences could still change and benefit any of the key presidential candidates. “We believe Duterte’s claim that under his presidency, he could effectively solve peace and order issues, illegal drug distribution/addiction, worsening traffic, corruption, etc., with his Davao City performance as evidence, has resonated with many voters,” the economist said. Frustration with admin Trinidad pointed out that Duterte’s “low-cost but effective” campaign with such “simple” message continued to appeal to many survey respondents, translating to snowballing support as the nation moves closer to the May 9 elections. “Growing public frustration with ineffective public services despite President Aquino’s upbeat trust ratings seems to be the key voter issue in this election campaign, much like a strong backlash against corruption catapulted Aquino to the 2010 presidency,” the Citi economist said. The economist noted that Duterte’s lack of big policy commitments—except his preference for federalism—had apparently not gnawed on the unorthodox mayor’s poll popularity. Duterte’s election campaign is just peaking at the right time, the research said. In an earlier research note in December 2015, Trinidad said: “Duterte is widely seen as a ‘clean’ candidate, although his unfiltered language and colorful personal life have elicited concerns among some sectors such as the Catholic Church and women’s organizations. In addition, his support for the use of extrajudicial tactics against suspected criminals in Davao to combat crime has elicited criticisms by human rights groups such as New York-based Human Rights Watch.” Criminality Likewise noted was Duterte’s hardline stance against criminality during his stint as Davao City mayor for over 20 years. Davao has been among the fastest-growing cities in the Philippines with per capita gross domestic product rising by a compounded annual growth rate of 6.9 percent since 2010. “Without any clear surge in support levels for any candidate, we may thus see a new President with a relatively weak mandate, unlike the strong majority obtained by President Aquino (2010) or former President [Joseph] Estrada (1998),” Trinidad said. “That said, governing with a weaker mandate should not be an issue in a centralized presidency. We expect to see the usual coalition of several parties in the House of Representatives supporting the President’s agenda, although increasingly limited room for ‘pork barrel’ type spending may weaken any coalition’s cohesion,” he said. Voters’ favorite Duterte emerged as the voters’ favorite in the latest surveys conducted by pollsters Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS). In the Pulse Asia survey (March 29 to April 3), Duterte garnered the highest share of support at 30 percent, followed by Sen. Grace Poe (25 percent). In an SWS survey (March 30-April 2), Duterte obtained a support of 27 percent versus Poe’s 23 percent. “Given the statistical margin of error, his lead could narrow, with the May election outcome a very close vote,” the economist said. The outgoing Aquino administration, which has espoused good governance reforms and fiscal discipline that allowed the government to obtain investment grade ratings, has tried to frame the upcoming elections as a referendum for continuity or change. However, Mr. Aquino’s anointed successor, Mar Roxas, has fared poorly in election surveys. Poe had topped surveys for many months previously. But critics continued to question her allegiance to the Philippine flag—as well as lack of experience—even after the Supreme Court had cleared obstacles on citizenship issues. Vice President Jejomar Binay, the first candidate to declare his presidential bid, continued to grapple with allegations of corruption that he had not bothered to explain except for the usual line that it’s just a political attack. Relief rallies On the impact on financial markets, Trinidad said Duterte’s rising star implied that choices were firming up a few weeks before the elections. With election uncertainty waning amid ample liquidity in the financial system, he said there would be buildup to some support rally. Trinidad noted that the local stock barometer offered the clearest expression of a relief rally in three of the last four Philippine presidential elections—in 1992, 2004 and 2010. He said those relief rallies were perhaps driven by local monies and sustained post-May 2004 and 2010 elections. Recently, he noted net foreign selling out of the local market in modest amounts despite an index staying firm. For the peso, he said, a rally against the US dollar was evident post-1992 and 2010 elections. “Equity and Philippine peso relief rallies were unambiguous during President Aquino’s runaway election victory in 2010 amid global reflation and improving prospects following the 2009 GFC (global financial crisis),” Trinidad said. “Assuming a smooth electoral process in May and a postelection policy agenda that can inspire private investments in 2017, a relief rally could cushion Philippine peso’s downside risk in second half of 2016 when (US Federal Reserve) Fed rate tightening risk and higher US treasuries take hold.”

2016-04-18 06:04 Doris Dumlao newsinfo.inquirer.net

9 VP debate still focuses on no-show Marcos Jr. TRYING to dislodge Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. from the lead in the polls, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano stepped up his attack on the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos during a vice presidential debate organized by ABS-CBN. But Marcos, bashed by his rivals during the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-sanctioned vice presidential debate on April 10 over his revisionist view of his late father’s martial rule, was not there to deflect Cayetano’s broadsides. The running mate of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago skipped the debate but issued a statement explaining that he was attending private meetings and taking part in a “unity caravan” in Batangas province. He said he was also taking time out from his campaign so that he and his wife, Louise Araneta Marcos, could celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary. A scornful Cayetano ridiculed Marcos’ explanation for his absence, saying Marcos was “running away from the debate like his family ran away with the Filipinos’ money.” Sen. Gregorio Honasan, running mate of Vice President Jejomar Binay, also did not come to the debate. Honasan said he had prior commitments in Mindanao that coincided with the debate. He said he could not reschedule those commitments on short notice. Not sanctioned by the Comelec, Sunday’s debate was not compulsory. ABS-CBN was the sole organizer and the debate was held at the network’s compound in Quezon City. Only Cayetano, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, Sen. Francis Escudero and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV took part in the ABS-CBN debate. Talking piece But it was Marcos who emerged as the talking piece for the debaters, as they strove to pull ahead of the pack with less than a month to go before the May 9 vote. It was Robredo who gave Cayetano the opportunity to put Marcos back in the discussion during the second round of the debate, when the candidates were allowed to throw questions at each other. Robredo asked Cayetano why he attacked Marcos so hard during the first debate when they belonged to the same party, the Nacionalista Party. “It’s too bad he’s not here. They ran away with the people’s money, now they’re running away again,” Cayetano said, citing the Marcos family’s stash of $10 billion in alleged ill-gotten wealth and Marcos’ links to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind the P10- billion pork barrel scam. “In his SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth), he put P500 million, but did not work a single day in his life,” Cayetano said. Trillanes said Marcos needed to explain himself. “Let’s remove his being son of a dictator,” he said. “Let’s look at his record as a senator. What has he done in the past six years?” He also belittled Marcos’ education, suggesting that Marcos’ claim of having gone to Oxford University and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania was dubious. At the start of the debate, the four candidates were given the chance to present their platforms, and they strove to show the difference between their plans. Both Escudero, running mate of Sen. Grace Poe, and Robredo, running mate of Liberal Party presidential standard-bearer Mar Roxas, vowed to put an end to contractualization to stabilize employment. Cayetano reduced the Philippines’ main problems to a question of “political will,” claiming that only he and his presidential running mate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, could walk their talk, while Trillanes—raising the rear in the vice presidential race in voter preference polls— pushed for a national identification system to maintain peace and order. Escudero said he and Poe would eradicate contractualization, or the practice of employers of limiting workers to short-term contracts to avoid having to hire them permanently and paying them benefits. He said the Poe-Escudero administration would give P1 billion to each province, and push for 100-percent coverage of PhilHealth, including zero billing for the poor in hospitals, and free state college education. When her turn came, Robredo said she agreed that there should be no more contractualization. “We will push for security of tenure, penalties for employers who violate the law, ensure jobs with stable earnings, so people can have their own homes, eat three meals a day, and live life with dignity,” she said. Expanded services The widow of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said she and Roxas would expand existing government services in the health sector, including the removal of consultation fees and the distribution of free medicines, and to localize Department of Education (DepEd) programs to the regions or provinces. “We will have a one-doctor per family policy. Education should not be an impediment, we want to decentralize the powers of the DepEd so there’s local treatment of programs, so school programs are regionalized and suited to provincial needs and rural development,” she said. Robredo also said the next secretary of transportation and communication should not come from the Cabinet of President Aquino. “We should not hire those who previously held Cabinet positions,” she said, adding that she would suggest to the new President to form a search committee to choose his officials. Cayetano said he and Duterte’s program was simple: “Federalism, economic reforms, eradicate crime, drugs, corruption in three to six months.” Political will Seeking to stand in contrast to his rivals, Cayetano said the question of platforms was not the problem. “Everything they are promising, we have done in Davao and Taguig. Take out your phones, Google, ‘master plan, housing,” he said. “The problem is leadership, political will…. There’s no leadership,” he said, drawing applause from his supporters. “Let them talk about platform. As for us, we will just do it. We will get it done for you.” Trillanes said he would push for a national identification system, increased allowances for policemen and a stronger internal affairs department in the Philippine National Police to discourage corrupt law enforcers. He said he would press for a stop to the implementation of the K-12 program, which added two years to basic education in the Philippines. Senior high school, he said, “would only be a hardship to parents and teachers.” Marcos wealth Responding to a question on how he would recover the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth, Trillanes noted the report of the Presidential Commission on Good Government that it had recovered at least half of the family’s stash. “I want to focus on the status of these cases,” he said. Asked if he would support a declaration of martial law, Trillanes said he would under the right circumstances. “If there’s basis, such as threats to national security, then we will support,” he said. “I am confident with our people, whether you push it or support it, Filipinos will be at the forefront [of such a call],” he said. Escudero said he was not as quarrelsome or combative as candidates like Cayetano, but was doing his best to serve. Responding to Cayetano’s question on why he has not confronted Marcos on martial law abuses, he cited his record of legislating bills against torture, enforced disappearances, and compensation for victims of the dictatorship. “I may not have fought with Senator Marcos … but I have delicadeza (sense of propriety). In the same way I don’t want to use my position to further my ambitions, I don’t want to use my being a senator to attack someone else,” Escudero said. Asked how the government should deal with the threat posed by the Islamic State (IS) group to peace in Mindanao, Robredo said it was a shame that no law had been passed for “true representation of their complaints and their grievances” in Muslim Mindanao. Though she did not mention the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, she said legislation was necessary to give voice to Muslims, Christians and indigenous groups in Mindanao. “That’s the danger that if we don’t listen to them. The attraction of extremism, the attraction to [IS] is so strong,” Robredo said. Cayetano said his “weakness” as a politician was his combativeness. “It’s a strength in a public official, but it’s a weakness in a politician. The people like their politicians to act sweet. I was advised not to be so angry,” he said. “But I don’t really care about image… When you talk about crime, corruption, drugs, how ca you not be angry?” said Cayetano, who repeatedly referred to his family as his source of strength. Voter preference polls place Marcos, Robredo and Escudero within a few points of each other in a race that remains wide open with just 21 days left before Election Day. The three other contenders lag far behind them. With reports from Dona Z. Pazzibugan and Niña P. Calleja; and Nestor Corrales, Inquirer.net

2016-04-18 06:04 DJ Yap newsinfo.inquirer.net

10 Duterte foes pounce on mayor’s rape joke Video from Rody Duterte Youtube account A VIDEO CLIP of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte making a joke about an Australian lay missionary who was raped during a 1989 hostage crisis in his city has stirred outrage among his rivals. The furor over his remarks prompted Duterte, the front-runner in the presidential race, to say sorry for his gutter language. “That’s gutter language. That is how men speak,” he told reporters in Davao City Sunday. “I am sorry that others were offended.” The rape of a woman “is not a joking matter; this is barbarity,” said Liberal Party (LP) standard- bearer Mar Roxas, who has frequently tangled with Duterte over the mayor’s sexist remarks in the course of the election season. “Women have rights; they are not playthings,” the former interior secretary said of his rival’s remarks in the video, which began circulating online, quickly turning viral, over the weekend. Two other presidential candidates—Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen. Grace Poe—also expressed outrage over the “revolting” and “distasteful” joke. Malacañang joined in the outrage, saying Duterte’s statement showed the mayor “has not matured nor evolved, and that his offer to serve as President truly deserves scrutiny.” Duterte’s brash and brutally frank speaking style has won him plenty of would-be voters, pushing him to the top of the polls with less than a month to go before the elections. He was the leader in the latest voter preference polls conducted by Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations, closely followed by erstwhile front-runner Poe. Trailing behind them were Roxas and Binay. Hostage drama In the clip, Duterte, who was onstage during a campaign rally, appeared to be referencing the August 1989 hostage drama at the Davao police detention cell, when one of the hostages, Australian lay missionary Jacqueline Hamill, 36, was raped by the inmates. The inmates, after grabbing their guards’ weapons, seized Hamill and 14 other church workers who were holding a Bible service in the prison, according to news reports. The two-day hostage drama ended after government forces stormed the prison cell, killing all 15 hostage-takers. Hamill, whose neck was slashed, and four other hostages died. Like beautiful actress “All the women there were raped in the first assault and they retreated, but the bodies the attackers used remained there, one of which was the body of an Australian lay minister. Tsk, this is a problem …. The body was brought outside and it was covered. I looked at her face, son of a bitch… she looked like a beautiful actress in the United States,” Duterte said. “Son of a bitch, what a waste. I was thinking that they raped her and lined up. I was angry because she was raped, that’s one thing. But she was so beautiful, the mayor should have been first, what a waste,” he added, eliciting laughs from the crowd. ‘Crazy maniac’ Calling Duterte a “crazy maniac,” Binay said rape and murder of a woman were no laughing matters. “Mr. Duterte, don’t you have a mother? Don’t you have a daughter?” he asked as he described the rape joke as simply revolting and callous. “You are a crazy maniac who doesn’t respect women and doesn’t deserve to be President,” said the Vice President, who had been urging people not to vote for Duterte for killing innocent people. For her part, Poe said she took offense at Duterte’s remarks, calling these “distasteful and unacceptable, and reflects his disrespect for women.” “No one, whoever she is and whatever her looks may be, deserves to be raped and abused. Rape is a crime and no laughing matter. We should all be outraged at abuses against women,” she said in a statement. “While some may seem impressed with the mayor’s nonchalance and tough-talking stance, he should be reminded that at all times, women, men and the LGBT alike should be treated with dignity and respect,” she added. Unfit for President Roxas said the joke showed how unfit the tough-talking mayor was to be the country’s President. LP vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo said she was appalled by Duterte’s remarks as a human rights lawyer who had witnessed women’s struggles against violence. “It is not right to make jokes about rape,” said Robredo, a mother of three daughters and widow of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo. “We shall set a bad example to the youth if we poke fun at a crime that’s as heinous as rape.” She said someone who was aspiring to be the country’s leader had no business making jokes about rape. “Public servants need to set an example to the people.” Poe’s running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero, said Duterte’s statements should be denounced. “His frequent use of women, regardless of their circumstance, as subject or object of his jokes during his presidential sorties is foul and offensive, to say the least. It is a distasteful attempt to woo voters at the expense of women and by demeaning the dignity of women,” Escudero said in a statement. “We should, at all times, protect and respect the dignity of women and other genders. We do not want the Philippines to become a haven for women and sex offenders,” he said. In a statement, Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Duterte had “made fun of and trivialized” the “rape and killing” of Hamill. “Indeed, he has confirmed by word and deed why those who oppose his candidacy have expressed utmost concern about the lack of fitness for the presidency,” Coloma said. ‘Sorry’ After saying sorry for his language, Duterte repeated to reporters what he told the crowd at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City on April 12: “Oh, this one is very beautiful, who looked like an actress. Son of a bitch, they did it to her. The mayor should have been first. ‘Kill them all.’” He said it was not a joke when he said it. “Do not make me apologize for something which I did. It’s a matter of honor. I said it in the heat of anger.” Although he would not apologize to anyone in particular, Duterte said he was sorry to the Filipino people. “It’s my style, it’s my mouth. I said it in the heat of anger.” But listen to the story behind it, he said. The story that Duterte was referring to was the hostage-taking of three foreign missionaries inside the jail in Davao Metrodiscom headquarters in 1989. The main suspect, Federico Pugoy, had earlier held a bus and was convinced by Duterte to release the hostages in exchange for the mayor himself. Duterte said he was the one who ordered the hostage-takers killed and as a result was investigated by a congressional committee. With a report from Nestor Corrales, Inquirer. Net To view the video clip, go to: http://bit.ly/1VaEO8U

2016-04-18 06:04 Christine O newsinfo.inquirer.net

11 PAL flight diverts to India after baby couldn’t wait A MANILA-bound Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane from Dubai was diverted to India on Sunday when a seven-month pregnant passenger went into premature labor mid-flight. PR 669 left Dubai at midnight Saturday when four hours into the flight to Manila, 40-year-old Mary Grace Alejandro, who was traveling with her teenage son, complained of abdominal pain and went into labor. The cabin crew helped the woman give birth. Mother and daughter, however, were in delicate condition that required proper medical care. This prompted the pilot to divert the flight to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, India. Upon landing, Alejandro and her new baby were rushed to Apollo Hospital, where they were declared in stable condition. According to PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna, the baby was on ventilator support and under observation, with a projected full recovery in six weeks. Villaluna said PAL was in contact with the Apollo Hospital for updates on the patients’ condition while the flag carrier’s general sales agent has gotten in touch with the passenger’s family. Alejandro’s husband and sister are expected to arrive in Hyderabad on Monday. PR 669 proceeded to Manila at 7:46 a.m. and arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 1:30 p.m.

2016-04-18 06:04 Jeannette I globalnation.inquirer.net

12 An ordinary man with an extraordinary story Contact WND Ordinary people can do great things. Think of Abraham Lincoln, who was born into a log cabin and struggled in business before teaching himself law and eventually becoming one of America’s greatest presidents. Or think of Joseph Hoover, the subject of the new Civil War movie “Union Bound.” “The little guy can achieve things,” said Michael Davis, who produced “Union Bound” and wrote the companion book. “We hear all this talk in politics about ‘the little guy’ and the underprivileged, so to speak, and here’s just a common man who went to war. He himself said he went to war to free slaves but was freed by them.” Joseph Hoover was a farmer from Utica, New York, who enlisted in the Union Army. He was captured by Confederate forces and taken to the notorious Andersonville prison. He was later transferred to another prison, from which he and a friend escaped. With the help of slaves and the Underground Railroad, the two men made it back to Union-held territory. Hoover chronicled his experiences in two 1864 diaries that survive to this day and formed the basis for “Union Bound.” “What makes it interesting is his human adventure, and not just a physical adventure of looking for freedom, but a psychological and even spiritual journey of freedom in achieving this quest that he went on,” Davis said. Davis, the president of Uptone Pictures, thinks Hoover went to war mainly because the army would pay more money than he made as a farmer. Hoover had a big family – roughly 13 brothers and sisters – that he wanted to help. “He was a very simple man,” Davis said of Hoover. “He didn’t write the most prolific types of things, but his diaries are very consistent and have brought a lot of interest from different scholars and different educators on the whole concept of the Underground Railroad.” Davis explained that Hoover’s account flipped the concept of the Underground Railroad on its head. Schools teach children the Underground Railroad was a network of mostly white abolitionists that helped escaped slaves flee the South, but Hoover documented a case where black slaves used the railroad to help two white men escape to freedom. Davis described Hoover as pragmatic and also frugal. “He was always the one in his diary who talks about, ‘Well, I lent a pair of socks to this guy and I lent $5 to this guy and so-and-so borrowed this,'” Davis recounted. “So he was the guy that always had stuff, so I don’t think he spent a lot of his own on himself, but he was always thinking about how he could maybe make a little bit of money, maybe invest his money in ways that he could make money back. So I think he was a frugal man, very pragmatic, and I’m very grateful that he was, because we have some great diaries from him.” Davis also admires Hoover for being a man of his word. When Hoover enlisted in the army, he promised to fight for the Union through the end of the war. After his long ordeal of being captured, escaping and journeying back to safe territory, it would have been easy for him to go back to his farm and sit out the rest of the war. But instead, Hoover rejoined his regiment and continued fighting. Davis hopes audiences will appreciate Hoover’s values. “It’s time for us to restore good American values, what this country was built on – honor, integrity, when you give your word that you’ll follow through with what you said and things of that nature,” Davis said. While making this movie, Davis extensively researched not only Hoover but also the entire Civil War period. He observed certain similarities between that era and today. “One of the things I noticed is that it seems like over the last 150 years we’re kind of right back where we started,” he noted. “Race relations today are probably as crazy now as they were back then, and unfortunately we need more stories like ‘Union Bound.’ We need more people that’ll come together and work together to erase this silly notion that one color is better than another.” One sign of the turbulent race relations in today’s America was the brouhaha over this year’s Oscar nominees. In 2016, for the second year in a row, all 20 actors nominated in the lead and supporting acting categories were white. As a result, several Hollywood stars publicly chastised the Academy, others boycotted the ceremony, and the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite trended on Twitter. If people want more diversity in their movies, Davis begs them to take a look at his film. “‘Union Bound’ is actually the alternative to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy,” Davis reasoned. “It’s about whites and blacks, or whites and colored people, working together for a common goal, and actually in our story the slave Jim Young is the hero. So we actually did exactly what is being clamored for out there to promote diversity in film.” Tank Jones, who has also appeared in “Breaking Bad,” “CSI: Miami,” “Rules of Engagement” and a number of TV commercials, played Jim Young in “Union Bound.” Young was the black slave who was most instrumental in helping the two white soldiers escape to freedom. Davis said he was watching a panel discussion of the Oscars “controversy” on TV when someone remarked, “It’s about time that we make films that are more inclusive.” “Well, we have a film that’s more inclusive, and that’s ‘Union Bound,’ and I urge you to go see it on April 22,” Davis retorted. The producer hopes moviegoers will pick up on the theme of racial harmony when they see “Union Bound.” “I want people to walk away from this understanding that it is possible for people of different backgrounds, different colors, different areas of the world to work together and come to common ground and achieve things together and not be so divisive,” he said.

Commander-in-Chief Hillary? Not so fast! Contact WND wnd.com

Your daily dose of spiritual inspiration Contact WND wnd.com Fight or flight? Contact WND wnd.com

Man arrives Contact WND wnd.com RNC defends voterless elections Contact WND wnd.com 2016-04-18 02:54 Paul Bremmer www.wnd.com

13 The Pilgrims wouldn't leave Holland without this Contact WND William Brewster is portrayed in the U. S. Capitol Rotunda holding an open Bible, in the painting “Embarkation of the Pilgrims.” William Brewster is also portrayed in the Rotunda giving thanks to God in the “Frieze of American History” depiction of “The Landing of the Pilgrims.” William Brewster is depicted as representing “religion” in a thematic painting located in the president’s room of the Senate Wing. William Brewster was a leader of the Pilgrim church in England. He was arrested and jailed by Britain’s oppressive government which denied liberty of conscience and religious freedom. He fled with the Pilgrims to Holland, and 12 years later, sailed with them to America. William Brewster signed the Mayflower Compact. Governor Bradford wrote of him: “Mr. Brewster … lived in the country … till the Lord revealed Himself further to him. In the end, the tyranny … against godly preachers … in silencing … and persecuting … caused him … to feel the burden of … many anti-christian corruptions. …” Discover more of Bill Federer’s eye-opening books and videos in the WND Superstore! Governor Bradford continued: “After they had joined themselves together in communion … William Brewster was a special help and support to them. On the Lord’s day they generally met at his house, which was a manor. … He entertained them with great kindness when they came, providing for them at heavy expense. .., He was the leader of those who were captured at … Lincolnshire, suffering the greatest loss, and was one of the seven who were kept longest in prison and afterwards bound over to the assizes.” Governor Bradford wrote further of William Brewster: “After he came to Holland he suffered much hardship, having spent most of his means. … Towards the latter part of those twelve years spent in Holland, William Brewster’s circumstances improved … for through his knowledge of Latin he was able to teach many foreign students English. … Both Danes and Germans came to him, some of them being sons of distinguished men. …” On Dec. 15, 1617, William Brewster and Pastor John Robinson wrote a letter from Leiden, Holland, to London financier Sir Edwin Sandys, explaining the Pilgrims were: “Knit together as a body in … covenant of the Lord … we so hold ourselves … tied to all care of each other’s good. …” Governor Bradford eulogized further of William Brewster: “He labored in the fields as long as he was able. … When the church had no other minister he taught twice every Sabbath, and that both powerfully and profitably, to the great edification and comfort of his hearers, many being brought to God by his ministry.” In 1629, after the Pilgrims founded a church in Massachusetts Bay, William Brewster wrote: “The church that had been brought over the ocean now saw another church, the first-born in America, holding the same faith in the same simplicity of self-government under Christ alone.” William Brewster died April 18, 1644, as Governor Bradford wrote: “About the 18th of April died their reverend elder … Mr. William Brewster, a man who had done and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the Gospel’s sake, and had borne his part in the weal or woe with this poor persecuted Church for over thirty-five years in England, Holland, and this wilderness. … Notwithstanding the many troubles and sorrows he passed through, the Lord upheld him to a great age.” Brought to you by AmericanMinute.com . Discover more of Bill Federer’s eye-opening books and videos in the WND Superstore!

2016-04-18 02:53 Bill Federer www.wnd.com

14 Uproar forces KFC to yank racy ad Contact WND (INSIDE EDITION) — An ad for fried chicken that was meant to be funny ended up infuriating many KFC customers recently. The ad for the fast food chain in Australia depicts a man smiling down at his own crotch as his lady friend reaches toward the pixelated area below his waist. “WARNING:” read the ad, which was posted to Twitter. “#NSFW. Something hot and spicy is coming soon…”

2016-04-18 02:52 www.wnd.com

15 National security expert: Saudis no U. S. ally Contact WND Almost 15 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the American people still don’t know the full truth of what happened that terrible day. Now, President Obama is considering declassifying 28 pages of information in the 9/11 Commission Report that could show Saudi Arabia was a key player in the attacks. Hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mindhar may have received assistance from Saudi officials after entering the United States, according to a “60 Minutes” report broadcast Sunday. The officials culpable could include a diplomat at the Saudi consulate known to hold extremist views. The Saudi embassy in the U. S. has officially denied the “60 Minutes” report, calling it a “compilation of myths and erroneous charges.” Yet, it isn’t the first time such charges have surfaced. In January 2015, U. S. Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., a lead author of the 9/11 Commission Report, held a news conference calling for declassification of the redacted pages. He also claimed the redacted pages would “point a very strong finger at Saudi Arabia as the principal financier” of the attacks. He is not alone in his view of Saudi Arabia. Philip Haney, a recently retired Department of Homeland Security officer, agrees the Islamic kingdom is a sponsor of terrorism and can hardly be called an American “ally.” “During my career as a counter-terrorism analyst, I frequently encountered evidence of Saudi and United Arab Emirates support of Islamic terrorism via the funding of vast numbers of Salafi, or fundamentalist, Sunni Madrassas in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he told WND. “As confirmed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, these Madrassas remain known recruitment and training centers for groups such as al-Qaida, the Taliban and Lashkar e-Tayyiba, the group involved in the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India.” Haney is the author of the upcoming book “See Something, Say Nothing: A Homeland Security Officer Exposes the Government’s Submission to Jihad.” He said that to continue “calling any country with such a long history of support for known terrorist groups a reliable ally is contrary to the primary purpose of our elected officials, which is to protect our country from threats, both foreign and domestic.” Has our own government already surrendered to Islamic jihad? A national security insider uncovers the terrible truth. Philip Haney’s “See Something, Say Nothing” is available for pre- order from the WND Superstore. Haney was a Customs and Border Protection officer who served tours of duty at the National Targeting Center on its Advanced Targeting Team. Haney won numerous awards and commendations from his superiors for meticulously compiling information and producing actionable reports that led to the identification of hundreds of terrorists. But Haney faced fierce opposition from a politically correct administration that made him the subject of nine investigations. He chronicles his experiences, which include his remarkable nexus to the San Bernardino and Boston Marathon investigations – in “See Something, Say Nothing.” Promise to relatives Haney believes the truth will never be known unless the full 9/11 Commission Report is released to the public. “Without access to the redacted documents, we will never be able to adequately answer the question of Saudi complicity with the hijackers,” he told WND. “However, members of both the House and Senate who have seen the documents have plainly expressed their conviction that Saudi Arabia provided some degree of financial support to at least two of the Saudi citizens directly involved in the 9/11 attacks.” The Obama administration has said Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is reviewing the documents for possible declassification. The president recently refused to commit himself to releasing the redacted pages. However, he reportedly promised relatives of 9/11 victims in 2009 and 2011 he would release them. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N. C., introduced a bill in December 2013 cosponsored by 10 other Republicans and 11 Democrats calling on the president to release the full report. The law firm Cozen O’Connor is also pushing litigation to hold Saudi Arabia partially responsible for the 9/11 attacks, with one of the firm’s attorneys appearing in the “60 Minutes” report. The release of the redacted pages could prove crucial to any eventual legal battle. Haney argues the evidence of possible Saudi involvement in the 9/11 attacks was held back because the George W. Bush administration thought it needed the Saudi government’s help in fighting terrorism. “From my perspective as a retired CBP officer, one of the main reasons the documents were classified was to ‘encourage’ the Saudi government to assist the U. S and the West in the ‘War on Terror,'” he said. “However, as we have seen with the benefit of hindsight, the American definition of terrorism is quite a bit different than the Saudi definition, and the threat of global terrorism is higher today, by several magnitudes, than it has ever been in modern history.” Costly partnership Haney charged that the American people are still endangered by the toxic alliance between the American and Saudi governments. “In my opinion, another cost of this partnership has been the huge increase in the numbers of visas issued to Saudi students since 9/11,” he said. “It is well known that this program is riddled with fraud, yet the numbers continue rising each year.” According to a report from Daniel Horowitz at Conservative Review , student visas from Saudi Arabia have increased tenfold since 9/11. The explosion in visas for Saudis has been called a threat to national security because Saudi Arabian nationals accounted for 15 of the 19 hijackers in the attacks. Haney sees a familiar pattern in how the federal government is so eager to conceal information that may be regarded as politically incorrect, especially if it implicates Islamic nations or Islamic extremism. “The entire saga of the missing 28 pages, which should have been made public long ago – along with the rest of the 800-page 2003 report by the 9/11 Commission – is very similar to the ongoing efforts of the government to ‘modify,’ purge, redact and/or eliminate, i.e., censor, any fact-based intelligence information from our law enforcement systems that may have been ‘inconvenient,’ or may have contradicted the government’s Civil Rights and Civil Liberties-based Counter Terrorism Policy,” he said. “As seen in an April 05, 2016, letter to FBI Director James B. Comey Jr. from a coalition of ‘civil rights’ groups and Muslim organizations, these aggressive efforts to influence our law enforcement agencies because of political considerations continue to this very day.” Ultimately, Haney argues the American people deserve to know the truth about the terrorist threat to the nation. And that especially applies, he said, to 9/11. “Whatever help we were hoping to get from the government of Saudi Arabia has obviously not come through,” he told WND. “The kingdom is hardly an ally of the United States. I don’t know why we are coddling a country and a government that all too often acts more like an enemy.” Enemies within? The hidden truth about the War on Terrorism. “See Something, Say Nothing” is available for pre-order from the WND Superstore.

2016-04-18 02:51 www.wnd.com

16 'Danger is rapidly building,' wealthy flee cities Contact WND It certainly looks like the elite know something the rest of us don’t, as many are fleeing cities and even entire countries. Some are preparing emergency bunkers and panic rooms – all at a time when Republican front-runner Donald Trump and some economists are predicting an imminent recession. Thousands of millionaires have fled the troubled city of Chicago, reportedly motivated by “rising racial tensions” and “crime.” But more than twice as many wealthy people fled the city of Paris, France, which was recently hit by terrorism and suffers from similar racial tensions. While the wealthy fleeing Chicago mostly moved within the United States, many of those rich people escaping Paris are leaving France altogether. About 10,000 millionaires fled the country, with the exodus blamed on rising religious tensions between Muslims and the native French in urban areas. What do YOU think? Is fleeing cities the right strategy if disaster is near? Sound off in today’s WND poll. Many of those who fled were Jewish and have reportedly gone to Israel, where they feel safer. According to a recent report from New World Wealth, the flight of millionaires from a certain area is viewed as a “bad sign” because “millionaires are often the first people to leave [with] the means to leave unlike middle class citizens.” Many of those who are staying put also seem to be taking precautions. The shelter company Vivos is constructing massive bunkers designed to protect the wealthy in case of disaster. The company’s complex in Germany, Europa One, boasts pools, movie theaters, bars, and other luxuries behind gates and blast doors guarded by armed security forces. The company’s website is quoted as saying millions believe a “global life-changing event is just ahead” and many think “we are living in the ‘end times.'” The Daily Mail reports this is part of a trend of more wealthy people not just seeking space in underground bunkers, but installing ‘safe rooms’ in apartments. Such preparations are driven more by fear of social instability than imminent natural disasters. And social instability may well be on the way, according to the Republican frontrunner. Donald Trump generated headlines when he recently prophesied the country is headed for a “very massive recession” and actually urged people not to invest in the stock market. Most economists disagree with Trump’s assessment. However, others have supported Trump’s prediction. Analyst Albert Edwards of the French bank Societe Generale said new data show the American economy is in a “gut wrenching slump.” The loss of security caused by natural disasters, social instability or economic collapse is dangerous regardless so the root cause. It’s a truth Carl Gallups knows well as a former law enforcement official and a pastor with decades of experience assisting people in his community after a disaster. He compiled the lessons he’s learned in his new book “Be Thou Prepared,” which aims to inform Christians how to survive persecution, chaos and disaster. He argues Christians should heed the warnings of those powerful people who seem to believe something big is coming. Don’t miss Carl Gallups explosive warning to Christians around the world. “Be Thou Prepared” available now from the WND Superstore. “It is certainly telling that even these sellers of ’emergency bunker real estate’ understand that ‘millions of people’ around the world believe we may be in for some tough times – perhaps disastrous times,” Gallups told WND. “Even people who do not know the prophecies contained in the Word of God sense that something is terribly wrong and that danger is rapidly building. This ‘sense of urgency’ is the frequent topic of conversation the world over. This is why I wrote my last two books.” Besides “Be Thou Prepared,” Gallups has also written “Final Warning: Understanding the Trumpet Days of Revelation,” which interprets the signs of the times from a biblical and eschatological perspective. Gallups told WND Christians should not underestimating the importance of the era in which they live, which he called “prophetic times.” “We are told to ‘know the season’ in which we live,” Gallups said. “We are not to live blindly, with our heads buried in the sands of denial. God’s people are instructed to be watchful, and to prepare. Yet, we are also admonished to not be fretful and anxiety ridden as we go about our day-to-day lives. “I tell God’s people to reasonably prepare for the potential of having to ‘shelter in place’ (or even moving to another place of shelter and safety) in the event of disaster – natural or otherwise. There are many considerations that require individual evaluation for each person, family, and/or church family. Then, after one has properly prepared – then get on with life! God’s people were never called to go hide under a log in the woods!” Gallups added even the secular minded need to know how to rationally prepare for trouble without giving into panic. “The things about which the world’s wealthiest people are reportedly most worried … are civil unrest, revolution, rampant crime, and natural disasters,” observed Gallups. “Many of them believe these things may be more dangerously possible than ever before. With the rise of the Islamic State and its atrocities, massive refugee movements, sword-rattling nuclear superpowers, Ferguson-like civil unrest spreading, and continual mainstream media predictions of economic meltdowns and potential natural disasters like Yellowstone erupting, who could blame them?” However, Gallups said even the wealthiest and most powerful people preparing for disaster lack a key advantage Christians enjoy – faith. “The truth is that even after having made the most ardent and adequate preparations, something unforeseen can happen for which you could have never prepared,” he said. “So, the bottom line is that our lives are to be lived in faith. We prepare, not merely for our ‘survival’ or comfort – but we prepare so that when disaster strikes were are immediately able to minister to others around us. It could be that in the direst of times is when others will be most prepared to listen to the truth of God’s Word. We live in prophetic times, like never before. They are often trying times, but they are also exciting times – ripe with opportunity to advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.” Trials and persecution are on the way. Will you be ready? “Be Thou Prepared” available now from the WND Superstore.

2016-04-18 02:51 www.wnd.com

17 Hillary keeps throwing Bill's presidency under bus Contact WND (INVESTORS. COM) – Elections: Is there anything Bill Clinton did as president that the Democratic Party still supports any more? It’s hard to imagine what that would be, since Hillary keeps throwing Bill under the bus. At one point in the Democratic debate on Thursday, Clinton was asked whether, looking at the crime bill her husband championed as president, “as a whole, do you believe it was a net positive or do you think it was a mistake?” This crime bill was one of Bill Clinton’s signature achievements, one he touted endlessly as contributing to the decline in crime and for liberating the party from its long-standing “soft on crime” image. These days, Democrats dismiss it as leading to “mass incarceration.” Hillary could barely bring herself to say anything good about it. “I think that it had some positive aspects to it,” she muttered, but then followed up by apologizing for her own past support for the law. “I’m sorry for the consequences that were unintended and that have had a very unfortunate impact on people’s lives.” Then she made a point of saying that “my husband has apologized” for it, too.

Commander-in-Chief Hillary? Not so fast! Contact WND wnd.com 2016-04-18 02:51 www.wnd.com

18 Investigation: America's broken system for backgrounding teachers Nation's disciplined teacher data to be audited state by state NC lacks standard for screening all private school teachers Teacher who won back license faced sex abuse claims 20 years ago Teacher with troubled past resigns amid USA TODAY NETWORK probe Dis-honor roll States look to mend gaps in teacher screening systems How troubled teachers cheat the system Exclusive: Flaws found in Iowa teacher background checks How we graded the states on teacher background checks Teachers can lose license elsewhere, work in Tennessee The teaching journey of Alexander Stormer Teachers lose certificates, but not classroom access Tracking disciplined teachers across states is difficult 4 things we know about Arizona teacher database errors Teacher misconduct tracked, but not shared with public How to look up the background of teachers in every state How USA TODAY audited the country's broken systems for tracking teacher discipline Despite background checks, troubled teachers slip past system NC fails in screening for problem teachers Tennessee gets an F in teacher background checks Teachers with sordid pasts slip into Southwest Florida schools Iowa lawmakers: Tighten school background checks Va.'s teacher background checks get D grade State backlog lets educators keep licenses Schools use contracts to cut teachers loose Area teachers in discipline database Pa.: Increased efforts to track teacher backgrounds Mississippi gets 'D' for teacher licensure Nevada at both ends of systemic teacher-vetting problems When bad teachers cross state lines New Mexico among worst on teacher background checks N. Y. gets ‘B’ in vetting teachers 11Alive investigation leads to improved teacher vetting system New York among best states for teacher checks Florida receives C for teacher discipline VT leads in teacher misconduct checks Alabama earns high marks on teacher background check system Keeping kids safe Teacher won back license after sex-abuse claims Improve tools to track teacher misconduct: #tellusatoday Tennessee Board of Education to formalize teacher discipline policy Troubled teachers jumping borders to stay in classrooms Wisconsin gets 'C' for teacher licensure Educators do little time for sex crimes © 2016 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC.

2016-04-18 01:40 Steve Reilly rssfeeds.usatoday.com

19 VIDEO: Fire destroys warehouse in downtown Tacoma Loren Ross, 17, takes an oath of enlistment on Tuesday from Brig. Gen. Donna Martin. Ross of Snohomish is the second woman to enlist in the Army with a commitment to joining the infantry. Juan Perez tickled the ivories a final time April 9 at Nordstrom. Ever wondered what's going on the 40-acre site between River Road and Pioneer Way in Puyallup? It’s a $9 million mitigation project by the Port of Tacoma to restore wetland habitat. Project manager Dave Myers gives a boots-on tour of the former farmland once owned by the Sherwood family. 83rd annual Daffodil Parade delights crowds in Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting. Mariners fans from Pierce County and beyond share their optimism prior to Friday's home opener against Oakland. A new feature at Cheney Stadium is a wiffle ball field behind the stands along the right field line. Got 59 seconds? Take this mini tour of Tacoma residents enjoying the first truly gorgeous day of the year. Pat Tompkins, of Sound Amusements, demonstrates how electronic games — newly allowed in Washington and could be banned or restricted — work. From foosball, basketball to gardening, children on the Key Peninsula find the Red Barn Youth Center a safe place to go after school. Tacoma police use new technology to make composite sketches of men suspected of killing two Tacoma children in 1986. Previously the two crimes were believed to have been committed by the same person.

2016-04-18 01:57 www.thenewstribune.com

20 Russian jet barrel-rolls over U. S. aircraft Washington (CNN) A U. S. Air Force reconnaissance plane was barrel-rolled by a Russian jet over the Baltic Sea during a routine flight in international airspace, U. S. European Command said Saturday, but Russia disputed that account. CNN's Alla Eshchenko and Tim Hume contributed to this report.

2016-04-18 02:38 Sophie Tatum www.cnn.com

21 21 If WPP does well, I do well, says advertising giant's chief Sorrell on £63m pay Sir Martin Sorrell, the boss of advertising giant WPP, has defended his £63 million pay package, insisting "if WPP does well, I do well". The founder and chief executive of the firm, speaking after BP faced a humiliating shareholder rebellion over executive pay, said: "Most of my wealth, if not all of it, is and has been for the last 31 years tied up in the success of WPP. So if WPP does well, I do well, and others in the company do well. If we do badly, we suffer. " In March, WPP said annual pre-tax profits rose 2.8% to £1.49 billion and Sir Martin pointed out that his pay plan - which consists of a £1.15 million salary and a share package worth £62.78 million - was "voted through by shareholders by considerable majorities". "The fact is, those plans were put in place, they were voted on, they were approved. The only reason the plans have resulted in what they've resulted in is because the company has done well," he said. "Over the past four or five years, the company's market cap has grown by about £10 billion. So if it's our nostra culpa for having a successful company … I make no apologies for that. The better the results, the better the people do. " His comments come during a period of increasing tension between investors and boards over pay. On Thursday, almost 60% of BP shareholders rejected the oil giant's remuneration report, which awarded boss Bob Dudley £13.8 million, in a non- binding vote. Shareholder lobby group PIRC dubbed the award "excessive". In 2012, Sir Martin himself was embroiled in the so-called shareholder spring, which saw nearly 60% of WPP investors reject his £6.8 million pay packet. Asked if he feared another rebellion ahead of this year's AGM in June, Sir Martin said: "We have shareholder votes every year. It is what it is. Shareholders will decide. It's very democratic. We're always engaged with shareholders with anything and everything. " The boards of firms such as Persimmon, HSBC, AstraZeneca, Reckitt Benckiser and Centrica are all gearing up for potential rebellions over pay at their AGMs. On the EU, Sir Martin, who backs the UK remaining, said employment in Britain would suffer if the electorate votes for Brexit, while job prospects in Europe would be boosted. He said: "In our case, the prospects for incremental employment if we came out would be reduced in the UK and increased in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Most of the City firms I talk to say that, if we come out, the UK will lose employment and jobs will be shifted in City firms to continental Europe. "If we're out of Europe we will lose influence in those markets and indeed in Brussels. So if we came out, we (WPP) would have to reassert our activities into continental Europe, we would invest more in continental Europe to establish a stronger presence. "

2016-04-18 02:22 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

22 Downtown Islamic library opens to the public With Hakeem Olajuwon towering over him, Mayor Sylvester Turner snipped the red ribbon signifying the official opening of the Library of Islamic Knowledge on Saturday. The library, on the third floor of the stately Islamic Da'wah Center located at 201 Travis in downtown, opened as part of a larger goal to offer a comprehensive educational resource to Houston residents, including its 200,000 Muslims, according to executive director Ameer Abuhalimeh . "The center is dedicated to the history, culture and public education of Islam," he said. "Our goal isn't just to promote a balanced perspective of Islam, but also to serve downtown Houston and the community at-large. " Abuhalimeh said the library, which cost around $2.5 million, also fosters the center's mission to become more educational in nature. The white marble floors of the opulent library contrast with its mahogany brown tables and bookshelves - some of which remain empty. There's no shortage of gold in sight. By year's end, Abuhalimeh expects the library to feature 25,000 books with a digital offering upward of 100,000 titles. By that time, he also anticipates the center's Museum of Islamic Art will be complete, too. "Houston is a highly diverse city, and this facility speaks to that diversity," Turner said. "This is a place not just for Muslims, but everyone. It opens the door for people of all faiths to learn about a different part of the Houston community. " Turner emphasized that education about other faiths, regions and cultures is crucial to growth and understanding, especially in light of divisive rhetoric against others. He said he's excited the center will provide a motley of programs and speakers from across the globe. Turner said he's also happy the center will continue to serve as an educational resource for middle schools, high schools, and colleges in the area - something it's done since its soft opening two months ago. "The opening of this library came as the demand for a library did," Olajuwon said. "It creates a space for learning and knowledge, so the library and the museum help complete the educational mission of the institution. " The building, formerly Houston National Bank , was restored and renovated to house the Islamic Da'wah Center in the late 1990s, after Olajuwon acquired the property in 1994. The center officially opened in 2002 as a three-story facility that includes its main prayer hall on the first floor in addition to meeting rooms, classrooms, offices and a kitchen. "It shows leadership to embrace other nationalities, religions and cultures," Olajuwon said. "Bringing unity is something that needs to be reinforced. "

2016-04-17 21:50 By Glynn www.chron.com

23 North Houston illegal game room shut down, owner arrested A north Houston unauthorized game room was raided late Friday, resulting in one arrest and surprising a new Houston city council member who spent her day riding along with officers. Houston Police Department officers descended on the business, on East Crosstimbers at Bauman, around 9 p.m. They seized cash and 40 machines, whose computer motherboards were secured in plastic evidence bags. The man who owns and operates the business, whose name was not released, was arrested. Capt. Dan Harris with HPD's vice division said the officers who participated were from the agency's north division and vice as well as the special weapons and tactics unit or SWAT. "This is an illegal business. People come thinking that the gambling machines are regulated. They're not. The business owner sets them to make payouts of whatever he wants and so it's just basically a big rip off," Harris said. "The vice division became aware of this game room through some citizens' complaints, developed the case to confirm, yes, it's an illegal business, and then tonight we executed the search warrant and the arrest warrant of the owner and the operator. " Patrons were not taken into custody. "The Houston Police Department is not interested in arresting the people who come here thinking that this is a legal business," Harris said. "We don't arrest them. We just check to see that everybody is safe... that we don't have anybody with an outstanding warrant. " Houston City Council District H council member Karla Cisneros, who was riding along with HPD patrol officers in her district on Friday, said she had no idea the experience was going to end with a SWAT raid. "It was really a remarkable thing to watch," she said. "There's a lot of secondary crimes that come out of it. It's not just illegal gambling. ... There's a lot of money here that creates a lot of illegal opportunities. " Cisneros joined the council in January after winning a December runoff election. "We want to live in a safe community, so shutting down illegal operations like this is part of that," she said.

2016-04-18 01:10 By Cindy www.chron.com

24 Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years - CNN.com WASHINGTON (CNN) -- NASA's launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington. The mission had been scheduled for launch in the fall of 2009. The Mars Science Lab is a large, nuclear- powered rover designed to traverse long distances with a suite of onboard scientific instruments aboard. It is, according to NASA's Web site, part of a "long-term effort of robotic exploration" established to "study the early environmental history of Mars" and assess whether Mars has ever been -- or still is -- able to sustain life. The delay of the launch, according to NASA, is due to a number of "testing and hardware challenges that must (still) be addressed to ensure mission success. " "The progress in recent weeks has not come fast enough on solving technical challenges and pulling hardware together," said Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Changing to a 2011 launch "will allow for careful resolution of any remaining technical problems, proper and thorough testing, and avoid a mad dash to launch," argued NASA Associate Administrator Ed Weiler. The overall cost of the Mars Science Lab is now projected to be roughly $2.1 billion, according to NASA spokesman Dwayne Browne. The project originally carried a price tag of $1.6 billion. NASA's entire budget for the current fiscal year, according to Browne, is approximately $15 billion. According to NASA, the Mars rover will use new technologies and be engineered to explore greater distances over rougher terrain than previous missions to the planet. This will be done in part by employing a new surface propulsion system. "Failure is not an option on this mission," Weiler said. "The science is too important and the investment of American taxpayer dollars compels us to be absolutely certain that we have done everything possible to ensure the success of this flagship planetary mission. " Weiler asserted that, based on the agency's preliminary evaluations, additional costs tied to the delay of the Science Lab launch would not result in the cancellation of other NASA programs over the next two years. He did, however, concede that it would result in other unspecified program delays. Critics have charged that the delay and cost overruns associated with the Mars Science Lab are indicative of an agency that is plagued by a lack of accountability and inefficiency in terms of its management of both time and taxpayer dollars. "The Mars Science Laboratory is only the latest symptom of a NASA culture that has lost control of spending," wrote Alan Stern, a former NASA associate administrator, in a November 24 op- ed in the New York Times. "A cancer is overtaking our space agency: the routine acquiescence to immense cost increases in projects. " Stern charged that the agency's cost overruns are being fueled by "managers who disguise the size of cost increases that missions incur" and "members of Congress who accept steep increases to protect local jobs. " Browne replied in a written statement saying that NASA administrators are "constantly working to improve (the agency's) cost-estimating capabilities. ... We continually review our projects to understand the true risk in terms of performance, cost and schedule. " "The fact of life at NASA, where we are charged with creating first-of-a-kind missions of scientific discovery, is that estimating the costs of... science can be almost as difficult as actually doing the science," Browne said. NASA's most recent Mars project -- the mission of the Phoenix Mars Lander -- came to an end last month after the solar-powered vehicle's batteries ran down as the result of a dust storm and the onset of Martian winter. It had operated two months beyond its initial three-month mission. NASA officials had landed the vehicle on an arctic plain after satellite observations indicated there were vast quantities of frozen water in that area, most likely in the form of permafrost. They thought such a location would be a promising place to look for organic chemicals that would signal a habitable environment. Scientists were able to verify the presence of water-ice in the Martian subsurface, find small concentrations of salts that could be nutrients for life, and observe snow descending from the clouds, NASA said Thursday.

2016-04-18 04:47 Alan Silverleib edition.cnn.com

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

2016-04-17 21:49 Harmeet Shah edition.cnn.com

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

2016-04-17 21:49 edition.cnn.com

27 'Junior the Wendy’s Guy,' a UT Austin icon, dies at 61 A beloved University of Texas at Austin icon and mainstay of the student union died Monday. Ishmael Mohammed Jr., better known as Junior the Wendy’s Guy, was found unconscious at a bus stop Friday morning in Austin, according to his daughter Kimberly Guerin. He was rushed to the emergency room where doctors said Mohammed had severe brain bleeding. Surgery was unsuccessful, and he died not long afterwards. The Austin Chronicle first reported his death. Value Colleges: Forbes names the colleges worth the investment in Texas Mohammed, 61, spent a decade working at a Wendy’s restaurant inside the University of Texas at Austin’s student union. On Facebook, former UT students mourned the loss of Junior, remembering his enthusiasm and infectious joy. He was one of the most memorable icons of the Longhorn community while he worked there. Filmmakers made a SXSW short documentary about him in 2006. In 2014, an Austin American Statesman article on “Junior the Wendy’s Guy,” referred to him as “the Rachmaninoff of the register holding the record making the most orders and sales within a 30-minute span…one order every 7.3 seconds.” He would yell “Touchdown!” and give high fives to customers while making their orders. He left Austin in 2012 to take care of his ailing mother in New York. After she died, Mohammed’s life took a bad turn that left him living on Austin's streets as early as 2014. A viral campaign helped raise some $30,000 for Mohammed , but he continued to struggle. Texas History: How 20 Lone Star State icons got their names “I know he had been mugged before and that he has had stitches before,” Guerin told the Daily Texan about his death . “There have been altercations with people on the street, so they think it was probably a fall, but no one really knows because no one was there.” Guerin set up a GoFundMe page originally to pay for her father’s funeral. Those expenses were later covered by the company that employs her half-brother, the Austin Chronicle reported. The funds will now go toward a memorial event in Austin. Contributions to the campaign can be made here.

2016-04-17 21:54 Matt Levin www.chron.com

28 Houston couple who solved grisly 'Ice Box Murders' profiled by true crime podcasters From tales of a cheerful Massachusetts nurse who became a prolific poisoner in late 19th Century Massachusetts to the contemporary story of an eighth-grader with a loaded gun at a Minnesota middle school, the popular true crime podcast Criminal keeps listeners connected to their earbuds. This week, the show profiled Houston’s grisly Ice Box Murders in 1965, a case that for more than 50 years has remained unsolved. Well, unsolved in court at least. Plenty of people over the years have made their own conclusions about who killed Edwina and Fred Rogers in their home on Father’s Day in 1965 and chopped up their bodies for storage in refrigerators in their own kitchen. Two Houstonians, the husband and wife forensic accounting team of Hugh and Martha Gardenier, have done the most extensive work on the Rogers case, starting in 1997. The pair were interviewed by the Criminal team for the podcast's newest episode. RELATED: 11 unsolved murder cases with ties to the Houston area On June 23, 1965, Houston police officers took a look inside a Montrose home where they had been asked to check on an elderly couple. After opening the freezer, police realized the butchered hog meat they were looking at was actually human flesh. Edwina Rogers, 79, had been beaten and shot execution style. The killer had smashed in 81- year-old Fred Rogers’ head with a hammer, gouged out his eyes and removed his organs. The lone suspect was their 43-year-old son Charles Rogers, who lived with his parents. At that point, eight years before the discovery of Dean Corll's serial murders , Houston hadn’t yet dealt with such ghastly crimes. Rogers' whereabouts remain unknown. He was declared legally dead in 1975 by a Houston judge. Conspiracy theorists, including two who authored a 1992 book on the case, believe Rogers was a covert CIA operative involved in the Kennedy assassination. His parents died after discovering his identity, according to the CIA-operative theory. Former Houston Press reporter John Nova Lomax detailed some of the conspiracy theories surrounding the Rogers family back in 2009. RELATED: The strangest unsolved mysteries in Houston Charles Rogers vanished without a trace but the Gardeniers think they know what happened to him and detailed their work in a heavily-researched book released in 2003 . The Gardeniers contend that Rogers was a brilliant geophysicist with powerful connections who harbored deep resentment against his parents after suffering years of abuse, mental and even financial, at their hands. He was also methodical in the way he drained the bodies of blood and and dissected them into pieces. Rogers, according to the couple, made the crime look like a robbery gone wrong by staging the house just so. They contend he skipped town for Mexico, hiding with the help of his connections in oil and mining who valued his brilliant mind, only to later be killed in Honduras during a mining dispute. The podcast is a quick listen at a bit more than 20 minutes and will leave listeners wanting more. The couple has yet to take on a new case. They joke that they might have had only one grisly case in them. The property at 1815 Driscoll where the murders occurred is now, in the spirit of Montrose , the site of deluxe townhomes built in 2000. The city of Houston bull-dozed the Rogers' house in 1972.

2016-04-17 22:00 By Craig www.chron.com

29 Suspect sought in Tuesday's fatal hit-and-run has turned himself in The man sought by the Harris County Sheriff's Office in a street-racing crash that killed two people Tuesday has turned himself in, officials said. Officials alerted the victims' family, who said they were relieved. Alexis De La Rosa Sosa turned himself in early Friday morning, said sheriff's office spokesman Ryan Sullivan. "Traffic investigators identified him as the suspect, who fled on foot. We sent photos to the media on Wednesday," Sullivan said. "He saw himself on television and came and turned himself in. " De La Rosa Sosa is a suspect in the deaths of Jesse Estrada Sabillon and Maria Sabillon. "Our prayers have been answered," said Denise Sabillon, the couple's daughter-in-law. "We just want justice. " Sabillon said family members are grieving their loss but they "feel blessed" to know the suspect has been detained. "They are going to be greatly missed," she said of her in-laws. The two-vehicle collision happened about 9:15 p.m. in the 4900 block of North Sam Houston Parkway West near Bammel North Houston, officials with the sheriff's office said. De La Rosa Sosa, driving a 2006 Chevy pickup truck, was allegedly racing a dark-colored Chrysler Challenger or Charger westbound on the Sam Houston Parkway frontage road when he ran a red light at Bammel N. Houston, according to the sheriff's office. He struck the left side of a 2004 BMW 330 driven by Jesse Sabillon, with Maria Sabillon in the passenger seat. The Chysler that De La Rosa Sosa was racing stopped at the red light, while De Larosa Sosa sped through it. Jesse and Maria Sabillon were both pronounced dead at the scene. De La Rosa Sosa fled on foot. No information was available about the driver of the Dodge. The pickup's front end was crushed and the driver's side of the BMW was mangled. Denise Sabillon, said her in-laws were returning home at the time of the crash after visiting a niece and her newborn baby at the hospital. They were just 10 minutes from their house.

2016-04-17 22:00 By St www.chron.com

30 Wife of Texas ex-cop dies as result of disease contracted from a bite Truman Bradshaw's fight against a deadly virus is nearly 30 years old. And while the ex-cop from Blue Mound has survived liver infections resulting from Hepatitis C, his wife eventually succumbed to the illness. Bradshaw was able to receive a life-saving liver transplant in 2011. But his wife, who wasn't originally infected by the illness, developed a more aggressive kind, according to a report by CBS affiliate KRLD. Ophelia Bradshaw also developed diabetes and was on dialysis at the time of her death April 8. HERE'S A SURPRISE: Police investigating how woman's finger was bitten off Truman was told by doctors during his own battle with Hep C that his wife wouldn't contract Hepatitis from him, but they were wrong. The former officer's fight against the virus has been well documented by local media. He received the bite during an arrest in the 1980s. He reportedly didn't think much about it at the time, until he had to go to the hospital feeling weak and sick.

2016-04-17 22:00 By Camilo www.chron.com

31 Suspect sought in deadly robbery spree that left Wahoo's Fish N Wings owner dead Police have released a composite sketch of a suspect in a brief but deadly crime spree late last month that stretched from southwest Houston into Missouri City. The spree began with a fatal shooting about 12:50 p.m. March 29 at Wahoo's Fish N Wings at 12306 Fondren, according to the Houston Police Department. READ MORE: Police looking for man who fatally shot SW Houston restaurant owner Police said the restaurant owner, 36-year-old Tri Minh Nguyen, was shot during an attempted robbery and died at the scene. Not long afterwards, a man matching the description of the suspect in Nguyen's death robbed a Shipley Do-Nuts at 8802 Stella Link and sped off in a gold vehicle. The same suspect is believed to have then robbed a Food Dollar store at 13210 South Post Oak and fled in what appeared to be the same gold vehicle as that used in the previous heist. Next, the man allegedly robbed the New China Restaurant at 6302 Texas 6 in Missouri City. A review of surveillance video showed the same gold car pulling into the restaurant parking lot and the suspect getting out on the passenger side. He walked into the eatery, robbed the owner and climbed back into the car's passenger side. Again, the gold vehicle sped away. The suspect is described as being in his late teens or early 20s, between 5 feet, 2 inches and 5 feet, 5 inches tall. He wore a gray hoodie, sagging tan pants and distinctive light blue shoes. His blue-and-white checkered boxer shorts can often be seen in the surveillance video. In all four incidents, he was armed with a silver semi-automatic pistol. Anyone with information about the suspect's identity is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

2016-04-17 22:00 By Dale www.chron.com

32 ISIS orders assassination of Clear Lake Muslim leader ISIS has ordered the assassinations of the religious leader of a Houston-area Islamic mosque and of a Houston-born Muslim scholar now living in Memphis, Tenn. The death orders against Waleed Basyouni, imam at the Clear Lake Islamic Center , and Yasir Qadhi, resident scholar at the Memphis Islamic Center , were published online Wednesday in the ISIS propaganda magazine, Dabiq. KNOW THE BACK STORY: A history of the Islamic State group Basyouni and Qadhi, both of whom have been critical of violence linked to Islamic extremism, were traveling Friday and unavailable for comment. The assassination order advised ISIS sympathizers that if they could not joined organized groups, they must wage jihad alone "with the resources available - knives, guns, explosives, etc. - to kill the crusaders and other disbelievers and apostates. " Basyouni and Qadhi were among 21 Western Islamic leaders targeted for death.

2016-04-17 22:00 By Allan www.chron.com

33 Weekend Edition: The week's best reads A collection of some of the best features from the BBC News website this week, with an injection of your comments. "Heartbreaking account of life as a gay ultra-orthodox Jew," tweeted Eleanor Margolis. "I would lose everything if I came out," writes Chaya, not her real name, who is a gay ultra-Orthodox Jewish married woman. "In the world I live in, being gay is the equivalent of being a bad person. We have children together and a family set-up that works. If my husband and I separate we would lose all of that. Once you are pregnant that child becomes both a hostage and your hostage taker. " My secret life as a gay ultra-Orthodox Jew "A must read," tweeted Matt Willer. "I have met people who said my father ruined them," says Anne Sears. Her father, John Seymour, was the British guru of self-sufficiency in the 1970s. His books inspired thousands to go back to the land and try their hand at producing their own food. For some it was a gruelling experience, but for many it was life-defining. The movement inspired the BBC sitcom The Good Life and Seymour himself died in 2004 at the age of 90. He was wrapped in home-made blankets and buried in a nearby field. What happened to the self-sufficient people of the 1970s? "Terrifying! " commented Diana Parkinson. This couple had all five of their children taken away from them by Norway's child protection services. Others have questioned if the decisions being taken are too draconian. "We really try to keep our tears to ourselves, till they're out of the door at least," says Ruth. Norway's Barnevernet: They took our four children… then the baby "My eternal love for pesto has just hit previously unthinkable new heights," posted Andrew Williamson. Pesto is the third most widely manufactured sauce in the world, after ketchup and mayonnaise. Although that's according to the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, so you might want to take it with a pinch of salt. And a pinch of basil. And a pinch of pine nuts. But actually, the original pesto before it was pesto genovese was just oil, garlic and cheese - pecorino and parmesan. One man is behind a drive to get people to make it by hand. The man who makes real pesto Some researchers believe psychedelic drugs could be used to treat depression and addiction. Given that they became synonymous with recreational drugs such as LSD, the question is: Would people accept it? "It was what brought the house down in the 60s," says one expert. Will LSD ever be accepted as mainstream treatment? The lawyer who takes the cases no one wants - The Guardian How a machinery of denial protects Chicago's police' - Buzzfeed Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.

2016-04-18 01:00 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

34 Go Figure: The week in numbers Look back at the week in numbers with our Go Figure images, which are posted daily on social media. Monday: Tiger numbers show increase for first time in a century Tuesday: Stairway to Heaven in copyright trial Wednesday: Companies get serious about water use Thursday: Chibok abduction: The Nigerian town that lost its girls Friday: Delhi 'odd-even' anti-pollution car rationing starts again Find #BBCGoFigure on Twitter and on Facebook

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

35 Broadband speed advertising misleading, say MPs The way broadband speeds are advertised is misleading and should be changed, a cross-party group of 50 MPs has said. Internet providers are not in breach of current guidelines, even if only 10% of customers can obtain their fastest advertised speed, the group said. The British Infrastructure Group is calling for greater powers to enable consumers to hold providers to account. The Advertising Standards Authority said it was aware of concerns about speeds and would consider further work. "Our position on broadband speed claims in ads is based on extensive work undertaken in recent years, including a full public consultation on new guidance," it said in a statement. The report from the infrastructure group, which was set up by former Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps, said consumers had "very few rights and protections" they can turn to if they are "poorly treated" by their internet service provider. UK hits broadband target... maybe "Consumers must be given the power to hold their internet service provider to account when they let them down or outright mislead them into signing a contract that makes promises that bear no resemblance to the later reality," its report said. "BIG will therefore be campaigning for mandatory refunds for anyone who has been mis-sold a broadband contract. "Consumers also need the power to leave contracts if they are found to have been misled. " The group highlighted that there was no minimum level of compensation if customers received a poor service. "Other industries, such as airlines and banks, are forced to compensate customers for errors, delays and poor practice, so why not broadband? " the report said. Mr Shapps told BBC Radio 5 live: "You might sign up for 24 megabits of download speed, find that you don't get anywhere near that, you can't get any compensation, you can't get out of the contract, and it seems to us this is completely the wrong way round. " Ofcom has asked fixed-line internet service providers to sign up to a voluntary code of practice, which requires them to provide consumers with more information and advice on maximum broadband speeds. But the infrastructure group said regulators needed greater powers to step in and "take real robust action" against providers found to be misleading customers.

2016-04-18 01:02 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

36 Election 2016: What bets plan for Caloocan IN A SERIES leading to the May 9 elections, Inquirer Metro has asked mayoral candidates in Metro Manila about their plans to address three of the most pressing concerns that affect residents and nonresidents alike in their respective local government units. On the traffic situation, they were asked to identify the main problem areas and how they intend to ease road congestion on these routes. For peace and order, what would be their innovative ways to fight the drug menace and curb street crimes like robberies and killings perpetrated by motorcycle-riding assailants? Regarding informal settlers, how are they solving their plight and where in the locality do they plan to focus? In Caloocan, a city of 1.5 million with a voting population of 648,933, six contenders are vying for the top post at City Hall, two of them former mayors while the incumbent is seeking a second term. * * * MACARIO “BOY” ASISTIO JR., 80; former mayor On traffic: The sheer volume of vehicles is just one of the causes of heavy traffic in the city. And even with the police and traffic enforcers deployed, the problem still can’t be solved if law enforcers themselves lack discipline. I’ll make sure the traffic policeman assigned will be accountable and will do his job or I will have him replaced. Traffic management should be handled by local authorities with the participation of barangay officials. The choke points in Caloocan are on Rizal Avenue-North Extension and Edsa-Monumento. When I was mayor, sidewalk vendors had a place to legally sell their products before the rush hour. After 6 a.m., sidewalks should be cleared. On peace and order: We don’t have a problem concerning the safety and security of the residents in Caloocan; they are disciplined and they show respect toward local officials and the police. The law is respected and enforced. Members of the Caloocan police should be held accountable and will be relieved if proven to be corrupt or inefficient. On informal settlers: Citizens living in such conditions should be given priority by their leaders since they are the first to bear the brunt of poverty. During our time, our priority was to help informal settlers by giving them lots with the help of the NHA (National Housing Authority) and local officials during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos. Back then, the mayor picked the location of resettlement sites, which many Caloocan residents enjoy to this day. RUFINO BAYON-ON, 56; former manager in companies engaged in automotive, security services On traffic: Worst areas: Samson Road, Sangandaan Caloocan SM mall area, Rizal Avenue Monumento station. Implement no-loading, unloading policy along 100-meter zones at LRT station and SM mall; P500 fine per violator. No parking on either side of the road from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., especially on A. Mabini Street (from Sangandaan to Maypajo); fine: P1,200. On peace and order: Create a Barangay Police Academy. Train young “Barangay Police” officers in the proper apprehension of criminals, investigation, surveillance, traffic management, firefighting, marksmanship and self-defense. They should also be armed. Issue a patrol jeep to each barangay. Set up checkpoints from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Install security cameras on all streets. Prohibit back riders on motorcycles. Help recovering drug addicts go back to school or find jobs. Appoint street or block leaders who can monitor “new faces” in the neighborhood. Set up a 24/7 anticrime hotline. Reward tipsters who can help in the arrest of wanted persons. On informal settlers: Focus on Maypajo which is also the most flood-prone area in Caloocan. Set up as many pumping stations as possible. Launch the “Bayanihan sa Kalinisan” cleanup drive. Set up a Barangay Employment Assistance Center in each village; the staff will list down residents who are unemployed or unable to finish school (including senior citizens or persons with disabilities who can still work or study) and link them up with Tesda (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) for livelihood training. On their behalf, the center can also inquire with companies within the city regarding job vacancies. ZENIA CABALUNA, 60; real estate broker On traffic: Road conditions in Caloocan City are at their worst on Edsa, from Balintawak to Monumento Circle. There is a need for a redesign of the traffic flow on the inner roads for public utility vehicles such as jeepneys, UV Express and taxis, since most of the commuters are coming from the inner portions of the city and not Edsa. Along Samson Road to Sangandaan, road widening projects and the construction of a flyover connecting to C-4 are recommended. On peace and order: A “sona” (a roundup of crime suspects) in identified areas should be done regularly. Out-of-school youths should be given special assignments through a special task force in coordination with the barangays and police, with daily allowances to discourage them from joining criminal activities. On informal settlers: A large number of informal settlers are in the 1st District, in the Bukid area (Camarin) and should be given priority by my administration. A Community Mortgage Program (CMP) will be established in areas where landowners are willing to sell lots long-occupied by informal settlers. For owners who don’t want to sell, expropriation is the proper procedure for the occupants to legally acquire the lots. RICARDO CARPIO, 59; former policeman, currently local bishop of Word of Life Worship and Mission Church On traffic: The three major choke points are Monumento, Almar-Zabarte and Bagong Silang in Caloocan. I once supervised the Mandaluyong City traffic unit. The problem in Caloocan is that the law on jaywalking is not properly implemented, despite having road and sidewalk barriers. There are also no strict rules for sidewalk vendors. I will make sure the vendors will have a safe place to sell their goods. We should also dismantle illegal terminals and arrest their operators. On informal settlers: I will build a seven-story tenement for the poor and homeless, just like in the time of President Diosdado Macapagal. There should also be a center or committee where people can borrow money for home construction or repairs. Will allocate funds for this or tie up with foundations. I am also poor that’s why I know what the poor need: decent housing. On peace and order: The transformation should start from inside. I will pass a resolution that allows for the assignment of a spiritual leader in every barangay. People here are not afraid of the mayor, of guns, but I will teach them to have a real fear of God that changes people. As a former policeman, I know how the crime system works. Some policemen get involved in drugs and will arrest even those who are not guilty because the justice system is a business. I will conduct surprise and mandatory drug tests on all members of the police. ENRICO ‘RECOM’ ECHIVERRI, 61; incumbent congressman, former mayor On traffic: Through proper planning and coordination, I shall maximize the use of secondary roads to ease congestion along major thoroughfares, clear them of all obstructions. Primary roads shall be installed with additional and modern traffic lights. Traffic enforcers will also be more visible not just to apprehend but to guide, assist and serve as partners of motorists in ensuring smooth flow of traffic. Disciplined enforcers mean disciplined motorists. Better road infrastructure. The construction, rehabilitation and repair of major thoroughfares will be a priority to ensure better traffic conditions and safety. On peace and order: While the police remain vital in the battle against criminality, the barangay government, the community, including the Church, will greatly contribute in crime prevention. Specific members of the PNP will be assigned to each barangay, the number depending on the size of the locality and number of residents; the bigger the barangay, the bigger the number of police officials to be deployed. Barangay tanod (village watchmen) shall undergo regular and professional training specially in the administration of Katarungang Pambarangay (local justice system), information gathering, initial investigation, and filing cases. Tapping citizens as crime watchdogs. We shall instill “malasakit” (concern) among residents by encouraging them to report suspected criminals to the PNP and other concerned agencies through a confidential reporting system. The city government will support this through free Wi-Fi services (to speed up communication). Monetary incentives will be given to individuals or groups. The Church will have a major role in a moral reformation program. We shall encourage continuous counseling and antinarcotics seminars for the youth. Representatives from the city and church will target specific areas and provide seminars inculcating core family values. On informal settlers: The Recom administration has provided housing units to some 11,000 previously informal settlers in the city. Through massive a housing program, we are able to implement in-city relocation for thousands of homeless families. An efficient land use program is a key to implementing this. Our city still has vast tracts of land available, which may be used not just for housing but also for schools, markets, and business centers that can create jobs for target residents. OSCAR MALAPITAN, 60; incumbent mayor On traffic: For Sangandaan, we will strictly ban all pedicabs on major thoroughfares, especially Samson Road and Mabini Street. Construct permanent center island (traffic median) gardens to prevent U-turns and counterflows. Strictly enforce the no-parking rule on all vehicles; coordinate with building owners to allot a loading-unloading area on their parking frontage so that no lanes will be blocked when jeepneys stop. Coordinate with SM, University of the East and Puregold to construct elevated pedestrian crossings on their frontages (will endorse this as tax credit to the Bureau of Internal Revenue). Dismantle all structures that obstruct sidewalks. Apprehend jeepney barkers who set up illegal terminals. On peace and order: In my first term in office, LED streetlights were installed in 84 kilometers of city roads. Street crimes drastically went down and we were cited as the Most Peaceful City in Metro Manila for two consecutive years (2014-15) with the lowest crime index per 100,000 population. We installed more CCTV cameras and created the Special Task Force group to augment the police force in patrolling the barangays. PNP members got their mission orders and patrol duties from barangay chairs, who are more knowledgeable about crime hot spots and critical areas than the policemen. We relieved the entire command of the Caloocan PNP antidrugs unit and replaced it with fresh recruits. Seasonal rotation of unit assignments was enforced to deter connivance between officers and syndicates. For my second term, we will declare an all-out war against drug pushers and drug syndicates, put up a rehabilitation center for drug victims, and institute a reward system for informants. We will strengthen the Caloocan Anti-Drug Abuse Council to initiate proactive projects in all schools (reading materials, writing contests on the evils of drugs; sports fests). Expand the coverage of “Oplan Sita” (checkpoints) for motorcycles to deter “riding-in-tandem” criminal operations. Extend streetlighting projects to secondary and tertiary roads. Require barangays to show proof of additional CCTV installations and a working recording system before their shares of the IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) are released. Construct plant boxes on major thoroughfares to separate vehicles from pedestrians and deny bike-riding criminals an easy getaway. Donate more patrol cars to the PNP. On informal settlers: During my first term, we constructed 12 medium-rise buildings, with a total of 1,200 units, in Camarin for informal settlers moved from danger areas like riverbanks and hillsides. There are no more residents along the riverbanks of Caloocan. We also constructed 2,500 units of townhouse-style residences in Pandi, Bulacan, for informal settlers in government-owned properties. More than 1,000 families have been relocated from the PNR (Philippine National Railways) properties affected by the NLEx-Port Area connector highway project. In my second term, we will construct more housing projects (in-city, rent-to-own midrises), coordinate with PNR to award the titles to those who have already completely paid their amortization, and invite low-cost housing developers to invest in the city. We will encourage business owners to put up dormitories for employees to cut the number of people commuting daily, enable employees to increase their savings, and reduce the “room for rent” density in areas near factories and businesses. Do a feasibility study on a Rapid Bus Transit system linking North and South Caloocan. Such a system will encourage people to live in North Caloocan, which still has vast empty spaces, while decongesting the South which has no more available space for future development.

2016-04-18 01:46 Jodee Agoncillo newsinfo.inquirer.net

37 CBS New York PITTSBURGH -- J. T. Miller set up three New York goals in slightly more than four minutes of the second period that unnerved the Pittsburgh Penguins and their backup goaltender and the Rangers tied up the first-round playoff series, winning 4- 2 on Saturday. The Rangers looked nothing like the team that was dominated 5-2 in Game 1 -- and Pittsburgh's Jeff Zatkoff finally looked like a No. 3 goaltender, as Derick Brassard beat him for a goal and assisted on two others. With the steady Henrik Lundqvist back in net after missing the final two periods - - and four Penguins goals -- in Game 1 with an injured right eye, the Rangers scored four consecutive goals to seize back home- ice advantage from the rival they eliminated from the postseason the previous two seasons. Despite Phil Kessel's first two playoff goals since 2013, the Rangers also ended their four-game losing streak against the Penguins that dated to the regular season and now go back to Madison Square Garden with confidence intact for Game 3 on Tuesday night. Early on, it looked like a repeat of Game 1, as Pittsburgh outshot the Rangers 17-8 and led 1-0 on Kessel's first goal. Zatkoff also looked as steady and unshaken as he did while making 35 saves Wednesday as a surprise starter for the injured Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion). But that all changed in 18 seconds, as the Rangers swung the game, the lead -- and, they hope, the series -- their way, thanks largely to center Miller's playmaking and Brassard's two-way play. Brassard won a faceoff in the Penguins' end, allowing Miller to throw a perfectly placed pass to a wide-open Keith Yandle in the left circle for a wrist shot that knuckleballed over Zatkoff's right shoulder and under the crossbar at 12:38. The Penguins, who had won 15 of their previous 17, then sat back as Miller made a long-distance breakout pass to their own blue line to Brassard, who got a stride ahead of defenseman Olli Maatta for a wrist shot that eluded Zatkoff only 18 seconds after Yandle scored. The goal was reviewed to determine if Brassard was onside. All of a sudden, the Rangers were playing exactly like the team that had won seven of their previous eight in the postseason from Pittsburgh in 2014 and 2015. Lundqvist, looking sharp and not the least bit bothered by the eye injury that forced him out of Game 1, made 29 saves -- keeping the Rangers in the lead by stopping Bryan Rust out of the penalty box on a breakaway at 15:37 of the third. That allowed Mats Zuccarello to make it 3-1 at 16:52 with a nearly unstoppable shot into the corner of the net, after Miller faked a pass to the point only to hit Zuccarello in the right circle. Miller's three assists in a single playoff period tied a Rangers club record shared with four others, including Jaromir Jagr. Just 39 seconds into the third period, the Rangers appeared ready to turn it into a rout as Brassard set up Chris Kreider for the fourth New York goal in a span of eight shots. But the Penguins came back five minutes later to make it 4-2 on Kessel's second goal, on a power play with Evgeni Malkin assisting in his first game since getting injured March 11. But even Malkin's return wasn't enough as the Penguins failed -- for the 10th time in their last 11 opportunities -- to sweep the first two games of a playoff series that opened on home ice. NOTES: New York made a significant lineup change for Game 2, sitting down injured D Dan Girardi and dressing 6-foot-5, 220-pound Dylan McIlrath, who became the second Rangers rookie defenseman to make his playoffs debut in as many games. Brady Skjei played 17:08 in Game 1. McIlrath was paired with D Keith Yandle. ... The Penguins went 13-2 during C Evgeni Malkin's second extended injury absence of the season, which ended Saturday. ... Malkin was out for five weeks; the initial projection was 6-to-8 weeks. ... The last time G Henrik Lundqvist did not start a Rangers playoff game was April 24, 2006. Lundqvist was back in net after missing the final two periods of Game 1 with an injured right eye. ... Penguins RW Bryan Rust (undisclosed injury) played after being out since March 29. ... Rangers F Mats Zuccarello opened the game on a line with C Derek Stepan, or the same way they ended Game 1. Zuccarello normally plays on a line with C Derick Brassard. ... Game 3 will be Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden following another two-day break, but all subsequent games in the series will be every other day. ... New York scratched Giradi, D Ryan McDonagh, C Oscar Lindberg and G Magnus Hellberg. Pittsburgh held out D Justin Schultz, D Derrick Pouliot, RW Beau Bennett, C Oskar Sundqvist, G Matt Murray, F Tom Sestito and injured G Marc-Andre Fleury, who missed a second successive start.

2016-04-18 02:12 The Sports scoresandstats.newyork.cbslocal.com

38 Police: Parent says he accidentally shot, killed 4-year-old PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The parent of a 4-year- old girl who was killed in a Philadelphia neighborhood has confessed to accidentally shooting her, police said. Authorities were unsure whether the man, later identified as Maurice Phillips, is her father or stepfather, but said he told police it was him Saturday night. The child was originally believed to have been fatally shot by her young brother. Investigators said the girl was shot in the face by Phillips in a home in the Kensington neighborhood shortly before 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene. Police previously said the girl was shot by her 5-year-old sibling and were searching for the child's father or stepfather, who was believed to have owned the gun used. But Phillips turned himself in Saturday night and ultimately said he, not the other child, had been responsible, Sgt. Eric Gripp said Sunday. "After investigation, (he) admitted to accidentally shooting the victim, and stated that the sibling had nothing to do with it," Gripp said. Phillips is charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child. It was not immediately known whether he has an attorney who could comment on the charges. Neighbor Louise Sawyer said the girl's mother had been quite protective, rarely letting her children out to play for fear of violence in a neighborhood in which shootings and drugs were a constant concern. She would say, "No, I'm not bringing these kids out with this trouble," Sawyer told The Philadelphia Inquirer. Crystal Dougherty, who said she was a friend of the family, said the little girl who died was sweet and loved Barbie dolls and coloring. "She was just an outgoing little girl," she said.

2016-04-17 17:38 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

39 Motorist of disabled vehicle gets out on freeway, gets hit and dies A driver whose car stalled in the middle of the Southwest Freeway early Saturday was hit by a passing vehicle and killed. The Mercedes Benz with Louisiana plates stopped on U. S. 59 southbound near Weslayan around 1 a.m. There were two occupants in the vehicle. A gray Toyota Corolla hit the back end of the Mercedes, causing minor damage. That's when the male driver of the Mercedes got out of his car to inspect. "A third vehicle came up and struck that person who was standing in the road way," said Sgt. James Roque with the Houston Police Department's vehicular crimes division. "He was pronounced dead at the hospital. " The motorist of the third car, a red Fiat, was arrested under suspicion of under-the-influence driving. This is the second weekend someone has been run over after exiting a vehicle that has been hit on a freeway. A woman involved in a fender bender around 2:30 a.m. April 9 in central Houston was seriously injured after leaving her car to talk to the other driver and getting struck by a third vehicle. Those incidents happened in the southbound lanes of I-45 near Main.

2016-04-18 01:57 By Cindy www.chron.com

40 Radio titan: Here's what will collapse West Contact WND (NEW AMERICAN) – There has never been a successful and long-lasting atheistic civilization — and there never will be — is the opinion of many astute observers. And it’s also apparently the belief of radio giant Michael Savage, as he issued a dire warning on his Wednesday show. “Unless Christianity receives a new enthusiasm that sweeps the Western world, and Christianity itself rises up against the forces against it,” he said, “the entire West will collapse in your lifetime.” Savage, author of numerous best-selling books and host of the award-winning Savage Nation radio program, has long warned that the West is imperiled by “savages” from without and is being savaged by militant secularists within. Now, addressing the crux of the matter, Savage is adamant that the death of Christian belief portends the death of the West.

2016-04-18 01:13 www.wnd.com

41 Gay rights: GCHQ boss 'sorry' for historical ban Not letting gay people work for GCHQ until the 1990s was wrong and was the "nation's loss", the UK intelligence agency's boss Robert Hannigan has said. He also said the treatment of gay computer pioneer and code breaker Alan Turing had been "horrifying". GCHQ now relies on people who "dare to be different", he told a conference hosted by gay rights group Stonewall. Mr Hannigan said no-one could know what some of those sacked for being gay would have gone on to achieve. In his speech in London, Mr Hannigan said a former spy he called Ian, who was forced out of the service on suspicion of being gay in the 1960s, had urged him to apologise. "I am happy to do so today and to say how sorry I am that he and so many others were treated in this way, right up until the 1990s when the policy was rightly changed," he said. "The fact that it was common practice for decades reflected the intolerance of the times and the pressures of the Cold War, but it does not make it any less wrong and we should apologise for it. "Their suffering was our loss and it was the nation's loss too because we cannot know what Ian and others who were dismissed would have gone on to do and achieve. We did not learn our lesson from Turing. " Despite his pivotal and groundbreaking work breaking codes during World War Two - the story of which was told in the 2014 film The Imitation Game staring Benedict Cumberbatch - Turing was hounded by GCHQ over his sexuality. In 1952 he faced a conviction for gross indecency following which he was chemically castrated. He had been arrested after having an affair with a 19-year-old Manchester man. The conviction meant he lost his security clearance and had to stop the code-cracking work. In 1954 he took his own life by eating an apple laced with cyanide, and in 2013 he received a posthumous royal pardon . "In the horrifying story of his treatment, a small ray of light is that he was not abandoned by all of his colleagues at GCHQ - many stood by him," Mr Hannigan said. He said GCHQ now relies on people who "dare to think differently and be different" and that included hiring spies on the autistic spectrum, with Asperger's or other syndromes, who he described as "precious assets".

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

42 Newspaper headlines: Taj Mahal photograph and Brexit controversy Almost all the papers voice their admiration for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's tour of India and the pictures of them sitting in front of the Taj Mahal where Princess Diana was photographed in 1992. The papers estimate the couple's time on the bench at between 25 and 30 seconds. The weather was so hot that local workers had doused the bench in iced water before they sat there, writes Roya Nikkhah in the Sunday Times. Still, she adds, the pair are said to have "absolutely loved" their tour, and to have been "surprised by how much interest there still is in them". But Victoria Murphy in the Sunday Mirror says the pair "have reminded us all that they know how to charm the crowds". The visit is a far cry from that of Diana, who enigmatically described her trip to the Taj as "very healing", as the Sun and Mirror recall. According to Katie Nicholl in the Mail on Sunday "Nothing was left to chance and there has been at times a lack of spontaneity". The Mirror says the duke and duchess will know that they have "done the Queen proud" as she (and the papers) prepare for her 90th birthday celebrations. The paper says her children's complicated personal lives have made the Queen "a modern monarch with a real insight into how millions of her subjects live". But according to the Telegraph she "reaffirms an ancient connection between age, wisdom and fitness to rule. " In the Mirror, Gyles Brandreth pens a tribute entitled: "She believes in what she does, that's her secret. " "I'm not sure she's put a foot wrong since 1952. Happily, we know she'll never abdicate," says the broadcaster and ex-MP. The Telegraph also has a cartoon of the Taj Mahal and that bench - with David Cameron and Boris Johnson at opposite ends, staring moodily away from each other as the Brexit debate ploughs on. The Observer reports that the Treasury is to "fire a statistical broadside" against Britain leaving the EU and "show the economic merits of Britain's membership". And in the Telegraph Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb urges people to ask themselves what will be best for their job prospects, their community and their children, and "make the right choice... to remain". In the Sunday Times England cricketing hero Sir Ian Botham writes that "We all have the chance to do our bit and vote to get Britain out of the racket that the European Union has become" - an intervention which the paper says will "whack the PM for six". Sir Ian also lets fly in the Mail, but against the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds for wanting to prevent the re-establishment of eagle owls in England. The owls are the victims of a struggle involving the RSPB, the threatened hen harrier, and the grouse shooting community, he says. There is general agreement that British forces are to become more involved in the fight against so-called Islamic State and its sympathisers in the Mediterranean region. The Star Sunday edition says "heavily armed Brit special forces will be deployed near holiday hotspots to protect UK tourists this summer". It will be led by SAS troops based on Cyprus but will also be on "permanent patrol" says the paper. According to the Sunday People and Sunday Mirror, 1,000 British personnel could be "sent into Libya to fight Islamic State fanatics" after talks to be held in Rome this week. The Sunday Times says British and American special forces are already there "with suitcases full of cash" to persuade tribal leaders not to resist international intervention. In addition, says the Sunday Express, an MP is calling for a new Home Guard in Britain to resist attempts by "desperate migrants" to find new ways into Britain through the country's smaller ports. And the Star reports that new British tanks are being fitted with PlayStation-style controls to "encourage video game 'geeks' to join the Army" because they are the best gunners. Most of the papers have startling pictures of the devastating landslides caused by the double earthquake in Japan. The Sun quotes a survivor as saying "I was thrown about like I was in a washing machine" as "teams scoured collapsed buildings and mudslides for signs of life". The Mirror pictures collapsed and up-ended houses and what appears to be a yellow line down a road which has been split in two along its length. "Many frightened people wrapped in blankets sat outside their homes while others camped out in rice fields," reports the Express.

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

43 43 GOP rules fight flares up behind scenes Washington (CNN) Donald Trump's continuing onslaught against the Republican Party's nominating rules has top members fighting behind the scenes shortly before their critical meeting in Florida later this week. Lyin' Ted Cruz can't get votes (I am millions ahead of him) so he has to get his delegates from the Republican bosses. It won't work!

2016-04-18 00:59 Tom LoBianco www.cnn.com

44 Oil exporter talks hit difficulties in Doha A meeting of leading oil exporting countries in Qatar, called to address the low level of prices, has run into difficulties. Reports from Qatar's capital Doha, say the problem is tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The agenda for the meeting is whether to freeze production levels. Iran has consistently refused to take such steps but Saudi officials have at times appeared willing to take such action only if Iran were to as well. The meeting is a response to the fall in prices which began in June 2014. The price is now less than half what it was then, though in the last few weeks it has risen from its lowest levels. Most members of the exporters' group Opec, together with some other oil producers, are meeting in Doha to discuss freezing output. No cuts in other words, just a commitment to no more increases. But even that possibility has given some support in recent weeks to the price of oil. The low it reached earlier this year was about $27 a barrel for Brent crude oil, one of the leading international market prices. This week it has been very close to $45. That is to a large extent due to traders considering the possibility that some oil producers are close to taking some sort of action to push prices higher. It's worth emphasising that even at current levels the price of oil is far below where it was as recently as June 2014 - when it reached $115. The fall has hurt many oil producing countries. Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund said it had damaged financial stability and the government finances in many of them. The meeting is not formally an Opec event, though most of the group's members are being represented. There will also be some non-members, notably Russia. One important OPEC member not there is Iran. As the country emerges from western sanctions, the Iranian government wants to regain the share of the market that it lost as a result of those restrictions on its international sales. Iranian officials have repeatedly made it clear they have no intention of participating in a production freeze, though they appear happy to support others doing it. Iran has not sent a delegation to the Doha meeting. This reluctance on Iran's part has led to friction with Saudi Arabia, the word's biggest oil exporter. Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince has said that a freeze could only happen if Iran takes part. But there are doubts about whether this really is the Kingdom's last word. The decision to hold this meeting, with a rather unusual group of attendees, reflects the oil exporters' persistent concerns about the level of prices and a feeling that any action needs to involve more than just the members of Opec. Two of the world's leading producers are not going to be there: the US and China. Both countries have large oil production industries, but they use nearly all of it themselves, and have to import extra to meet their own needs. Their economies overall tend to benefit from cheaper oil so they don't have a shared interest with those who will be turning up in Doha. Still, there is more than enough oil production that will be represented there to make a substantial difference to the global market if the participants chose to take strong action. What many oil analysts say, however, is that they aren't talking about action that is going to achieve much. In the past, Opec has often managed to agree and deliver cuts in production. This time all that's on the table is a potential agreement to refrain from further increases. Saudi concerns are the key reason why countries outside Opec are involved. Whenever Opec has cut production in the past, Saudi Arabia has tended to make the biggest contribution. This time, they were reluctant to take the loss of market share that would involve. But it's less of a sacrifice if some other countries take part. The US never would, so Russia is the biggest producer that could be involved. So if they can agree a freeze, would it make much difference? London consultancy Capital Economics said in a note to clients: "Freezing output at current high levels would simply maintain the excess supply that is now in place and as such would not be a game changer. " Perhaps what would make more difference is the much anticipated decline in American shale oil production which appears to be finally gathering pace, according to the International Energy Agency, an official organisation which monitors the energy situation for its member countries. In fact one reason for Saudi Arabia's reluctance to take action sooner is widely thought to have been a desire to keep the pressure on its competitors in the US shale business. It's worth remembering that the rise of shale oil in the US has transformed the global market. The increased US supply is one of the key factors that have been bearing down on international oil prices, along with weakness of demand which in turn reflects China's economic slowdown and the failure of the global economy to generate robust growth. Having said all that, this meeting might turn out to have some symbolic significance. Opec has been very slow to respond to what is a serious problem for its members. In previous episodes of falling prices, Opec has tended to act more quickly by cutting production, not just restraining further increases. Not this time. Most recently when the group met in December last year, their final statement surprised many observers when it did not even mention a production ceiling, something they nearly always set out at their regular meetings. Still the meeting in Qatar could at the very least have some symbolic significance. Analysts at Barclays Research said ahead of the Doha event: "Opec's December meeting was a failure, but Doha gives the organisation the opportunity to reassert its relevance. " The stakes are high. Abhishek Deshpande, chief oil analyst at Natixis, described this as "the mother of all Opec meetings" which shows the nervousness among oil producers.

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

45 The children uprooted to live the 1970s Good Life A recent Magazine feature explored what happened to the people who pursued a self- sufficient lifestyle in the 1970s. Here, four readers share their stories of their idealistic upbringings. The writer John Seymour inspired many to try and live The Good Life. The article about his book stirred the memories of many readers whose parents pursued this dream. Dan Wrightson, from London: In 1973 my mother and stepfather sold everything in England and bought a house in Tuscany. I was five when we moved. There was no water or electricity and it didn't even have a complete roof. It was like camping for the first few months. We didn't have a toilet at first so had to go outside and our first meal was burnt lamb cooked over a fire. They wanted to be self-sufficient so John Seymour's book proved very useful to them. They kept ducks and chickens and the first time my stepfather tried to wring a chicken's neck it wriggled free. I remember he ran after it with an axe and cut its head off and it continued to run around for a bit. We had a pig called Queen Victoria which we all became too fond of to eat. In the end we had to sell her to a local farmer as we couldn't afford to keep her. I still think about her. We grew crops on seven hectares of land. We grew potatoes but the porcupines often got them. Everything was hard work. You had to get water from the well, or milk the sheep for cheese. The mechanics of life took up a lot of time and didn't leave much time to do what we wanted. We had Sicilian neighbours who would take pity on us and feed us up when we visited. I'm bilingual as we were sent to the local school and expected to learn Italian. It could be frustrating living in the middle of nowhere as we were so isolated but it also gave me lots of freedom to roam. We were next to a forest reserve and I would go out for hours cycling and climbing. My sister and I also used to read an awful lot when we were looking after the lambs. My mother was very proud that we were eating what we had produced. She liked the sense of taking back control. They became more moderate over time. They got electricity in 1990 and fairly quickly bought a TV and a washing machine. But they kept sheep for a long time and still had animals and vegetables when my stepfather died in 2008. I think my childhood made me self-reliant. I run an agency that lets properties in Tuscany. I go walking and mountaineering and I love nature. I take my four-year-old son on long bike rides on holiday. I don't practise self-sufficiency myself and I've come to think it's better to stay a part of society and try to fix things, rather than separate yourself completely as my mother and stepfather did. Donna McCarthy, from Cardiff: In 1970 when I was six months old my parents moved me and my two-year-old sister to a thatched house in Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. It didn't have a toilet or bathroom. My dad had read about a priest who was trying to attract people to the remote village. We had 11 acres of land and grew all our own vegetables but we relied on hardy stuff like broad beans, swedes and potatoes. Other crops would just fail because of the land or the weather. My earliest memories are of going out fishing at night and looking after the vegetables and not eating them. My parents strangled their own chickens and milked their own goats. One year we had an awful problem when a lot of the goats started keeling over and dying. We also had a horse and a cow. It was really good to be in the countryside. All my memories are of being outside, being around animals and eating home-grown food. One of the biggest challenges was dealing with a lack of money. We relied on family sending us clothes and books. We were quite remote and sometimes didn't have transport so couldn't easily go to places. I think my mum found that very isolating so there were lots of arguments. Another problem for my parents was education. We were home-schooled because my parents didn't want us being educated at the very Catholic school in that area. We were quite separate from a lot of the rest of the community. We moved to west Wales when I was seven, where my dad worked on someone else's farm. We later moved to Cardiff. I think it taught us that sustainable living wasn't the dream you might think it is and my mother never wanted to do it again. My father went back to Ireland in the 1990s and tried again on his own. He died there in 2000. Sue Jefferson, from York: My father was an accountant and when I was 12 we moved from an estate in York to a large detached house in the countryside. We inherited some hens that provided us with eggs and I think that's what got my parents interested in self-sufficiency. They converted the grass lawn to grow their own fruit and vegetables and then we started to take in orphan lambs from nearby farmers. We kept six baby lambs in our downstairs utility room by the kitchen. It was lined with newspapers with a baby gate to keep them in. It was quite smelly and noisy as they would bleat all the time. They were fed four times a day and I vividly remember the midnight feeds of the animals. There was one occasion when my father was in black tie and my mother in a long evening dress and they were trying to bottle-feed lambs surrounded by poo. They were very cute and the hardest thing was when they would get sent away at 18 months to be slaughtered. I remember we had sheepskin rugs on our beds. We also had Bully the bullock who was like a pet and so trusting. I was desperate for a horse and taught Bully to jump. He frequently escaped and terrorised the locals. I had to lead him into the trailer for when he got sent to the butcher. When we sat down to eat the meat it was silent around the table. It was a mournful meal. Then my father said: "Mmm, this is quite tasty," and we carried on. My mother drew a line at keeping pigs. After four years my dad moved to do a job in the Netherlands and my mother put her foot down and said: "I'm not doing this on my own. " It was a real adventure and made us all very aware about where our food came from as well as about animal welfare. It gave us lots of stories to tell, which bonded us as a family. It was quite emotional at times but I'm pleased we had the experience. I chose to stay living in the countryside rather than go back to city life and my husband has an allotment. It made me quite resilient and I was quite a pioneering woman in male-dominated companies. Delia Naylor, from Cambridge: My dad made the decision to retire early due to ill health brought on by a stressful job. He had a desire to live the Good Life and write books. So when I was 11 we moved to what my granny named "the hovel" in Powys, Wales. It was on the side of a hill and we had no near neighbours. The nearest village was three miles away. My sister and I were told there would be no TV as there wasn't a signal and my dad wouldn't purchase a booster box. Instead we could enjoy the radio. There was no central heating and my dad spent a lot of the day in a woolly dressing gown and balaclava hat trying to write his novel. My mum had the task of making up the coal fire in the kitchen and we had to put on extra clothes if it was cold. We kept geese which were fierce and unfriendly and sweet little rabbits which luckily didn't know their fate. We recycled and reused pretty much everything from stationery to clothes, bed linen, old tights for sieving my dad's homemade wine, vegetable peelings and so on. We had a single tub and a spin dryer so Mondays was always washing day. Living on a meagre wage had its challenges especially when it came to feeding us and the various visitors. My mum was a good cook would conjure up imaginative dishes often from near to nothing in the cupboard. She often referred to "greens" which my sister and I knew were nettles. We used to have relatives come over in the summer months which I enjoyed. They would marvel at the view from our house looking out over mid-Wales and I would inwardly think: "You can't live on a view. " It felt quite isolated at times, especially during my teenage years, and I disliked always having to ask my parents for lifts. We lived there for nearly eight years. My parents only moved after my dad had a fall and broke his kneecap and my mother said she had had enough. I was 18 and about to leave and I think she just wanted to live near some shops, leisure facilities and other people. I can look back and laugh at the absurdity of it all now, I think it has given me a resilience and a lust for life, I take risks and can be quite adventurous which I think is probably a bit how my dad was. I have probably inherited a lifelong habit of switching off lights, recycling especially stationery and clothes, however I have no desire to live the eco-friendly sustainable lifestyle. Compiled by Claire Bates and Harry Low . Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

46 David Walliams apologises for not replying to 'stolen post' David Walliams has apologised if fans have not received replies from him, saying his post was stolen, including a "large box of letters from children". The comedian, author and TV star apologised on Twitter , saying police had "just" told him about the letters, sent via his publisher Harper Collins. He added that those without a response should "please write again". A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a member of the public had found items of discarded mail in Camden on 8 April. He added that inquiries were continuing to identify if an offence had been committed. Walliams, who is currently on screen as a judge on ITV's Britain's Got Talent, has written six books for Harper Collins, with three becoming children's bestsellers. According to the publisher's website, he is due to release a new children's novel in September.

2016-04-17 23:52 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

47 Roman villa unearthed 'by chance' in Wiltshire garden An "elaborate" Roman villa has been unearthed by chance by a homeowner laying electric cables in his garden in Wiltshire. It was discovered by rug designer Luke Irwin as he was carrying out some work at his farmhouse so that his children could play table tennis in an old barn. He uncovered an untouched mosaic, and excavations revealed a villa described as "extraordinarily well-preserved". Historic England said it was "unparalleled in recent years". Thought to be one of the largest of its kind in the country, the villa was uncovered in Brixton Deverill near Warminster during an eight-day dig. It is being compared in terms of its size and its owners' wealth to a similar, famous site at Chedworth in Gloucestershire. Finds including hundreds of oysters, which were artificially cultivated and carried live from the coast in barrels of salt water, suggest that the villa was owned by a wealthy family. The dig also turned up "extremely high status pottery", coins, brooches and the bones of animals including a suckling pig and wild animals which had been hunted. "We've found a whole range of artefacts demonstrating just how luxurious a life that was led by the elite family that would have lived at the villa," said Dr David Roberts, of Historic England. "It's clearly not your run-of-the-mill domestic settlement. " Dr Roberts said the villa, built sometime between AD 175 and 220, had "not been touched since its collapse 1,400 years ago", which made it "of enormous importance". "Without question, this is a hugely valuable site in terms of research, with incredible potential," he said. "It's one of the best sites I have ever had the chance to work on. "

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

48 My shop: The shop for men that attracts the ladies For four years Mike Wells has been running a shop in Leigh-On-Sea, Essex that caters specifically for men. He loves his gadgets, comics and gizmos and the shop fulfils his dream of building a 'bloke's paradise'. But he was surprised by the kind of clientele he ended up attracting. This video is a part of a new series from the BBC Business Unit called My Shop. The series profiles independent shops that follow a distinctive business model on the high street. To suggest a shop email us. For the latest updates about the series follow video journalist Dougal Shaw on Twitter. Consumer spending statistics are from the Nielsen report 'Brands risk losing the women of tomorrow!'.

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

49 Livonia - News This feed's current articles are shown below. Subscribe for updates to all the content available in this feed, or click through here to see the original article. Official says results are expected in about a week, no problems suspected Tuesday is the filing deadline to run for office in Bloomfield Township Effort aimed at amending law to require all children to wear life jackets on ice One prominent area developer has played a role in several developments across the region. Northville-based architects see the world, Detroit suburbs’ potential, too The Canton Township Board of Trustees has approved a 7-percent water-sewer rate hike This is the third and final month of the summer with a Supermoon. It's when a full or new moon coincides with the moon's closest point to Earth in its orbit. Basically, the moon appears bigger and brighter than usual in the night sky. Action buys time to assess liabilities of special assessment in Independence Commons Colleen Pobur is running as Democrat for state House of Representatives in 20th District. Two children in the car of drunk driver, another drunk driver was followed by two women Lawson Fraser scored 162 on his IQ test, placing him the company of Einstein and Hawking Composer/producer to receive achievement award, along with Kid Rock and the late Al Abrams The increase of just over 1.5 percent would be the first in two years. Zelda Solomons will receive the Inclusion Leadership Award at the The Arc of Oakland County’s Dove Awards Shocking headlines dominate the news as a murder trial unfolds. Dark secrets are revealed. Pain turns to sorrow. Questions linger. What went wrong that day? What if? Reporters Aileen Wingblad and David Veselenak search for answers in interviews with convicted murderers Nancy Seaman and Lakeshia Valdez. Police say Joshua Palmer has been found. He was reported missing Thursday. Kurtzweil reprimanded for revealing confidential information in investigation of officials Radio transmissions chart actions at scene of fire that killed Westland firefighter The service went live Friday morning across the region. There are no historic districts in town, but establishing one could become more difficult. Events and activities around the Observer communities. Events and activities around the Farmington community.

2016-04-17 23:36 rssfeeds.hometownlife.com

50 Trial Begins for Ex-Reserve Who Fatally Shot Unarmed Man Lawyers for an Oklahoma reserve sheriff's deputy who killed an unarmed suspect lying face- down on the ground and being restrained are expected to argue that the victim's drug use and health could have contributed to his death. Robert Bates, a 74-year-old insurance executive who moonlighted as a reserve Tulsa County sheriff's deputy in his spare time, is due to stand trial Monday on a second-degree manslaughter charge in the shooting death of Eric Harris, who was killed after running from deputies during an illegal gun sales sting last April. Video of the killing was captured on deputies' body cameras and can be viewed online. After deputies caught up to Harris and were restraining him on the ground, Bates can be heard yelling "Taser! " before firing a single gunshot that struck Harris near his armpit, killing him. Bates later said he thought he was drawing his stun gun instead of his handgun. If convicted of second-degree manslaughter, Bates could be sentenced to up to four years in prison. Bates' attorneys plan to call expert witnesses who will suggest that other factors could have contributed to Harris' death, such as the methamphetamine that was found in his system or his cardiac health. Another expert for the defense intends to tell jurors how stress could have affected Bates' cognitive decision-making and performance, among other theories. One of Bates' attorneys, Clark Brewster, defended the decision to call these experts, saying jurors deserve to consider all possible evidence. Prosecutors declined to comment. Dan Smolen, an attorney for the Harris family, disputed any theory suggesting that anything other than being shot contributed to Harris' death. "This is a patently absurd defense," Smolen said in a statement Friday. "Anyone who has seen the video of the incident knows that Mr. Harris would not have died on April 2, 2015, were it not for the gunshot. " Harris' death led to big changes involving the sheriff's office, including a grand jury investigation of alleged wrongdoing at the agency, the indictment and resignation of the longtime sheriff, Stanley Glanz, and the suspension of the 120-member reserve deputy corps. An outside consultant hired to review the sheriff's office determined that it suffered from a "system-wide failure of leadership and supervision" and had been in a "perceptible decline" for more than a decade. Equally disturbing to thousands of residents who petitioned to empanel the grand jury was the perceived close ties between some reserve deputies, including Bates, and the sheriff. Weeks after Harris was killed, an internal memo from 2009 was released by the attorney of Harris' family questioning Bates' qualifications. Bates was a close friend of Glanz who donated thousands of dollars in cash, vehicles and equipment to the agency. The agency memo alleged that superiors knew Bates didn't have enough training but pressured others to look the other way because of his relationship with the sheriff and the agency. A grand jury indicted Glanz in September, accusing him of failing to release the 2009 memo, and the longtime sheriff resigned Nov. 1.

2016-04-18 00:46 By abcnews.go.com

51 WATCH: Sitting in Tacoma traffic in search of stories to tell High school and college highlights from the Oregon Relays hosted by the University of Oregon at Hayward Field on Friday, April 15, 2016. Military kids from Pierce and Thurston counties talk about how the adults in their lives -- parents, teachers, school counselors and others -- can help them succeed. University of Washington football coach Chris Petersen discusses the team's spring practice performance as well as the NCAA ban on satellite camps. It's already football season for the UW football team. University of Washington defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski talks about what he's seeing at spring practice. Check out some highlights from Thursday's Tacoma Rainiers game at Cheney Stadium. The Rainiers depart for their first road trip with a 6-1 record after opening homestand. Madigan Army Medical Center is working to open an autism center for military families at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The center is scheduled to open early next year. Rainiers catcher Mike Zunino helped power Tacoma to a 9-3 win over El Paso on Wednesday with his first home run of the season. Loren Ross, 17, takes an oath of enlistment on Tuesday from Brig. Gen. Donna Martin. Ross of Snohomish is the second woman to enlist in the Army with a commitment to joining the infantry. Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid is on crutches after taking a bad step on his porch. He slipped and broke his left fibula. The loop hike up Mount Constitution on Orcas Island has plenty to offer in a little more than 6 miles. Read about this hike and others at www.thenewstribune.com/outdoors

2016-04-17 21:08 www.thenewstribune.com

52 A Point of View: Can you tell if you've got too much money? The leaking of the Panama papers exposed how far some rich people were prepared to go to protect their wealth. But can anyone be certain they wouldn't do the same, asks Sarah Dunant. Last week I was working in the Pitti Palace in Florence, home of the Medici family from the 16th to the 18th Century. I was there to study the paintings, but after a few rooms I had trouble concentrating due to the level of bling around me. Twirling stone, swirling marble, tapestries, massive chandeliers, ceilings crawling with nymphs and chariots and layers and layers of gilt. I kept thinking, how much stuff does one family need? This is greed run riot. Did no one ever think enough? I packed up early and went home to the news of the leaks of the Panama Papers. Outrageous? Shocking? Certainly. But surprising? Afraid not. However you want to describe it, avarice, the original biblical term for man's appetite for excessive wealth, is woven into the human psyche. In his circles of hell, Dante gives it a harder time than lust, not least because it colludes with sins like envy and gluttony. Among the hoarders and squanderers who spend eternity attacking each other with huge boulders are both politicians and churchmen. Two centuries later, Machiavelli defines the central thrust of human nature as ambition, the drive for power bringing with it wealth and corruption. Looking on the bright side, you can argue there have been moments when avarice delivered as well as took away. Many of the greatest works of art or architecture - think most of the Renaissance, for instance - exist only because they were paid for by rich often corrupt figures, many within the church. In contrast, many of those stashing it away now have no interest in using their fortunes to enrich the culture they milked it from. Instead they pay lawyers and bankers to keep it secret. But as we imagine boiling up pots of oil, I wonder how far any of us can be complacent. As has been made clear, many in those companies under scrutiny today have not done anything illegal. It is more that we feel their attitude to be immoral. Are we sure in their place we wouldn't have been a little tempted? To put it another way, when it comes to money, do we know when enough is enough? A few days after the scandal, a news report interviewed a financial commentator in China who suggested that though the culprits knew that exporting their fortunes was against the law, they had become increasingly anxious about the shaky state of the economy and how, if things went wrong, they might lose what they had. Frankly I didn't buy a word of it, but I suspect that was probably what they told themselves. Money and the stories we tell ourselves. It's not a pretty picture. Time to get personal. Anything here strike a chord? I have no memory of "wealth" carrying any meaning in my life till secondary school when I spent the night with a new schoolmate in her extremely large house down the road from our council flat. Luckily, friendship triumphed over differences in square metres. After I finished university (no fees, so no debts, admittedly) the job I got was certainly not based on how much money it paid me. The men I met - and they were all men - chasing big bucks and buying flash cars were doing it to make up for the size of their reproductive organs (I offer no empirical evidence for this theory, I'm just telling you how it felt to me). Somewhere around the age of 30, it started to shift. First the mortgage - yes, I know, but it was a long time ago - then children. Now I was anxious about money. After all, it wasn't just about me any more. Looking back on it now, I think this is when it got weird. I was earning more and spending more. But my parents' voices were still singing in my ear: "Save, save! " So I did. Gradually, along with paying my taxes and giving to charity - though clearly I could have given more - I discovered that I had more than I strictly needed. Except whenever I said that to myself I always had an answer - the rainy days, the less-than-sunny uplands of old age, and of course the children. Inheritance, the desire to pass it on. As natural as the story of every powerful dynasty in history. As I write this, I am even starting to plan ways to minimise death duties. Partly by giving to charity, but not just that. Nothing illegal here. But am I totally at ease with it morally? Clearly not. Or I wouldn't be bringing it up. So, even as we rail against Putin and all the others now exposed to greater or lesser public shame, I am not without a certain queasiness myself when it comes to need, greed and enough, even after I am gone. Perhaps what is required here is a more radical guiding philosophy to money and social responsibility. Enter the Australian philosopher Peter Singer. You possibly know him as the man who in the past argued passionately for animal rights. In recent years he has become involved in an equally provocative movement - "effective altruism". Broadly based on utilitarianism - he argues that if our decisions about our behaviour and use of money were based on how to effect the greatest good for the greatest number, then once we had what we needed we would simply give the rest away. But not necessarily to the causes we might naturally feel closest to. His definition of altruism here is not interested in feeling - indeed he argues that empathy can be dangerous simply because it can be manipulated, but rather adherence to a guiding moral principle. It can be a challenging journey. If we have two kidneys but only need one, then why shouldn't we donate one to someone who would die without it (indeed, some people have)? Deciding between funding part of a new museum wing, or an operation to cure blindness in the developing world, 1,000 operations would rate higher than the pleasure of say 100,000 museum visits. In Singer's world the Gates Foundation's work eradicating malaria would be fine, (though has he kept more than he needs?) as would Mark Zuckerburg's recent 99%, though his earlier $20m intervention to help failing schools in America might be more suspect. You can tell from the way I'm phrasing it, this is not for me. It just feels too regimented, cold, mathematical, almost impersonal. Although Singer would like to get rid of the word "feeling", the truth is that our relationship to money is soaked in it. For some the only way to feel good - or not bad - is to have too much (and enough is never enough). For others the opposite. Every day, in every way, right? You walk past a homeless person on the street. Do you always give, or never, or only sometimes? And what determines which time that is? How you are feeling? When you don't give do you feel worse? And when you do, do you feel better or worry that you haven't given enough? Money - if not the root of all evil, then the breeding ground for hugely conflicted feelings. In some ways it was simpler (though no less corrupt) in the past. Around the time when those Medici were gilding everything in sight, there was the Great Moral Accountant in the sky. No Panama bank account was secret from Him, and while there may always be the poor, everyone knew that camels didn't pass through the eyes of needles. The institution of the Church was crucial here. Of course it dispensed charity (many companies in the Renaissance automatically gave 10 per cent of their profits to the Church) and rich families and individuals gave directly, but often in the form of supporting nuns or monks who would pray for them or building chapels in the family name. In this way it seems the camels were massaged down to fit through the necessary gap. Interestingly, some of the biggest caches of wealth exposed in the Panama papers come from ex or current - at least in name - communist countries. Might the founding ideology of equality explain why these - what shall we call them? Secular heretics? - are clearly desperate to keep their fortunes secret? Putin, who has no shame in so many directions, is not willing to admit that the money is his. Probably they're aware that history has a tendency to repeat itself. That somewhere down the line there comes a point - be it the Catholic Church or French or Russian monarchies when corruption and gross inequality leads to revolution from within. In terms of social justice it's a cold long-term consolation. But then we don't seem to have grown any better at short-term ones. This is an edited version of A Point of View , which is broadcast on Friday on Radio 4 at 20:50 BST and repeated on Sunday at 08:50 BST. Catch up on BBC iPlayer Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox. Send your comments using the form below.

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

53 Asia Times News & Features – Asia Times By Mbom Sixtus YAOUNDE (Cameroon)—Learning Chinese language and culture has become a passion among Cameroon’s youth. Most of them admire Chinese people for their hard work and adherence to traditions and values. The will to win and excel like them is drawing thousands to the Chinese Confucius Institute set up in this West African country in 2007. The institute has drawn over 10,000 learners so far, the highest number in the continent, according to Yu Guoyang, director of the institute. It is part of the University of Yaounde II’s International Relations Institute of Cameroon and is co- chaired by the varsity’s rector and the rector of China’s Zhejiang Normal University. Yu says many of the students come to the institute for the pleasure of learning something new and also to get jobs in companies set up by China in Cameroon and elsewhere. According to Professor Ibrahima Adamou, rector of the University of Yaounde II, China is making great strides in the field of research. “Currently, it has the highest number of certified inventors. If we have to be like Chinese, we need to learn their language which is a catalyst to their scientific and technological riches,” he said. Asia Times met some of the students to seek their views. “I admire China. The Chinese were once oppressed by foreigners but they held on to their ancestral beliefs and culture and today they are the world’s giant in many aspects. They are hardworking and I believe we can be like them,” said Lauric Temfack, (Lau Liké in Chinese), a level three student. He thinks that financially, China is helping Cameroon more than the US. “You can see it in projects executed in Cameroon – for instance, the $60 billion financial aid Beijing pledged during the recent China Africa Summit,” he said. Asked why Chinese construction firms are still employing their own workers, he said: “True, Chinese construction companies do not use local labor but their men can work for 16 hours a day – which we cannot – and deliver on time.” Temfack is hoping to get scholarships for studies in China and work for Chinese companies in Cameroon. Vincent Janvier, a Public Law student at the University of Yaounde II, loves martial arts and wants to master Kung-fu. “I will practice law or choose combat sport as a profession. I only want to learn the basic words in Chinese used in Kung-fu,” Janvier said. Mastering Chinese language will be another feather in his cap for Andre Luke Kombou who is proficient in English, French, German and Spanish. “When I am through, I can decide to go back to school and study computer sciences, maybe in China” he said. Curiosity alone led Alex Yadou, a fine arts student, to the institute. “China is an economic giant. I am learning their language because I might need it in future. I can even learn their arts,” Yadou said. Schools: Vehicles for global dominance? While many students sing praise, critics say China’s language program, like those run by some western countries, is a weapon for cultural domination through soft power. The pan African magazine, New African, says Confucius institutes are “nothing but China’s vehicles for global dominance, effected in the cultural sphere through the promotion of the Chinese language, tastes, education, architecture, music, food, movies, beliefs, banks, dressing, art, history and lifestyle, to be continued until such a time that these would have supplanted existing cultural precepts and raised local agents who would become the defenders of the new imposed order themselves.” Professor Oumarou Bouba, former Rector of the University of Yaounde II, does not find any fault in the analysis. “If I am to make an analysis on this, I would say it is but normal for a newly-emerging and fast- growing superpower like China to develop such a so-called “soft-power” institution in order to match its political and economic influence at global level,” he told Asia Times. New African warns how this soft power could alienate and weaken youth of the continent. “Education, acquired through scholarships to China and through Confucius schools, captures the promising youth of Africa, implicates them in Chinese philosophies, material and ideological exchanges, and creates a moral indebtedness that is difficult to totally unpick. One possible outcome of this scenario is the production of a national leadership with a sense of alienation from its own settings and which may increasingly look East, seeking to imitate the master.” Yu disagrees. He sees it from an exchange perspective — a cross-cultural assimilation process. He says that last year, 35 Cameroonians received scholarships to study in Chinese universities. “I had a meeting with 60 Cameroonian students in China last December and encouraged them to spread Cameroonian culture,” he said, adding that tens of Chinese teachers travel to Cameroon and return with knowledge of local culture. Professor Li Anshan of the School of International studies in Pekin University in China points to similarities between Chinese and African cultures. Both have a history of colonization and long struggle for liberation, independence as well as development. Hence, there is blossoming cooperation between them, he says. Dr. Willibroad Dze-Ngwa, current president of Africa for Research in Comparative Education, views Confucius schools as a strategy by China to broaden its supremacy in the international arena. “It is all about interests. Both the teachers and learners of Chinese language and culture are looking for benefits. China has a great economy and Cameroonians and other Africans want to tap from it. Other countries are also struggling to promote their language and culture worldwide. By the way, learning every additional language is a plus to the learner,” said Dr. Dze Ngwa. Emmanuel Tatah Mentan, a Cameroonian political economist, likens Sino-African relations to “a wedding with uncertain prospects.” Fondo Sikod, Professor of Economics at University of Yaoundé II, feels China’s push in Cameroon and Africa is fuelled “by a desperate need to find oil and raw material to fuel its fast- growing industry”. According to him, Chinese companies in Africa are strangling domestic industries. ‘Chinese firms don’t follow norms’ Local companies and citizens complain that Chinese firms do not respect the terms of agreement and human rights after a contract is awarded. Hamadou Abba, managing director of Ste An’andal Sarl construction, says Chinese companies prefer to work solo in violation of a government rule which requires foreign firms to sub-contract at least 30% of work awarded in Cameroon. Earlier this month, residents and local miners of East region clashed with small-scale Chinese gold miners who began setting up camp there six years ago. They complain that Chinese, who arrived at the mining site in Betare Oya, began extracting gold after three years and are now taking away their livelihood. Reports say about 300 Chinese miners are working in the area against 100 authorized by the Cameroon government. They are said to be using equipment to clean stones and sift soil facilitating easier detection of minerals. Adamou Assamou, the traditional ruler of the locality, says locals have not seen any sign of the development they were promised. Irate locals vandalized the equipment and beat up some Chinese miners. Many shifted to neighboring towns as gold mining left behind polluted holes and destroyed vegetation and animal habitat. Chris Ho, a Chinese gold miner, denies this. He says his company, which is operating with a temporary authorization, has provided roads, generators and safe drinking water to the locality. Earlier this month, the East regional office of Cameroon’s National Social Insurance Fund (NSIF) indicted China International Water and Electric Corporation for non-payment of social insurance covers for its employees working on the Lom Pangar HEP dam. According to a NSIF official, the Chinese usually conceal the statutes of Chinese employees. “They present employees from China as visitors and we only fish them out after investigations. They have employed over 3,000 people since they started work in 2012,” he said. The Chinese company was forced to pay for local employee’s social security in November 2014 after laborers decided to down tools for ten days. Some Cameroonians, however, praise Chinese companies for contracts executed in Cameroon, such as the construction of a giant Multipurpose Sports Complex in Yaounde and the Yaounde Conference Center which, since its completion in 1982, is still maintained by the construction company. But critics say it only indicates there is no transfer of technological know-how by the Chinese. About 4,000 Chinese have been living in Cameroon. A majority of them are involved in medium- and small- scale businesses. Some are involved in petty trades like roasting corn, fish, and plantains on the sidewalks of streets in big cities. At least 40% of Cameroonians live below the poverty line, which is an apparent reason for growing acceptability of Chinese goods by citizens who, however, describe them as substandard. Mbon Sixtus is a freelance journalist based in Yaounde, Cameroon. (Copyright 2016 Asia Times Holdings Limited, a duly registered Hong Kong company. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

2016-04-17 23:24 atimes.com

54 Congress Considering US-Made Footwear for Military A bill in Congress would require the Department of Defense to provide U. S.- made footwear to personnel. The Stepping Up for American Workers and Troops Act is sponsored by Maine Reps. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, and Bruce Poliquin, a Republican, and Democratic Rep. Niki Tsongas, of Massachusetts. The proposal comes after one manufacturer, New Balance Athletic Shoe Co., criticized the Obama administration for encouraging it to support the Trans-Pacific Partnership in exchange for military purchases of sneakers that never came to pass. The defense department agreed to close the footwear loophole in a 2014 amendment. But it hasn't started buying U. S.-made shoes, saying available footwear doesn't meet military standards. Several companies — including Boston-based New Balance, with factories in Skowhegan, Norridgewock and Norway, Maine — manufacture shoes in the U. S.

2016-04-18 00:25 By abcnews.go.com

55 55 Maine Sunday Telegram News The murky liquid is a tincture of medical marijuana mixed with glycerin, and Ham takes it to control the chronic pain she experiences from two herniated discs in her neck, sciatica and lower back problems. Before switching to medical marijuana, Ham took a daily combination of 29 prescription pills, including several opiates that she says put her in a zombie-like state. She now medicates with the cannabis tincture three times a day. The tincture is made with marijuana donated to her by a caregiver. Soon after swallowing the tincture, Ham says she feels calmer, and the edge has been taken off her pain. “It doesn’t get rid of the pain, but it reduces the pain,” said Ham, 37. “It’s good to know the pain is there. It makes me feel human again to feel the pain.” To help Mainers like Ham kill their pain, doctors and other health care providers prescribed millions of doses of potent opiate drugs over the past decade. This surge in legal opiates laid the foundation for the explosive increase in heroin addiction, as Mainers who couldn’t get all the legally prescribed pills they needed turned to the illicit street drug, often laced with dangerous additives like fentanyl, to feed their habits and stave off withdrawal symptoms. The heroin epidemic has fed a spike in drug overdoses, which claimed the lives of 272 Mainers last year, up from 208 in 2014 and 155 in 2011. As the state grapples with the impact of the addiction crisis, some Mainers who relied on prescription opiates are turning to medical marijuana as an alternative to treat chronic pain. There’s very little research that shows whether cannabis is effective for pain relief and doctors disagree on whether it should be used for that purpose, but medical marijuana advocates say the majority of Maine’s medical marijuana patients are using it to control pain and avoid the harmful and sometimes deadly side effects of powerful opiates. Related Five Mainers who have turned to medical marijuana for pain relief “The biggest reason (patients) seek out this medicine is because they don’t want to use opiates,” said Heather Lemire, a nurse practitioner with CannaCare Docs of Maine, which certifies medical marijuana patients at four walk-in clinics. “They’ll say, ‘I don’t want to get high, I just want to get through my day.’ ” Ham uses a strain of marijuana called cannabidiol, or CBD, that has little or no psychoactive effect. The cannabidiol strain eliminates the “head high” that can occur in marijuana with strains that have high concentrations of THC, the chemical that causes the euphoric feeling. Advocates and some marijuana patients say that medical marijuana should be considered as part of the solution to the state’s opioid crisis. In 2014, 350,000 Mainers – or about one in four residents – were prescribed 80 million doses of opioid medication, according to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. But a large body of research shows that opioids do not work for chronic pain and many times are counterproductive because they create a risk of addiction and can lead to other health problems, said Dr. Stephen Hull, director of the Mercy Pain Center and a leading pain expert in Maine. Rep. Diane Russell, D-Portland, who has advocated for broader access to medical marijuana and legalization of the drug for recreational use, said medical marijuana should be strongly considered as a way to fight the opioid crisis. “People are dying. We don’t have time to play morality,” Russell said. COSTS OF MEDICATIONS VARY WIDELY Maine first legalized medical marijuana in 1999, then expanded the program in 2010 to create state-licensed dispensaries. Since then, the number of patients has steadily grown as people seek alternatives to pharmaceuticals to deal with issues such as chronic pain, according to patient advocates and dispensary operators. The state cannot provide an exact number of patients because it does not keep a registry, but doctors in 2015 printed more than 35,000 certificates required under state regulations to certify patients. That number could include duplicates and replacement certificates and is likely higher than the actual number of patients, according to DHHS. There are about 300 doctors across the state who certified patients in 2015. Related More Maine doctors certifying medical marijuana patients Health insurance does not cover the cost of medical marijuana or the appointments for patients to get certified if they see a doctor other than their primary care physician. The average cost for certification appointments is around $200, according to medical marijuana advocates. The cost to medicate with marijuana varies widely depending on the form taken, how often it is used and whether it is obtained from a dispensary or caregiver. A tincture could cost as little as $10 a bottle, while marijuana buds could top $300 an ounce. Last year, Mainers spent $23.6 million on medicinal marijuana from dispensaries, a 46 percent increase from 2014. The dispensary sales generated $1.29 million in sales tax. The sales do not include numbers from the state’s 2,225 caregivers, who are authorized to sell marijuana to up to five patients at a time. A first-of-its-kind survey of medical marijuana patients in Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts conducted this month shows that two-thirds of patients surveyed have reduced the use of various medications for pain, particularly opioids. Brian Piper, a visiting professor at Bowdoin College, helped conduct the survey for Wellness Connection, which operates four of the eight licensed dispensaries in Maine. Piper said a third of the patients who use medical marijuana for pain reported significantly reducing their prescription painkillers, while the other third said they had slightly reduced their prescription medication intake. In Maine, two-thirds of the patients surveyed said they had a history of chronic pain, with the most common issue reported as back pain, Piper said. Jon Scott, a patient from the Lewiston area, uses medical marijuana every day to relieve pain in his back and knees, which he injured when he fell off his roof. He said he likes being in control of the doses of his medication so he doesn’t use more than he needs. After giving up opiates, he had to learn which marijuana strains would help him with pain relief, he said. He grows his own plants because he can’t afford to buy marijuana from caregivers or dispensaries, where costs could top $200 an ounce. Each month, he sets aside $16 to save up for his yearly recertification appointment. “There’s a lot of relief in Oxycontin. People want to crawl right in that bottle because it makes them feel good,” he said. “There’s also a lot of relief in marijuana, but you need to work to find it.” MIXED VIEWS ON DRUG’S EFFICACY Garrett Guindon, a 34-year-old medical marijuana patient from Saco, uses a cannabis tincture to control chronic pain from knee and foot injuries. After years of taking – and at times abusing – opiates, he says he has found marijuana gives him the pain relief he needs to get through his days working in a nursing home kitchen and attending college classes. He has more energy than he did while using opiates. He says he spends as little as $10 a month on a cannabis tincture from a dispensary in Biddeford. “In my eyes, cannabis is the healthiest medication for me,” he said. Michael Wyllie, a 38-year-old patient from Pittsfield, says he vaporizes marijuana every day to help deal with the pain from injuries he sustained during a serious car accident in 2011. He had been using various opiates after the accident, but said he was constantly nauseated and sweaty and slept most of the day. After starting on medical marijuana, he was able to stop using leg braces. “People couldn’t believe how much better I was as soon as I started on medical marijuana,” he said. Wyllie, who is on Social Security disability, grows several different strains of marijuana to save money. These types of testimonials are personal stories of people’s experiences, and are not the same as a group of patients selected for a research study. In part, that’s because people who do get pain relief are eager to tell their stories, said Dr. Ed Bilsky, vice president of research at the University of New England. “People who try it and it doesn’t work for them, you don’t hear from them very much,” said Bilsky, who agreed with Hull, the pain specialist at Mercy, that more research needs to be conducted. Hull said it’s difficult to determine whether people feel less pain strictly because they are off opioids – which do not work for chronic pain and cause numerous side effects – or whether the medical marijuana has a role in reducing pain. But Dr. Dustin Sulak, a Falmouth doctor who certifies patients to use medical marijuana, said research conducted in other countries and more limited research in the United States suggests that medical marijuana alleviates pain. “It’s a great treatment for pain,” Sulak said. “It’s safer and more effective than opioids. It has major potential to help solve a public health crisis.” Hull said the jury is still out, although he did not dismiss the potential of medical marijuana. He said the Mercy Pain Center’s goal is to wean as many people from opioids as possible, by introducing alternative therapies such as physical therapy, exercise, acupuncture and chiropractic. Medical marijuana is not on the list. “We practice evidence-based medicine, and I’m not convinced the evidence supports medical marijuana’s effectiveness,” Hull said. “The lack of evidence doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. It may work. We just don’t know yet.” ONGOING PUBLIC POLICY DEBATE While chronic-pain patients can qualify for medical marijuana, Russell and others want to expand access to the drug by making opioid addiction a qualifying condition to become a certified marijuana patient. A bill that would have done so stalled in the Legislature this session, and Russell said another effort that would have DHHS add opioid addiction as a qualifying condition is unlikely to be approved by the LePage administration. The health and human services agency will hold a public hearing Tuesday on an administrative request from caregivers and patients to consider adding opiate addiction as a qualifying condition. Russell said that because marijuana doesn’t have a lethal dose – in contrast to opiates – it’s the right thing to do. “This is the one thing we can do that can help people right now,” Russell said. “We have a solution that’s working and no one wants to touch it. It’s the third rail.” Sulak, who plans to submit testimony for the DHHS proceeding, said he’s confident research over the next several years will lead to more acceptance of medical marijuana as a treatment for chronic pain. The Obama administration is considering whether to alter federal regulations that classify marijuana as a Schedule I drug, a category that includes much more potent drugs, such as heroin. The classification makes it more difficult to obtain funding and approval for medical research. Reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug should help open the floodgates for research, experts say. There is also a push at the federal level to give military veterans suffering from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder access to medical marijuana. The Senate Appropriations Committee last week passed an amendment that would let Veterans Affairs doctors discuss and recommend cannabis as a treatment option in states where it is legal. That type of mainstream acceptance of medical marijuana would be welcomed by Corey Cayford, an Army veteran from Waldo County who served in Afghanistan. He injured his knee while in the military, but stopped using opiates soon after a surgery because he didn’t like the side effects, such as feeling “gross and slow.” Cayford said he feared that becoming a medical marijuana patient would mean he couldn’t get medical care at Veterans Affairs, but so far he hasn’t had any issues. He now vapes a marijuana concentrate a couple of times a day and uses a THC lotion on his knee, but said he never feels a head high that would prevent him from working and going to school. He said he grows his own plants and makes the concentrate, but has purchased medical marijuana from a caregiver in Unity. Sulak, the Falmouth doctor, said he believes there will be more acceptance in the medical community when marijuana can be manufactured into a widely available pill form with controlled dosage levels that can be used for many conditions. He said he has equipment in his office that can test strains of marijuana to determine their chemical potency and help determine dosages for patients, but that’s an extremely inefficient system. “I can’t send them to a pharmacy and say, ‘Get batch No. 3 and know exactly what’s in that formulation,'” Sulak said. He said one interesting study indicates that lower doses of medical marijuana are more effective at controlling pain than higher doses. Sulak welcomes more research on marijuana and pain, although the topic has been studied worldwide, he said, pointing to a recent study in Israel that showed substantial pain reductions for nearly half of 260 patients. Bilsky, the UNE researcher, said he saw intriguing recent research at the University of Michigan that suggests marijuana could be effective in reducing pain. But he said the study needs to be replicated among a larger set of patients. “It may be moderately effective for some types of pain,” Bilsky said. But Bilsky cautioned that some studies link marijuana use with impaired cognition, which would be a concern for adolescents with developing brains. “We want to be careful that we don’t try to address one public health problem by introducing another one,” he said. Maine Sunday Telegram Sports pressherald.com

Maine Sunday Telegram Business pressherald.com 2016-04-17 19:32 www.pressherald.com

56 Ronnie Corbett's widow suffers health scare on eve of his funeral As Ronnie Corbett's family, close friends and fellow showbusiness stars gather today for the comedy legend's funeral, his devoted widow, Anne, will be even more grateful than usual for their support. For I can reveal that Anne has suffered her own serious health scare since The Two Ronnies star died just over two weeks ago at the age of 85. She was rushed from their Surrey home to the A&E department of London's Croydon University Hospital for urgent tests. Former West End musical star Anne, pictured, who will turn 83 next week, has suffered poor health in recent years including heart problems and a bout of double pneumonia in 2012 which prevented her from accompanying her husband to Buckingham Palace to see him invested with the CBE by the Queen. 'I'm extremely relieved to be able to say that Anne is OK,' says showbusiness journalist Michael Thornton, a friend for many years. 'They only kept her in for a couple of days for a safety-first health examination, and she is now back home with her family around her. The last year, since Ronnie was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, has been a massive strain for her, but she has been a tower of strength. She's a very gutsy lady and a real trouper in the true showbusiness sense.' Ronnie's funeral will be held at St John's church in Shirley, Surrey, close to the diminutive national treasure's home. His statuesque widow, who was known as Anne Hart during her days on stage, would have celebrated her golden wedding anniversary with him next month. She will be supported at today's funeral by her daughters, actresses Emma, 49, and Sophie, 48, and by her four grandchildren. The service, to be conducted by a long-time family friend, Canon Arthur Quinn, will be followed by a wake at Addington Golf Club, where Ronnie often presided over charity championships. Writing of his adored wife in his autobiography, Ronnie admitted to being 'totally bowled over by her'. He added: 'I had never felt an intense heart-stopping attraction like this ever before. What luck to have won the love of such a wonderful wife.' Prince Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, was a producer of The Young Victoria and their daughter, Princess Beatrice, was handed a cameo role in the film starring Emily Blunt. Does Andy now have his own idea for a movie? Last week he invited film producer Guy de Beaujeu to Buckingham Palace for private talks with him and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon. A spokesman declines to say what they discussed. How about a bio-pic of Fergie? It could be a comedy, or more likely, a horror. He has fought in Bosnia and led British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but General Richard Dannatt has been defeated by Boris Johnson. The former Army chief, pictured, despairs at the traffic chaos caused by the London Mayor's building of a 'cycle superhighway' between the Tower of London, where Lord Dannatt now lives, and Parliament. 'It has been a major irritation,' the General thunders. 'The construction has been a nightmare for me as it is the route I have to take to get to the House of Lords.' Undaunted by bombs and bullets, the peer adds: 'I'm all for cycling, but you won't get me on a bicycle in London. Frankly, I'd prefer to live than cycle. 'Bicycles tick a lot of boxes, but I wonder if the bicycle highway will be used much during the day. 'And the 'Boris bikes' seem to be used mostly by tourists not wearing helmets.' Rake-thin socialite Lady Mary Charteris is enjoying a slice of pizza at the trendy Coachella music festival in California. Naturally, the 28- year-old daughter of the Earl of Wemyss is not actually eating anything so unhealthy. Instead, she's sprawled on an inflatable bed the shape of a pizza slice, dressed in skin-tight jeans. 'Midnight feast,' she wrote online next to this picture. Lady Mary is married to The Big Pink musician Robbie Furze. While drugs were once the danger at festivals, food is clearly the new stimulant. Broadcaster Sir David Frost's son Miles collapsed while jogging last year and died at the age of 31. Touchingly, his name will live on through his close friend, Sam Grimston. City financier-turned-pub owner Sam is celebrating after his wife, Katy, gave birth to a boy, and the couple have decided to name him Miles. 'So, so touched,' says Frost's brother George. 'He's a little legend.'

2016-04-18 00:20 Sebastian Shakespeare www.dailymail.co.uk

57 Alesha Dixon's girl band Mis-Teeq 'plot comeback' They enjoyed huge chart success in the early Noughties. And Mis-Teeq could be back in a blaze of glory as reports suggest the UK garage trio, comprising of Alesha Dixon, Sabrina Washington and Su-Elise Nash, are plotting a comeback. Sources tell The Sun , the Scandalous hitmakers have reportedly been reminiscing about the past leading to an eye to reunite - much to the joy of their fans. Scroll down for video 'Su-Elise lives in Australia but is back in the UK in May for a holiday, so they plan to meet up to talk about it. It’s very early days but they are definitely going to do some shows to see what the reaction is like.' In a 2013 interview with Metro, Alesha candidly said of a reunion: 'Never say never. We're still friends but it would have to happen organically. 'In the band, we were strong-minded women who didn't worry about what anyone else thought.' Just one year later Su-Elise unveiled the possibility of a reunion, teasing fans with the idea a comeback was in the making. Since the group split, Alesha has undoubtedly enjoyed the most stardom as she stormed the charts with a successful solo career - releasing four studio albums. She also won Strictly Come Dancing in 2007 before going on to act as a judge on the show and later taking a place on the panel on Britain's Got Talent - where she still sits. While Su-Elise has shied away from the public eye since the group split, Sabrina starred in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2010 and started work on a solo album in 2013. Despite her brief appearance in the group, Zena released two solo singles in 2003 yet is mostly known for co-presenting BBC Radio 1Xtra - she now lives in the US with her husband. 2016-04-18 00:09 Ciara Farmer www.dailymail.co.uk

58 Monday, April 25 Today is Monday, April 25, the 116th day of 2016. There are 250 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date: 1707 - British forces are defeated at Almanza, Spain. 1792 - Highwayman Nicolas Jacques Pelletier becomes the first person under French law to be executed by guillotine. 1809 - Britain concludes treaty of friendship with Sikhs at Amritsar in India. 1859 - Austria suppresses revolt in Krakow, Poland; Ground is broken for the Suez Canal. 1898 - United States declares war on Spain. 1915 - Allied soldiers invade the Gallipoli Peninsula in an unsuccessful attempt to take the Ottoman Turkish Empire out of World War I. The event is now commemorated as Anzac Day. 1920 - Supreme Allied Command assigns mandates of Mesopotamia and Palestine to Britain, and of Syria and Lebanon to France; Poland launches offensive against Soviets in the Ukraine. 1942 - In the first U. S. counterattack of the war, 16 bombers make a daring daylight raid on Tokyo; A coal mine disaster in Benxi, Japanese- occupied China, kills 1,549 workers - the world's worst mining disaster at the time. 1945 - U. S. and Soviet troops meet at the Elbe River in central Europe, a meeting that dramatizes the collapse of Nazi Germany; delegates of 45 nations meet in San Francisco to organize the United Nations. 1957 - U. S. Sixth Fleet sails for eastern Mediterranean as King Hussein proclaims martial law in Jordan and seals frontiers after a Palestinian coup attempt. 1974 - Portugal's bloodless "Revolution of the Carnations" ends 48 years of rightist dictatorship. 1983 - Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov invites 10-year-old Samantha Smith to visit his country after receiving a letter in which the schoolgirl from Maine expressed fears about nuclear war. 1987 - Sri Lankan military carries out two-pronged offensive against Tamil separatist rebels. 1988 - South Africa says it has accepted a Western plan aimed at preparing Southwest Africa, now Namibia, for independence under black majority rule. 1989 - Japan's Prime Minister Noburu Takeshita, rapidly losing popularity amid influence-peddling scandal, announces plans to resign. 1990 - Violeta Barrio de Chamorro is inaugurated as president of Nicaragua amid uproar over a decision to let leftist Sandinistas keep control of the army and security police. 1991 - Soviet Union's Communist Party plenum decides to keep Mikhail Gorbachev as leader despite hours of harsh criticism that led him to offer to resign. 1992 - Afghanistan's capital falls with little fighting to two rival rebel groups under Ahmed Shah Masood and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, following the collapse of the Communist government. 1993 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin wins vote of confidence in referendum but fails to force new parliamentary elections. 1995 - For the first time, the Argentine military admits to crimes during the "dirty war" against dissidents from 1976-1983. 1996 - A Spanish Supreme Court judge clears Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez of involvement in the assassinations of Basque separatists during the 1980s. 1997 - In what is called a monumental defeat for the U. S. tobacco industry, a federal judge rules for the first time that tobacco can be regulated as a drug. 1998 - Millions of Nigerians boycott legislative elections billed by the ruling junta as a first step toward democracy. 2000 - The United Nations releases a new assessment of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear meltdown, saying the worst health consequences for millions of people may be yet to come. 2002 - The U. S. House of Representatives approves a measure to split the Immigration and Naturalization Service into two separate enforcement and service branches; making immigration reform a top priority in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. 2006 - A female suicide bomber blows herself up in front of a car carrying Sri Lanka's highest-ranking general, killing eight people and badly wounding the top officer. 2007 - A court overturns amnesties for two leaders of Argentina's military dictatorship, former military President Jorge Videla and Navy chief Eduardo Massera, ordering they return to prison to serve their life terms for crimes against humanity during the country's "dirty war. " 2008 - Congo troops clash with Rwandan Hutu militias with whom they were formerly allied, culminating a week of violence that forced more than 12,000 people from their homes and prompted the U. N. refugee agency to suspend operations. 2009 - The leader of South Africa's long-dominant ANC party is treated like a president-elect after his party sweeps parliamentary elections, although not with the two-thirds majority it won easily in the last vote. 2010 - An explosion caused by a torpedo likely tore apart and sank a South Korean warship near the North Korean border, Seoul's defense minister says, while declining to assign blame for the blast as suspicion increasingly falls on Pyongyang. 2011 - The latest NATO airstrike on Moammar Gadhafi's compound that reduces parts of it to a smoldering ruin of broken concrete slabs and twisted wires steps up pressure on the increasingly embattled Libyan leader who is struggling to hold onto the western half of the country. 2012 - Scientists say tiny meteorites found in the Sierra foothills of Northern California likely were part of a giant fireball that exploded in daylight with about one-third the explosive force of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima at the end of World War II. 2013 - Israel shoots down a drone as it approached its northern coast from neighboring Lebanon, raising suspicions that the Hezbollah militant group was behind the infiltration attempt. 2014 - The United States and other nations in the Group of Seven say they have agreed to "move swiftly" to impose additional economic sanctions on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine. 2015 -Thousands of protesters take to the streets in Baltimore to demand answers in the case of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died in police custody. Today's Birthdays: Oliver Cromwell, English statesman (1599-1658); Guglielmo Marconi, Italian radio pioneer (1874-1937); Morris West, Australian author (1916- 1999); Ella Fitzgerald, U. S. singer (1918-1996); Al Pacino, U. S. actor (1940--); Bjorn Ulvaeus, Swedish musician-composer, ABBA member (1945--); Talia Shire, U. S. actress (1946--); Renee Zellweger, U. S. actress (1969--). Thought For Today: Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known — Carl Edward Sagan, U. S. astronomer (1934-1996). .

2016-04-18 00:07 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

59 Kevin Rudd jokes he has no chance at being UN secretary- general Kevin Rudd has played down his and Helen Clark's chances of becoming United Nations secretary-general, joking he would have a better shot if his surname was 'Ruddovich'. The former Australian prime minister also refused to address Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's recent comments that he has been visiting world leaders to express interest in the UN's top job. 'That is a statement she made, and I didn't,' Mr Rudd said in an interview with India's The Hindu newspaper. Mr Rudd has not officially announced he will run for secretary-general, but he has not ruled out eventually making a bid. The UN Security Council traditionally rotates between regions when choosing a new UN boss and the general consensus is eastern Europe is next up. 'Well my own view is that we are likely to have a UN secretary-general from East Europe this time, and that view hasn't changed,' Mr Rudd said. 'Last I looked, my name is not Ruddovich.' The UN took the unprecedented step last week of inviting the nine official candidates to attend two-hour public question-and-answer sessions at the organisation's headquarters in New York. Former New Zealand prime minister Ms Clark, considered a frontrunner for the job, had her turn on Thursday. The final selection process will be held behind closed doors in the UN Security Council, with the five permanent members - US, Britain, China, France, Russia - holding veto power. There is also a strong push for the next secretary-general to be a woman, but Mr Rudd played down Ms Clark's chances. 'As I said, it is my firm belief that this time we will have a UNSG (UN secretary- general) chief from East Europe,' Mr Rudd said. 'As for Helen, I think she will be a strong candidate if we cannot find agreement between the P-5 and the other members of the Security Council on an East European candidate. 'I've known Helen for a long time, she's a very capable person and strong PM of New Zealand as well as a strong internationalist.' UN watchers predict Mr Rudd is waiting in the wings and will make a run if the current candidates are ruled out. Current secretary-general Ban Ki-moon's term expires at the end of 2016.

2016-04-18 00:05 Liam Quinn www.dailymail.co.uk

60 Driver believed on drugs during accident that severely injured 3 kids The boys were standing on the sidewalk around 7 p.m. when police said the car jumped the curbed and hit them. That driver is facing a list of serious charges. 11Alive is now learning the latest on the condition of the children. Atlanta Police said two of the boys are listed in stable condition and the third boy suffered even worse injuries. He is still in serious condition. Saturday, friends and family prayed for their recovery. 11Alive went back to the scene of that tragic wreck Saturday and found evidence markers still showing what happened. Atlanta police said 28-year-old Ryan Lisabeth was driving very fast the previous night while on Joseph E. Boone Blvd. in Northwest Atlanta. That's where he crossed the center lane and struck a passing truck then ricocheted and jumped the curb and hit the three boys who were standing on the sidewalk. We've since learned that at least one of the boys lives in the apartment complex right in front of where he was struck. Neighbors couldn’t believe it when they saw what happened. “I’m hoping that the ones that maybe won’t make it, that somehow by the grace of god he can create a miracle for the kids,” Kenyatta Simmons said. The driver of that vehicle, Ryan Lisabeth, is being held at Grady hospital - and police said he was under the influence of drugs at the time. We did a little digging and found he was arrested for heroin possession in 2011 and 2013 in Fulton County. (© 2016 WXIA) WXIA Beyond the Triangle: Fighting the heroin crisis WXIA Number of deaths "Inside the Triangle" continues to rise WXIA The Triangle Investigation WXIA Inside the Triangle | The Full Investigation

2016-04-18 00:01 Ryan Kruger rssfeeds.11alive.com

61 61 James Franco Is, Actually, an Artist. So Why Won’t the Art World Take Him Seriously? James Franco has famously resisted being identified as merely an actor, pursuing a simultaneous life in the art world — making videos of dollhouses split in half, painting fat pets, and restaging Cindy Sherman’s iconic 1977– 1980 “Untitled Film Stills,” with Franco himself standing in for Sherman, who was (in her... More »...

2016-04-18 00:00 article.wn.com

62 1 killed, 8 injured as minivan, SUV crash in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES (AP) — One man was killed and eight people including at least three children were injured when a minivan and an SUV collided on a Los Angeles street. ...

2016-04-18 00:00 article.wn.com

63 Calls for more aid for Japan quake zone; 42 dead, 11 missing

MINAMIASO, Japan (AP) The U. S. military prepared to join relief efforts Monday in disaster- stricken areas of southern Japan as authorities struggled to feed and care for tens of thousands of people who sought shelter after two powerful

2016-04-18 00:00 article.wn.com

64 While the GOP worries about convention chaos, Trump pushes for 'showbiz' feel The volatility of the Republican presidential race threatens to undermine the party's July convention, putting potential donors on edge, raising security concerns and prompting some GOP politicians, including those in competitive reelection battles, to skip the Cleveland gathering altogether. A......

2016-04-18 00:00 article.wn.com

65 Blues rally for 3-2 win over Blackhawks in Game 3 CHICAGO (AP) — Jaden Schwartz scored at 13:32 of the third period with Patrick Kane in the penalty box for high-sticking, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Sunday for a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. ... 2016-04-18 00:00 article.wn.com

66 Donald Trump's Rants Risk Annoying Those Who May Decide Nomination Donald Trump's relentless assault on the rules that govern how Republicans choose their nominee is coming far too late to change what even defenders acknowledge is a complicated selection system.

2016-04-18 00:00 article.wn.com

67 Humayun's tomb gets a 24-carat gold crown The Humayun’s Tomb – one of Delhi's three UNESCO World Heritage Sites – has finally got a gold crown. A 24-carat gold finial has been installed atop the tomb’s majestic dome. Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma will unveil it on Tuesday in the presence of senior officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and conservation agency the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). Bhaskar Bhat, the managing director of the gold sponsor, Titan Company Limited, is also a guest. The 16th century tomb, which is the resting place of Mughal emperor Humayun who stumbled to his death down a steep flight of stairs, had been making do with a copper replica finial since last year. The original was damaged by a fierce thunderstorm that wreaked havoc in the Capital on May 30, 2014, and dispossessed the austere monument of its crowning glory. The Aga Khan Trust, which restored the Humayun’s Tomb complex and garden in 2013, was looking for a sponsor for nearly 5 kg of pure gold to create an enchanting yellow- metal finial. India’s Capital, which boasts a treasure trove of history including 174 National Protected Monuments, is celebrating World Heritage Day on April 18. The 18-foot-long finial has 11 vessels covered with a crown. It stands 45 metres above the ground. The ornate structure includes an auspicious inverted heart-shaped kalash (pitcher) and motifs. The Islamic inscription on it translates as: “Khuda jo hay jo barkat rakhe, kisi bhi aapda se bachahye (May God always keep it prosperous, protect it from any calamity).” Former ASI Delhi Circle Chief, Vasant Swarankar, had said: “It is because of this writing that its absence from the tomb is, particularly, inauspicious.” The finial had a beam made of sal wood inside, which ASI chemical experts discovered had pulverised due to water retention over the years. An extensive search for seasoned wood was carried out to put in the gold finial, and traditional craftsmen then worked on it to match the perfection of the original piece. The restoration After the finial was partially destroyed in the storm, the ASI and Aga Khan Trust carried out an extensive study. The AKTC submitted a report in June 2014. The ASI also sent samples from the broken finial to the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. The trust was given permission on December 31 to carry out repairs. Ratish Nanda, project director of the AKTC, had then said: “The original 11 copper vessels in gold finish were in a friable state and had been repaired several times over the past five centuries. Each vessel was weighed and studied separately to allow comparisons with the original profile and carefully map the damage.” He said the wood of the beam had been damaged by repairs a few decades ago using cement, blocking the water outlet. “In keeping with the conservation philosophy, traditional craftsmen were engaged to prepare the vessels just as they were prepared five centuries ago.” “We got some craftsmen in Chawri Bazar but it was not easy, putting this together. But, we did not want to compromise on the heritage value of the finial. I am glad the crown is finally back on the king’s head,” he explained. Nanda had said the plan was to get the entire finial done in gold eventually. “We are looking for a corporate sponsorship to get the leaves done completely in gold. Once we get it, we will redo the finial with all gold work.” The original Humayun's Tomb was commissioned by Mughal emperor Akbar for his father, Humayun. Its architect was Persian expert Mirak Mirza Ghiyas. ASI archives say the finial was last dismantled and repaired by the British in 1912, and that they documented the object. This helped the ASI and AKTC team in its reconstruction. UNESCO says the monument is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the subcontinent and embodies the formative stage of Mughal architecture. The old finial will be kept in the new, on- site museum at the tomb, and will be its centrepiece.

2016-04-17 23:56 Baishali Adak www.dailymail.co.uk

68 Mother who was set to be deported is told she can stay in Britain A mother who faced being thrown out of the UK after her visa was rejected because her British husband did not earn enough money has been told she can stay after all. US-born Katy James was left devastated when government officials said she must leave the country within 14 days when the Home Office turned down her application. The 40-year-old project specialist had moved back to the country just last year with her British husband Dominic, 42, and their two- year-old daughter Madeleine. They had been married for nine years and lived in Edinburgh, Scotland and Seattle, USA, before moving to Eastbourne, East Sussex, where Mr James was born. But they faced being split up for up to a year because initially, only small business owner and musician Mr James and Madeleine could remain in the UK as they are British. Now after a campaign to stay, Mrs James was told she had been granted a visa, initially for 30 months, and she will then need to reapply. The family said they are very grateful for the swift intervention of Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell, and those who signed an online petition calling on the government to think again. Dominic said: 'We are very, very happy, we're over the moon. We thought the process would take weeks but to hear of the reversal in a matter of days is fantastic. 'This is exactly what we wanted. It means we can now get on with our lives and Katy will be able to get a job and leave the country for a holiday as well if we want. 'The 30-month visa is what we applied for in the first place. We understand this to be normal procedure so we are delighted. 'We would like to thank everyone who has helped.' Initially the family was told that Katy had not met strict immigration guidelines over earnings, which left them in complete shock and Mrs James branded the decision 'cruel and heartless'. Tory MP Mrs Ansell said: 'I'm very pleased this decision has been reversed so swiftly and that the immigration minister James Brokenshire saw the exceptional circumstances that Katy, Dominic and Madeleine found themselves in. 'This has been an anxious time for a young family with a two-year-old daughter, and I'm delighted the ending is a happy one. 'My primary mission was to ensure Katy did not have to return to the US at the end of this month without her daughter and husband, and this has been achieved. 'To be given leave to stay for 30 months and to be able to work, with every expectation it will be extended until Katy can apply for indefinite leave to stay, is the best result within the application framework. 'However, I accept the time frame is not the long-term security the family needs and this is a wider principle I will take up with the minister, who I thank for his hard work. 'I wish the family my very best - they've certainly been through it - and they will have my continued support with any other issues that arise.' New UK Immigration Rules came into effect in 2012, affecting all non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals applying to enter or remain in the UK under the family migration route. Under the regulation, the British spouse must have available funds equivalent to a minimum gross annual income of £18,600. This rises to £22,400 for families with a child. The government says the minimum income rule is to prevent unqualified spouses coming to the UK and becoming dependent on the state and Mr James was earning below the threshold. The couple first met online in 2005 and Mr James went to America to spend three months with his girlfriend before the pair married in 2006. They lived in Edinburgh between 2006-9 after Mrs James obtained a 'spousal visa' but then they returned to Seattle - eventually moving to Mr James' home town of Eastbourne.

2016-04-17 23:56 Daily Mail www.dailymail.co.uk

69 Austin shoots 64, beats Short in playoff to win Mitsubishi DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Woody Austin's Sunday putter came through again. Austin tied the tournament record with an 8-under 64 and beat Wes Short Jr. with a par on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff in the PGA Tour Champions' Mitsubishi Electric Classic. The 52- year-old Austin has two victories in the last three events on the 50-and-over tour, also winning in Tucson, Arizona, last month. In each win he switched putters for the final round. It's an example of why he said "I'm not a normal person when it comes to golf. " "I do everything quite different than most golfers," Austin said. "I'm not a range guy. I don't even go to the range an hour before my round. " Austin also didn't go to the range after his 64, instead sitting in the clubhouse for about an hour as Short and others finished. The televised coverage of the tournament kept showing Austin munching on popcorn. Austin didn't hear the commentators speculate about why he wasn't warming up, because he wasn't even watching the tournament. "I went in the clubhouse because I wanted to watch the Cavaliers-Pistons game," he said. "I'm a sports junkie. I was more happy watching that. That keeps my mind off what is going on. " Austin won the 2013 Sanderson Farms Championship at age 49 for the last of his four PGA Tour titles. His win in Tucson last month was his first on the senior tour. Austin said his Sunday putter — the same style but black instead of silver — has earned a try in the first round of his next tournament. Short bogeyed the second playoff after pulling his tee shot left into tall grass for the second time. "You can't hit it left," Short said. "I mean, I'm dead. I knew it as soon as I hit it both times. ... I didn't think I'd be tree-locked on the second time, though. " Short finished with a 68. He could have avoided the playoff at TPC Sugarloaf, but missed a 6-foot birdie putt on No. 18, leaving him tied with Austin at 11 under. That missed putt may have been more painful than his errant drives on the playoff holes. "It was very makeable," he said. "I pushed it. As soon as I hit it, I knew. That kind of stings. " Paul Goydos had a 67 to finish third at 10 under. Joey Sindelar (67), Tom Lehman (67), Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) and Colin Montgomerie (69) were another stroke back. Bernhard Langer shot a 67 to tie for 11th at 6 under, ending his streak of five top-10 finishes on the tour this season. He had one win and two second-place finishes in the tournament's first three years. Tom Watson, the 66-year-old star who shared the first-round lead a week after playing in his final Masters, closed with a 68 to finish 4 under. 2016-04-17 23:54 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

70 Police search for vehicle in deadly pedestrian accident Police are asking the public to be on the lookout for a vehicle they say was involved in a deadly pedestrian accident. Atlanta Police say the incident happened on April 16 shortly before 7 p.m. in the 1500 block of Moreland Avenue. Police are now looking for a red-colored late-1990s Ford Explorer. According to investigators and witnesses, the driver of the vehicle was heading south on Moreland when a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk stumbled backward into the roadway. Police say the driver swerved to avoid hitting the person, but still struck and killed them. The driver also hit another vehicle. Witnesses say the driver got out of the vehicle, but then stated that she needed to get her kids home and would return later. She drove off, but never returned. The driver is described as a "black female in her 20’s-30’s, medium to dark complexion with dreadlock-style hair. " Police believe the vehicle has damage to the driver's side front fender.

2016-04-17 23:53 Adrianne Haney rssfeeds.11alive.com

71 Rahul Gandhi leaves Captain hanging over Punjab 2017 polls Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi is yet to announce former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh as the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the 2017 Assembly elections. However, informally, Rahul endorsed Singh as the captain of the Punjab Congress. “It is the tradition of the Congress to make such an announcement only after the elections. Captain Amarinder is obviously the leader of the party, being the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee,” Rahul told a group of senior editors during an off-camera interaction later on. Party leaders said Singh’s nomination as the PCC chief was done after much thought and said too much should not be read into the event. Party sources said at least a dozen leaders favoured Captain as the CM candidate. However, Rahul’s alleged move has come as a major disappointment to the Captain’s camp. Interestingly, Rahul had indirectly announced Captain as the candidate in March. “I asked Amarinder Singh to deal with the drug issue sternly on a priority basis when you form the government since the problem of drugs is a big issue for the inhabitants of the state,” Rahul had said. Members of the opposition took a different approach. “Captain has pushed his opponents to the brink. Suspension of former Congress Working Committee member Jagmeet Singh Brar, besides the merger of People’s Party of Punjab and Akali splinter group SAD (Longowal) are being looked as hasty decisions. Leaders from these parties will demand tickets. Moreover, Rahul has said the party will focus on young leaders. The party may announce a young face as the CM candidate,” said a senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity. AAP MP Bhagwant Mann ridiculed the campaign Punjab Da Captain, saying the person the party is not trusting as the CM candidate cannot lead Punjab. “He is not even Congress’s Captain yet, as Rahul has said it is not confirmed that Amarinder would be the CM candidate. Earlier, Amrinder arm-twisted Rahul Gandhi and forced to declare him Congress chief in Punjab and now it is Rahul’s turn to pay in same currency.” Mann said.

2016-04-17 23:52 Manjeet Sehgal www.dailymail.co.uk

72 Jin Lopez blows Olympic bid Pauline Louise Lopez failed to chase down her opponent for one solid head kick and saw her Olympic dream vanish. The last surviving Filipino jin in the Asia Olympic Qualifying Tournament missed the cut for the Rio De Janeiro Olympics after bowing to Phannapa Harnsujin of Thailand, 5-2, Sunday night at the Marriott Grand Ballroom. Lopez got tagged by a stealthy high kick on the head late in the first round, an early 3-0 deficit that prompted her to hound Harnsujin all over the mat throughout in their women’s -57kg confrontation. “I told myself I’ll get it back and that’s what I tried to do the whole match,” said Lopez, a pretty and pleasant 19-year-old based in Los Angeles, California. The 2013 Asian Youth Games gold medalist finally scored in the final 46 seconds on a penalty but Harnsujin, silver medalist in the 2014 US Open, sneaked in a punch and a side kick in between. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go my way,”said Lopez. Lopez, a Southeast Asian Games and Pan Am Open gold medalist, earlier pulled off a 4-2 win over Malaysia’s Nuruk Farah Alisa Roslan to set up the duel with Harnsujin in the semifinals. She connected with an explosive kick to the abdomen following a penalty on Roslan to gain control, 2-1, late in the second round. On panic mode, Roslan chased her that proved futile as Lopez had another clear shot at the mid-section in the third round before finishing off the match with a cracking punch to the chest. Kirstie Elaine Alora claimed an Olympic berth on Saturday at the expense of No.1 seed Akram Khodabandeh of Iran in the women’s +67kg semifinals on Saturday. Alora took a 5-0 beating against Asian Games champion Sorn Seavmey in the finals, but it hardly mattered as she brought Philippine taekwondo back to the Olympics since Tshomlee Go and Marie Antonette Rivero played in 2008 Beijing.

2016-04-17 23:49 June Navarro sports.inquirer.net

73 Joss Stone cancels Caribbean tour dates to be with her sick pet dog She's currently in the middle of her Total World Tour, which will see her perform in every country in the world. But Joss Stone has postponed shows in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago in order to be with her sick pet dog Missy. Addressing her fans in a Facebook post on Friday, the 29-year-old singer explained that her pet had been rushed to the vet and she would be heading home to stay by her side. Scroll down for video She wrote: 'I am very sad to announce that I have to postpone the show in Barbados and also Trinidad and Tobago. Hopefully I will be able to return in time for the gig in Venezuela if all is well. 'Last night my dog Missy got rushed to the vets with internal bleeding, I was told she could have only a few hours to live. 'Luckily she made it through the night and they are now working hard to find out what is wrong and save her. Missy is the closest thing I have to a child. I know to some that may sound ridiculous but for me it is everything. She continued: 'I have to go back and make sure she is ok before I can continue with the tour. I hope that those who have planned to attend the shows can understand. I will come back I promise, but right now Missy comes first. 'Please say a prayer for Missy. I don't know what I will do if she is not around. I can't bear the thought. Please say a prayer even if you don't believe in God, just put out some good energy for her.' Joss appears to be hoping her trip back home will be fleeting, as her next scheduled performance in Caracas, Venezuela is on April 21, whilst she will play at the Roundhouse in London on May 15. The Fell In Love With The Boy hitmaker is a staunch animal lover and recently stripped off for a PETA campaign. With tears running down her face and her body painted to look like reptile skin, Joss posed nude in the name of animal rights. She urged others to join her in ‘leaving wildlife out of their wardrobe’ as she bared all for the photograph, which had the slogan: ‘Three animals are killed to make one crocodile bag. Say NO to exotic skins.’

2016-04-17 23:41 Rebecca Lawrence www.dailymail.co.uk

74 Schools at breaking point, says employment minister Migration from the EU is putting ‘unsustainable pressure’ on schools, a leading Brexit minister warned last night – as new figures show a quarter of schools are now full. As parents learn today whether their child got into their first-choice primary or infant school, employment minister Priti Patel said migration had pushed the education system to ‘breaking point’. She added that it was ‘deeply regrettable’ so many families would be disappointed today, and a Brexit vote was the only way to take back control over migration. Miss Patel, who was born in London to Ugandan migrants, said the pressure on schools could get worse with five countries – Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey – applying to join the EU. ‘The shortage of primary school places is yet another example of how uncontrolled migration is putting unsustainable pressures on our public services,’ she said. ‘Education is one of the most important things the Government delivers, and it’s deeply regrettable that so many families with young children are set to be disappointed today. ‘For as long as we remain a member of the EU, we are completely unable to control the numbers of people coming to this country – and with another five countries in the pipeline to join the EU the problem is set to get even worse. ‘We can take back control of our borders. We can also take back control of the £350 million we send to the EU every single week, and reinvest it in our vital and invaluable public services.’ More than 600,000 children will receive their primary school place details today on what is known as National Offer Day. But the influx of migrants – and a baby boom fuelled in part by new arrivals – have left many councils struggling to find enough places. Figures released by Labour show that one in four primary schools is now full or over capacity. The data – compiled by the Department for Education – showed 3,807 out of 16,759 schools in England have their full allocation of pupils or more. In some local authorities more than half of schools fall into that category. Worryingly, the statistics also showed there will be an extra 295,000 primary age pupils in the system by 2020. Last year up to one in five youngsters in parts of the country missed out on their first choice of school. Within four years, the Observer newspaper reported, there will be a shortfall of 10,000 primary places. Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell made no mention of immigration in her press release. She said: ‘This Government’s broken school places system means that children are being crammed into ever larger class sizes and many schools are already at or over capacity. ‘On the day that parents will find out if their child has a place at their school of choice, it is increasingly clear that the Government has no answer to the crisis in school places they have created.’ But the Vote Leave campaign said EU migration was putting extra strain on schools. It pointed to figures showing that 25,000 pupils who are nationals of EEA countries (the EU plus Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein) entered the UK in 2014. Its figures also showed that between 2005 and 2014, there were 475,935 births to mothers who were EU citizens. In that period, the annual figure rose from 24,942 to 64,067 – an increase of 157 per cent. There were also claims – furiously denied by officials – that the Government is sitting on a review of the impact of migration on schools until after the EU referendum. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan commissioned the review before last year’s election into how migrant children performed, and how schools with large numbers of migrants cope with the pressure. But yesterday it emerged the findings would not be published separately but merged into a separate review of extremism being led by Louise Casey – leading to claims of a cover-up. Dr Liam Fox, the former defence secretary, told the Sunday Telegraph: ‘Any hint that a study announced by the Government and paid for with public money will be supressed from the public will inevitably raise suspicions of a cover-up.’ Department officials said the research was ‘not complete’ and argued that it was ‘absolute nonsense to suggest we are refusing to publish a report on immigration’. A YouGov poll, commissioned by Channel 5 for its Immigration Week, found that most Britons believe there has been too much immigration and want tougher controls on new arrivals. Some 71 per cent said immigration levels have been too high over the past decade, with only 14 per cent believing the current level of immigration is about right. Tighter controls were called for by 63 per cent, while one in three people – 31 per cent – felt immigration levels had a negative impact on their lives.

2016-04-17 23:39 Jack Doyle www.dailymail.co.uk

75 Bodyguard of mayoral bet stabbed dead in Antique town ILOILO CITY — A bodyguard of a mayoral candidate was stabbed dead in Bugasong town in Antique, Saturday evening. But a police official said the killing of Emmanuel Tauro, a close aide of Vice Mayor John Lloyd Pacete, did not seem to be election-related. “It appears that the incident (stabbing) was due to a long-running personal grudge between the victim and assailant,” Senior Insp. Juvy Cordero, Bugasong police chief told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Pacete has called for a deeper investigation into the attack, suspecting that one of the candidates could be the target of attack. The vice mayor, who is running for mayor under the ruling Liberal Party against Joemarie Pesayco of the National Unity Party, was about two meters from Tauro but was unharmed. Physicians pronounced Tauro dead on arrival at the Bugasong Medicare Community Hospital where he was brought after he was repeatedly stabbed at 6:24 p.m. in Barangay Tagudtud North in Bugasong, about 43 kilometers north of the capital town of San Jose, Antique. Police were still conducting pursuit operations against suspect Pedro Mariano who fled after the attack. Pacete, other LP municipal candidates and Tauro along with their supporters were at the house of barangay (village) chairman Alex Valdevieso to coordinate preparations for a political rally at the village. While Pacete and Valdevieso were conversing in front of the Valdevieso’s house, a confrontation between Tauro and Mariano erupted, Cordero said. She said Mariano repeatedly stabbed Tauro who managed to shoot him with a handgun but missed. Pacete said the possibility that one of the candidates could have been the target of the attack should not be discounted. “Based on our investigation, there is a long-running feud between Mariano and Tauro. A day earlier, Tauro reportedly poked a gun at Mariano,” Cordero said. She said Mariano, a fish vendor, has been out on bail for a separate homicide case. Investigators recovered a deformed slug at the place of the attack while the gun believed to be of Tauro had not been recovered. Cordero said the gun was with Pacete but the vice mayor denied having the firearm. He said he did not authorize Tauro to carry a firearm but was not sure whether the victim had a gun during the attack. SFM

2016-04-17 23:37 Nestor P newsinfo.inquirer.net

76 Branden Grace wins RBC Heritage for first PGA Tour title HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S. C. (AP) — Branden Grace has had his share of big moments. He believes winning the RBC Heritage is his biggest, by far. The 27-year-old South African had won 10 times overseas, finished in the top five last year in the U. S. Open and PGA Championship, and went 5-0 for the International team at the Presidents Cup. On Sunday, he shot a 5-under 66 to overtake Luke Donald for his first title on the PGA Tour. "This really puts the cherry on top of the cake," Grace said. "And I'm excited for things to start. " Grace has already fashioned a very accomplished career. He's 14th in the world ranking and three of his seven career wins on the European Tour have come since 2015. "I can tick this one off the box and head into the next couple of majors trying to win it," he said. "I have one notch, I've done it before and I can do it again. " Grace trailed leader Luke Donald by three shots when the round began, but wiped out that deficit by the turn with five birdies. Grace took the lead for good with consecutive birdies on 12 and 13. He overcame a final challenge on the 16th hole, rolling in a 12-foot par putt to maintain a three-shot lead. A hole behind, Donald lipped out a birdie try. He could get no closer. Grace finished at 9-under 275, two shots ahead of Donald and Russell Knox. Donald shot a 71, and Knox had a 67. Grace earned $1,062,000 and a PGA Tour exemption through the 2017-18 season, which he said was a weight off his mind and will allow him to comfortably contend without worrying about keeping his tour card. Grace also became the latest to rally past hard- luck leader Donald at Harbour Town Golf Links. The Englishman has finished second four times and third twice in the past eight events here. Brandt Snedeker shot a final-round 64 to catch Donald and win in a playoff in 2011. Matt Kuchar shot a 64 in 2014, overtaking Donald for the win with a chip-in from the bunker on the 72nd hole. Donald said Saturday after taking a one- shot lead he'd need to be aggressive and make birdies. That did not happen. He settled for pars on the opening six holes, while Grace moved in front with four birdies on the same stretch. Donald got to 8 under with a birdie on the seventh hole, then quickly gave it back on No. 8 when he drove in the water and took bogey. He caught Grace one final time with a ninth-hole birdie, but could not keep up with the South African. "I think I've got to put myself three or four behind on Sunday," Donald said. "Leading doesn't seem to be working out for me. " Although Donald earned $519,200 and moved past five-time RBC Heritage champion Davis Love III for second in tournament winnings here with $3,063,520. Bryson DeChambeau, the former SMU star who won the NCAA and U. S. Amateur last year, tied for fourth in his first event since turning pro, four shots behind Grace after a 68. Kevin Na was tied with DeChambeau after a 69. Top-ranked Jason Day rebounded from a season-worst 79 on Saturday with a 68 to tie for 23rd at 1 under. He now gets a week off before returning to play at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, starting on April 28. He said he'll use the time to refresh his mind and improve his fitness, which he said got a bit loose during this last run of tournament golf. Not that it hurt him on the course. In the past month, Day won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the World Golf Championship's Dell Match Play event. He tied for 10th at the Masters and shared the 36-hole lead at Harbour Town until his third-round blow up. His finish was his third round in the 70s this week. "A lot of positive stuff" at the tournament, Day said. "I've just got to get back, just rest my mind, rest my body and try and get back in the swing of things. " Divots: No 9s on this card: Ernie Els closed with a 66, his lowest round since finishing the final round of the 2013 WGC-HSBC Champions event with the same score. ... Jason Bohn closed with a 77 and finished 11 over in his first event back since his heart attack in February. ... Heard on course: When a hawk soared overhead with something in its talons on the 16th fairway, Seung-Yul Noh asked if it was a ball. "It's a fish," playing partner Jerry Kelly replied.

2016-04-17 23:35 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk

77 ‘Anachronism with no military or mission’: NATO foundations crumbled, says Stratfor founder The internationally-recognized analyst and reputed geopolitics expert, George Friedman, who founded private intelligence company Stratfor, has offered some frank and telling views on the role of NATO as well as shrinking European military might and its “motivation” to defend itself. While talking about what he termed “Russian ambitions,” Friedman repeatedly stated that the military bloc gradually becomes an “anachronism.” This is so, Friedman suggested in an op-ed for Business Insider , in part because “NATO began to take on a function it was never designed for,” particularly by integrating Eastern European countries who sought to be “Europeanized” rather than “defended.” “Membership in the EU and NATO, it was believed, would turn these former Soviet satellites into Western countries,” Friedman continued, probably striking a blow to post-Soviet countries of Georgia and Ukraine – striving to join the bloc in future. “But NATO is a military alliance. It’s about tanks and planes and war plans. Integrating new countries into Western Europe was not the alliance’s purpose.” “Defending these countries and the rest of Europe was NATO’s function, but that function atrophied as war seemed increasingly irrelevant,” he added. “That was the foundation of NATO. That foundation crumbled long ago, mostly with the fall of the Soviet Union and the signing of the Maastricht Treaty that created the European Union.” NATO’s mission was clear during the Cold War, Friedman reiterated, saying it was the defense of western Europe from a “Soviet attack.” However, “the military mission evaporated, but the alliance continued in place.” Currently, the Europeans worry that the US has lost confidence in NATO and that the bloc is no longer the safety guarantor it used to be, Friedman wrote: “And I think they are right.” The US, Friedman believes, does not intend to play the leading role within NATO old framework anymore, while Europe is “incapable of taking that role because it does not have the troops, hardware, or motivation to do so.” The reasons for it, he went on, are rooted in Europe becoming a “soft power” of NATO while their participation in US-led interventions being “little more than symbolic.” To no surprise, Friedman writes, the bloc became less and less a factor in Washington’s decision-making while the Europeans “compensated by congratulating themselves for their sophistication compared to the American ‘cowboys’.” READ MORE: Pentagon recites ‘Russian aggression’ to justify missile defense expansion budget This is being aggravated by how the European countries deal with crises in their surroundings, and most notably, by how they responded to recent terror attacks in Paris and Brussels, Friedman explained. “A state that does not act quickly and decisively to counter terrorism within its borders loses legitimacy and the trust of its public and its allies.” The big picture for either NATO or Europe is quite pessimistic, the renowned strategist wrote in conclusion: “The foundations of NATO have dissolved … The willingness of the US to operate within the constraints of NATO is long gone. A unified strategic outlook is missing.” The alliance will not cease to exist, and at NATO meetings, such as the upcoming summit in Poland in July, both the US and Europe “will all agree that something needs to be done,” but “nothing will be.”

2016-04-17 23:29 www.rt.com

78 UH student dies and his girlfriend injured after hit by 'drunk driver' Michael Patrick Schoen, a fellow University of Houston student, has been arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Scroll down for video Tartaglio died from his injuries on Saturday after he and Burnett were hit from behind just after midnight on Thursday. Burnett is currently in stable condition. Authorities said Schoen was speeding in his large pickup truck when he drove into the opposing lanes of traffic to try and get around an Infiniti car that was making a turn. Schoen, 23, clipped the front of the Infiniti car and spun out before hopping the curb and plowing into Tartaglio and Burnett, according to KHOU. Police said the driver of the Infiniti car was not hurt and will not face any charges. Freshman James Townsend said he was watching a movie in one of the sorority houses when he heard the crash. 'We walked out and we saw a body being put on a stretcher,' he told the station. 'And blood all over the sidewalk.' All three UH students are members of the school's Greek community. Tartaglio was a brother in Kappa Alpha and Schoen is part of Pi Kappa Phi, according to his Facebook. Schoen was wearing blue medical scrubs, possibly for a costume party, at the time of his arrest. His bond is set at $30,000. A GoFundMe account set up by friends of Tartaglio and Burnett called them 'some of the kindest, most caring people you'll ever meet'. More than $16,000 had been raised for the pair's hospital costs. Counselors at the University of Houston are on standby to help students cope with the tragedy that occurred not long before final exams. 'My hope,' said grief counselor Chris Scott, 'is that the Greek community will be able to come together and support each other.'

2016-04-17 23:24 Anneta Konstantinides www.dailymail.co.uk

79 Prospective leaders of Cuba should retire at 70, says Raúl Castro Any future leaders of Cuba’s Communist party should retire at 70 to make way for younger blood, President Raúl Castro has said, suggesting older members hoping for promotion to the top table could play with their grandchildren instead. Cuba’s leadership includes several septuagenarian or octogenarian veterans of Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution. There is a growing urgency for them to make succession plans to keep the party alive once they are gone. Raúl Castro is 84 and, after his planned retirement from government in two years, the country is likely to be led by somebody with a different surname for the first time since his brother Fidel – who turns 90 in August – overthrew a pro-US dictatorship nearly 60 years ago. Raúl’s comments during a two-hour speech at the inauguration of the Communist party’s twice- per-decade congress were met with silence. “So serious! What silence is caused by this subject. Don’t think that just because you can’t be in the leadership of the country you can’t do anything,” Castro said, suggesting the elderly continue as party activists and spend more time with their grandchildren. Before the congress, the party leadership faced some discontent among younger members critical of the slow delivery on promised economic reforms in the past five years and a lack of transparency. Fidel Castro retired in 2008 after a serious illness and his younger brother took over, introducing a limit of two five-year terms for leaders. That limit has yet to be tested. The proposed rules would affect new entrants into the leadership, but Raúl added that there would be no sudden change. The limits would be introduced in time for the next party congress in 2021. He said there should then be a constitutional amendment and a referendum to codify this and other reforms. The president proposed that the age limit for entering the party’s central committee be fixed at 60, with a maximum of 70 for those wishing to to perform duties in the party leadership. He said the new rules would have a knock-on effect of bringing younger leaders up through the ranks more quickly. “Somebody who is 65 or 70 is useful for important activities, but not the activities of an important leader,” he said. The party is due to vote for a new leadership on Monday, and is expected to re-elect Castro and his number two, José Ramón Machado Ventura, who is 85. It is thought the new rules will not apply to them because they are already within the leadership. The president said the same age rules should be applied to other state bodies and the government. He reiterated that he would step down from his role in 2018.

2016-04-17 23:23 Reuters in www.theguardian.com

80 The brilliant son you adore is brain damaged beyond hope When Lu Spinney’s son Miles crashed while out snowboarding, it shattered both their lives — leaving him severely brain damaged and her in a turmoil of rage and grief. In our concluding extract from her brilliant new book, she tells how a flicker of hope faded and gave way to a haunting question: should she help end her son’s life? The nurse has gone quiet. Something is wrong. I watch my son’s eyes drift from right to left and back again, unaligned and empty. For eight weeks, I have been dreaming of the moment when Miles will emerge from his coma. Now that moment has come. But he cannot see properly, and he still cannot speak. I hadn’t expected the usual Hollywood awakening. Nevertheless, I’d dared to hope for the return of Miles, for some recognisable part of the brilliant young man who simply took a jump too fast on his snowboard. The next day, I am back in his cubicle in the acute brain injury unit at Queen Square in London. When he hears my voice, his eyes open wide and the sweetest expression of love and relief comes over his face. I can see him trying to raise himself up from the pillow towards me. But nothing happens. Only his head and neck move forward a centimetre or two with what is clearly the greatest effort. He stops, and then there is a long moment of shared horror as he realises the truth: he can’t move, he can’t speak, he can’t see, he is in hell. Slowly he lets go and I can see him sinking away from me into the abyss that is his new world. Today, Miles is having his first session with the occupational therapist. She sets up a large flat round button on the tray of his wheelchair. A bell rings if it is fully suppressed, and she explains that he should press it for ‘yes’. ‘Is your name Miles?’ Watching silently, we are as tense as NASA scientists waiting for confirmation that an astronaut has survived a moon landing. With excruciating slowness, Miles’s thumb moves over the button but then stops. His thumb starts to quiver and move again, and I realise this is as difficult for him as rolling a giant boulder away from the mouth of a cave. Now the quivering is growing in intensity, the whole hand is shaking, and then his thumb goes down and the bell rings. We can’t help shouting out: ‘Yes! You did it!’ He understands. There is no doubt. I take his hand and tell him how proud I am of him. My days now revolve around seeing Miles. I feel I need to be there with him, to oversee his care, though in truth I know that my other son Will and my daughters Claudia and Marina will give him just as much comfort. Twenty-nine years have passed since I gave birth to my first, much-wanted child. I’ve lived a full life, and am now married to a husband whom I love with the particular, intense intimacy that a happy second marriage can bring. Is 29 years of conscious life all that Miles will ever know? The doctor has told us he will have no memory of the accident, so Marina and I are taking it in turns to tell him the story. When we mention his friends setting off for the snowboard park, we see the shift of expression on his face, as though he is not wanting to miss a word. As I describe the moment his snowboard clipped the edge of the jump, he slowly closes his eyes. I reassure him. ‘Miles, please, please, don’t worry. You are in one of the best neurological hospitals in the world. You will recover.’ He opens his eyes and neither Marina nor I can bear to see the pain in the green depths. We think Miles is trying to speak. On a few magical occasions we hear a whisper, but his words are indecipherable. Some weeks later, my husband Ron wakes at night with a stabbing pain in his stomach and severe nausea. It is so sudden and so violent I ask him please to see the doctor that day. He does so and is immediately referred for tests. The doctor is a kind man but he cannot soften the blow. Ron has grade 4 cancer that has metastasised to his liver. Treatment starts in the New Year. IT IS March 2007 and 12 months have passed since the accident. Miles has now been officially diagnosed as MCS — in a minimally conscious state — as opposed to PVS (persistent vegetative state). The irony is that MCS is infinitely more devastating. He is able to suffer excruciating pain, humiliation, anger, misery, frustration, loneliness, boredom — but remains imprisoned in a twilight world. One moment, he crosses over into consciousness; the next he retreats. Miles has been moved to Gael Lodge, a South London care home. I realise that what I am seeing on his face is a new expression. It is one of hope. And suddenly I am filled with a misery so acute I feel faint. I have betrayed him. I think of the conversations I’ve had with him, telling him about Gael Lodge, how excellent it is, how here he will begin to recover. I wanted to protect him from despair, from the knowledge that he will now live for ever in a care home. How will he deal with the inevitable truth? How can I have let him down like this? The neurologist has told me that Miles could outlive me. Short of a sudden, drastic infection, he could survive for decades in this condition. He will become an old man stooped in this very chair, his body atrophied through disuse. On the wall facing the bed is a large, framed montage of photographs. A collage of his life. During his sentient moments, does Miles want to be reminded of what he was? But the photographs are there for another reason: our defence against his annihilation. They tell people that he was a powerful, humorous, handsome young man. Ron is dying. It is only palliative care from now on. He has said he does not want further treatment. Sixteen months have now passed since his diagnosis and we have talked and talked. He wakes one morning with the whites of his eyes the colour of tea, his face a bilious yellow. He is jaundiced and he knows what that means, as for the first time he cries out loud: ‘Oh no, no, no, I don’t want to go, I don’t want to leave you!’ It’s early evening and I’m on my way home from Gael Lodge. I know the route off by heart, but I’m lost. Hunched over the steering wheel, gripping it so hard that my neck and jaw ache, I shout into the dark: ‘Where the hell am I? Where am I, where am I, where AM I?’ I hear the engine gaining speed, the hiss of wheels on wet tarmac, see the wall at the end of the street coming nearer. I could solve the problem, put my foot down further, keep going until the wall obliterates everything. July 2008. Miles comes in his wheelchair with a carer to Ron’s cremation. It’s a shock to see him, so handsome, in black trousers and the black, short-sleeved Hugo Boss shirt that he loved. He sits erect, unmoving, formidable. How strong a support he would have been for me. Suddenly, in the midst of the bleakness, there is a glorious blast of joyful news. Will is getting married to his girlfriend Albi, and to compound the happiness, she is pregnant. On the day, Claudia collects Miles and brings him to the venue. I almost cry out on seeing him: he looks so intimidatingly alert, strong, normal, that for a ridiculous, flashing moment I think he’s back. At home later, I look across the room and see Albi standing by Miles. She has taken his hand and is holding it on her pregnant stomach and they are sharing an intense communication. He is looking up at her with an expression of great tenderness and pride, mixed with fierce protectiveness. It is an unbearably poignant moment. Rachel, the manager of Gael Lodge, asks me: ‘Have you ever thought about Miles being considered NFR — Not For Resuscitation?’ This is a shock. ‘No, never,’ I reply. ‘Not at all.’ Four years ago I would have wanted to destroy anyone who dared to suggest NFR, but today I go to talk to Miles. He’s vividly alert, one of those days when he is near to the surface. I take his hand and say: ‘Miles, you know I sometimes think now that you don’t want to continue. Am I right in thinking that?’ Slowly, unbelievably, he presses down on my hand. It is the movement he once used to say ‘yes’, before his spasticity became too severe. Some weeks later, Claudia startles me. ‘Miles wants to die,’ she says. ‘He told me today. He was coughing really badly … And after that he just roared... It was the most wretched sound I’ve ever heard. ‘I said to him: “I’m so sorry, Miley, I wish I could help you” — and with that he just lifted himself right out from the pillow, staring at me with such intensity, such anger, that I knew exactly what he was saying. ‘He was saying: “You know you can help me. Do it. Please do it.” ’ Claudia looks at me carefully. ‘I told Miles I would help him die,’ she says. ‘I promised. You cannot imagine the look of relief on his face.’ I know Claudia is serious. She means to do this, even if it means going to prison. ‘I don’t mind, Mum,’ she says. ‘You’ll all come and visit me, and I’ll study there, do something.’ I understand what she is saying. But, of course, she cannot. Four years have passed since the accident. For some time we have noticed a shift in Miles’s mood, a darkness of expression, a dismissive shutting of his eyes whenever we make our usual upbeat statements. Over supper, the children and I decide we have to change our approach; we feel certain he is asking us to stop the false rallying. Together we make the decision that we will no longer refer to Miles’s future when we’re with him. Since putting this into practice, it is as though a huge and terrible burden has been lifted from him. He no longer has to perform. I wish we had understood what demands we were making on him. With renewed anger, I think: what Miles has to suffer is greater than most of the abhorrent things humanity has inflicted on itself throughout the ages. Suddenly, I realise with absolute clarity that to release him would be the greatest gift we could give him. Miles’s doctors also understand that he does not want to continue. Applying to the Court to end his life is raised. We take legal advice, but Miles is MCS and the law only allows withdrawal of nutrition and hydration for people who are PVS. We sit around the kitchen table and discuss how to end Miles’s life. We have heard that it is possible to buy the necessary fatal drug over the internet, but the restraining fear is that we don’t know the precise, correct dose. In desperation one morning, I contact Dignitas. The woman who answers confirms my fears: Miles will not be eligible because he is unable to express his intention to end his life or to undertake the last act himself. But she is so understanding and sympathetic that I find myself crying. We are desperate to resolve this for Miles, but there is no legal way forward. I even find myself thinking that may be all four of us could hold the fatal syringe together. We could give Miles this last thing as one, loving him as one, and let the judges do what they want. I tell my old friend, Jennifer, who is dying of breast cancer, about my call to Dignitas. She is a consultant psychiatrist and has known my son since he was a boy. ‘I will do it for Miles,’ she says. ‘I no longer have to be concerned with jeopardising my career.’ But I cannot let her. Her remaining life is fragile and I don’t want her to take on such a responsibility. It is entirely ours to resolve — and yet we cannot bring ourselves to act. The Tuesday after Easter 2011. Miles has a severe chest infection and the unspoken fear is pneumonia. I leave him with my friend Fran while I go to make a cup of tea. Suddenly, I hear Fran calling me urgently:‘Lu, Lu, come now, come right now. He’s choking.’ I run past her to Miles’s bed and lean in to hold him up. His breathing is rapid and shallow, but his expression is calm, as though he is seeing through me, past me, far beyond this place. ‘I love you, Miles.’ A long shuddering breath, his eyes wide open. They are deep green, deeply peaceful. I freeze. I know he wants to go but I don’t want him to now, I want him to stay. I cannot endure the loss. I’ve not confronted the loss. The silence is absolute. There is no next breath. I climb straight up onto the high bed, the first time I have ever done that. Why haven’t I done this before? All those times I could have hugged him properly like I am now, my arms around his strong back, my face in the sweet hollow of his neck. I must not hold him back. ‘You can go now, my darling, you can leave us. You have stayed long enough and we will survive now.’ I am void of all feeling; it is the pure peace of nothingness. Miles, my son, has died. Weeks later, Will and I are sorting through Miles’s belongings. Facing us are the things we have both been avoiding: Miles’s snowboard, his battered hold-all, still with its easyJet label, a pile of snowboarding clothes, and — ‘Oh Jesus, Will,’ I say, ‘that’s the helmet. This is what Miles was wearing when he fell.’ Will puts his arm around me as I pick it up. How slight a thing it looks. Not even a scratch on it. I bend down to scoop everything into a rubbish bag — and then I see his thermal vest. Dropping the rest of his clothes, I bury my face in this torn old remnant. As I stand up, it falls apart in my hands. It has been slashed from waist to neck in one long jagged cut. Of course, the paramedics. Suddenly, I’m drenched in the smell of Miles, the essence of him — still here — that final moment of pure exhilaration perfectly preserved. He is about to leap into the boundless blue air. And now I am standing next to him and I say: ‘Go for it, Miles. Go for it.’ n Adapted from Beyond The High Blue Air: A Memoir by Lu Spinney, published by Atlantic Books at £14.99. © Lu Spinney 2016. To order a book at £11.24 (offer valid to April 25), visit mailbookshop.co.uk or call 0844 571 0640. P&p is free on orders over £12.

2016-04-17 23:22 Lu Spinney www.dailymail.co.uk

81 California Highway Patrol probe video of daredevil stunts The California Highway Patrol is reportedly looking into a video which shows a man perform a number of death-defying stunts on roads and hills. The clip is an ad for Topher Ingalls with Buschur Realty. According to the video, Ingalls spent six years doing professional motocross riding before switching to a real estate career At one point, Ingalls can be seen in the footage soaring onto an access ramp for the freeway. Scroll down for video The Templeton CHP office was going to see if traffic laws were violated during the incident, CHP officer Patrick Seebart told The Los Angeles Times. Seebart told the newspaper: 'It is disturbing that someone would drive so carelessly on the freeways like that, putting innocent people in danger.' In the clip, Ingalls says in voice-over narration: 'Those years racing pro, I gained so much as a human. 'I really found myself, and it just gave me so much in life, and really got me to a point where I was ready for the next step. 'I started realizing that I wanted a different kind of success and, so that's what I'm after.' The video shows Ingalls, wearing both office clothes and riding gear, performing the tricks. He later parks the bike, takes off his helmet, switches out of his riding boots into more formal shoes, and is seen touring a home with clients and selling a home. Ingalls says in the video: 'The transition to real estate was pretty natural. 'It's a competitive career and there's a ton of other people out there working hard and really trying to make it happen.' Speaking about how he came up with the video's concept, Ingalls told DailyMail.com that he was trying to 'think of a creative way to incorporate my last career with my new one and share my story and transitioning.' 'I just wanted to put out something that people would really like,' he said. Regarding the stunts in the video, Ingalls said: 'It definitely felt comfortable.' 'I didn't think that anyone's safety was ever in jeopardy,' he said. Ingalls said that the 'advanced stunts' were filmed at 6am on a Sunday morning. 'I haven't heard from any law enforcement,' he said. Ingalls also said that the video's mainly had a positive reception. However, Ingalls said he was taking down the footage, explaining: 'As soon as I saw some people were disappointed and thought it shed a negative light on [motocross riding]... that wasn't the point.' Ingalls said he 'pushed the envelope and made a mistake' and that he was sorry. A CHP spokesman did not immediately return a Sunday email message from DailyMail.com seeking comment.

2016-04-17 23:19 Zoe Szathmary www.dailymail.co.uk

82 Race to Dubai rankings April 17 (Infostrada Sports) - Race to Dubai rankings 1. (1) Danny Willett (Britain) 2740474 2. (2) Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 1547861 3. (4) Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 1330596 4. (3) Rory McIlroy (Britain) 1321645 5. (5) Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 1045465 6. (6) Branden Grace (South Africa) 936353 7. (7) Lee Westwood (Britain) 883024 8. (8) Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 712172 9. (11) Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 625222 10. (9) Chris Wood (Britain) 576440 11. (10) Marcus Fraser (Australia) 560372 12. (12) An Byeong-Hun (South Korea) 529795 13. (14) Andy Sullivan (Britain) 525518 14. (27) Joost Luiten (Netherlands) 513055 15. (13) Matthew Fitzpatrick (Britain) 509290 16. (53) Andrew Johnston (Britain) 480647 17. (15) Thomas Pieters (Belgium) 466540 18. (23) Sergio Garcia (Spain) 436480 19. (16) Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand) 387670 20. (17) Victor Dubuisson (France) 379396 21. (18) Nathan Holman (Australia) 379163 22. (19) Scott Hend (Australia) 365422 23. (20) Justin Rose (Britain) 359087 24. (21) Bernd Wiesberger (Austria) 352971 25. (22) Emiliano Grillo (Argentina) 347561 26. (24) Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) 325730 27. (26) Gregory Bourdy (France) 315603 28. (29) Martin Kaymer (Germany) 313042 29. (25) Anirban Lahiri (India) 298299 30. (28) Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 274690

2016-04-17 23:10 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

83 Nine million patients failed by second-rate GP practices More than nine million patients are suffering inferior GP care, damning inspection reports have revealed. Some surgeries have made patients call up to 34 times for an appointment, or stocked medicines nearly 20 years out of date. Others hired bogus locum GPs with no medical qualifications. So far, 15 per cent of practices in England have been rated either 'inadequate' or 'requires improvement' in ongoing inspections by health regulator the Care Quality Commission. This is equivalent to 1,140 surgeries, covering just over 9.1million adults and children. Figures also show one in four patients last year waited a week or more for a GP appointment – or did not get one – a rise of 500,000 in a year from 13.8million to 14.2million. This week the NHS will unveil a long-awaited 'rescue package' for GP surgeries amid warnings that they are in crisis. It is expected to include extra funding and a controversial recommendation that more patients should be treated by pharmacists and paramedics instead of doctors. Many surgeries are facing a recruitment crisis, with rising numbers of GPs retiring early or leaving to work privately or as locums. Yet demand is soaring due to the ageing population and immigration, with particularly high numbers of babies and pregnant women coming here. CQC inspectors visited 3,200 of the 7,600 practices in England, rating 11 per cent as 'requires improvement' and 4 per cent 'inadequate'. These included the Dr Zaheer Hussain surgery in Fulham, west London, where inspectors found contraceptive pills that expired in 1998, as well as out-of-date aspirin and heart medication. They could not confirm how many were given to patients but any that were may have been ineffective. Princes Park surgery in Liverpool, also inadequate, was criticised for making patients wait too long on the phone. One said he tried 17 times to get through while another reported calling 34 times. Heidi Alexander, Labour's health spokesman, who uncovered the figures, said: 'Millions of patients are being let down by David Cameron, who has failed to adequately fund and support general practice. 'His rescue package for GPs has been repeatedly delayed while patient care has suffered.' Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: 'It is unacceptable for failing GP surgeries to continue to provide substandard levels of care. We continue to receive calls from patients who are unable to obtain a GP appointment when they need one. 'We also hear about misdiagnoses and problems when patients are not being sent for tests, often resulting in late diagnosis. Long waiting times not only prolong a patient's suffering, but can also cause their condition to deteriorate.' Several inadequate practices failed to carry out criminal record checks on locums or ensure they were qualified. These included the Goodwood Court surgery in Hove, East Sussex, which was last year closed down by the CQC because care was so poor. It mistakenly hired a chiropractor – trained to treat muscular conditions, but without medical qualifications – who posed as a GP. At the Victoria Medical Practice in Washington, Tyne and Wear, also deemed inadequate, receptionists chatted loudly about patients' confidential details, including their illnesses, names and dates of birth. The CQC will complete inspections later this year and expects the proportion of practices that are inadequate or require improvement will remain at about 15 per cent. Of those visited so far, 4 per cent were 'outstanding' and 81 per cent 'good'. Professor Steve Field, the CQC's chief inspector of GPs, said most surgeries provide 'safe, high-quality and compassionate care'. But he added: 'We remain concerned by the very poor care we are finding in a minority of practices.' Dr Maureen Baker, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'It is crucial that we urgently address any variations in quality of care. 'But many practices are struggling due to factors beyond their control, such as lack of funding, significant increases in patient consultations and difficulties in trying to recruit sufficient GPs.'

2016-04-17 23:09 Sophie Borland www.dailymail.co.uk

84 Lily Allen demands answers from police over seven-year stalking ordeal Lily Allen said she was made to feel like a "nuisance rather than a victim" by police investigating a stalker as she revealed horrifying details of the seven-year ordeal. The singer was pursued by a man who barged into her bedroom as she and her children slept, said he wished to stab her through the face and spent nights lurking in her garden. However Allen said she was denied the support she expected when she raised her concerns with police. Investigators destroyed evidence that supported her case, gave her a panic alarm for a matter of months and even refused to allow her to see and then keep a photo of her stalker, she told The Observer. The long campaign of harassment has left her "a changed person", Allen said after she finally saw the man convicted. She said: "It was not special attention I looked for. It was reassurance and validation. The police made me feel like a nuisance, rather than a victim. " The nightmare began in 2009 when a Twitter follower using the handle @lilyallenRIP appeared claiming to have penned one of her hits. Behind the tweet was Alex Gray, a man in his early 20s from Perth, who then sent abusive rants, accusations and suicide threats in letters to her flat, her sister's home, her record company, and her management, that were in turn handed to police. Then, when someone in the crowd at a gig held up a banner that read "I wrote The Fear", she called officers in again. After lending her a panic alarm for a few months they reportedly took it back. According to Allen she was then denied the chance to see a picture of Gray. When officers eventually did they would not let her keep it. The stalker progressed to banging on her door and spending nights in her back garden, before a terrifying incident on October 13 last year when she awoke in the early hours to find someone wrenching at her bedroom door. She said: "This guy came steaming in and I didn't know who he was. I recoiled and he ripped the duvet off, calling me a 'f****** b****' and yelling about where his dad is. " Gray was forced from the property by a friend and disappeared. The police were called and she later found her handbag was stolen, although investigators were "uncomfortable" with her suggestion it was her stalker, she told the newspaper. Then, when she found the handbag burned on the bonnet of her car Gray was eventually caught and charged with burglary. However Allen said she felt she "hit a brick wall" when she tried to raise the stalking with police, who she said were keen to pursue the burglary in isolation. "What I give a s*** about is a man who is saying he wants to put a knife through my face," she said. "I wrote to the police and asked why they weren't using these letters going back to 2009, and then I got a short note saying they had been destroyed 'according to police protocol'. No apology, no explanation. " Gray, now 30, was eventually charged with burglary and harassment, although the stalking count reportedly did not cover anything before 2015. He was convicted at Harrow Crown Court this month and will be sentenced in May. Allen said she wanted answers from the police: "I'm not angry at Alex Gray. He has a mental illness. The system has failed him. But until he gets the right treatment and the right help he needs, then I'm not safe. "You can throw the book at him, put him in jail, but he'll still be coming out. And the victim is never safe. " A Metropolitan Police spokesman would not comment on Allen's case but said they take stalking and harassment "extremely seriously".

2016-04-17 23:04 Press Association www.dailymail.co.uk

85 Jennifer Garner celebrates turning 44 by taking her children to church Jesus isn't the only person who celebrates his birthday in a church. Jennifer Garner celebrated turning 44 on Sunday by taking two of her children to a sermon in Brentwood. The actress was spotted bringing her youngest Samuel, four, and her eldest Violet, ten, to the Methodist ceremony. There was no sign of middle child Seraphina, seven, who probably spent Sunday morning with her dad Ben Affleck. It was Jen's first birthday in more than a decade as a single woman, having split from Ben in June, one day after their ten-year anniversary. The Dallas Buyers Club star - who previously claimed to take her family to church every Sunday -looked cute in a short summer dress and sandals, letting her long brunette hair down loose. In her hand she carried a gift bag, so she definitely got at least one pressie. Jen's most recent movie - Miracles From Heaven - had a strong religious theme; in it she plays Christy Beam, whose real-life memoir inspired the film. It tells the story of her daughter Anna, whose unscathed fall out of a tree miraculously cured her of her chronic illness. The mother-of three has a busy year ahead of her, with dramas The Tribes of Palos Verdes and Wakefield and comedy Nine Lives scheduled to be released later this year. But the most pressing film on the horizon may be ex Ben's Justice League: Part One. I was reported recently that the Batman star is renting a house in London for his family so they can be there while he shoots in Hertfordshire's Leavesdon Studios. 'Ben and Jennifer are a very strong cohesive unit. They have created a new normal, which will continue while they are living in London,' a source told The Sun.'

2016-04-17 23:00 Ross Mcdonagh www.dailymail.co.uk

86 In need of cash, India chases $117 bln in elusive back taxes By Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI, April 18 (Reuters) - India's finance ministry is asking for regular progress reports from tax collectors and has set a date for an amnesty to pay off arrears on undeclared domestic assets, as the government intensifies efforts to meet its ambitious deficit target. A series of announcements in recent weeks aims to streamline tax collection in a country where the tax-to-GDP ratio, at 16.6 percent, is among the lowest among emerging economies. Only about one in 18 earning individuals pays tax. Arrears now amount to some $117 billion, roughly four times what they were six years ago. Yet one tax official estimated only 15-20 percent of that was realistically recoverable, with many major debtors simply unable to pay. Even the lower target would take years to achieve, he said, given India's sluggish legal process. Tax officials may go increasingly after entities they think can pay, with possible repercussions for long-running disputes between the government and companies such as Vodafone and Cairn Energy. The need for money is pressing. In the federal budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stuck to an ambitious pledge of reducing the fiscal deficit to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product from 3.9 percent, and improved tax collection could help meet that target. "The finance minister asks almost every week how much tax arrears have we recovered," said a senior finance ministry official, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media on tax issues. Hasmukh Adhia, the top bureaucrat in charge of revenue and a long-time aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is driving the effort, officials said. Adhia did not respond to an interview request. "The government has to recover the arrears in any case from the taxpayers from whom it is due," finance ministry spokesman D. S. Malik said. BIG SPENDER Jaitley faces big spending demands, including paying for a 24 percent wage hike for nearly 10 million government employees and pensioners this year. Tax arrears amount to about 6 percent of India's $2 trillion GDP and are more than the government's market borrowing target of $90 billion this fiscal year. In fiscal year 2015/16, authorities recovered nearly $5.2 billion, according to tax department data as of February 29. But they also raised new tax demands of over $18 billion. Some current and former finance ministry officials said they were reluctant to reach settlements or write off losses even when it was clear the money was lost, fearing political retribution and corruption investigations. Instead, they said they made new demands for back taxes to be paid, raised targets and left others to clean up the mess. One official said he did not know of a single decision to write off a major tax demand in the last 10 years. Modi's government is trying to modernise the system, tax experts said. For example, tax officials have been told to not appeal tax tribunals' decisions involving dues of up to 1 million rupees, and Jaitley has offered to settle outstanding tax disputes out of court, although it comes with conditions. He has promised not to invoke a contentious rule on retrospective taxes, at the heart of a bruising dispute with Vodafone, in future. "We want people to clean up their taxation issues," Jaitley said last month, while warning of "sleepless nights" to evaders using offshore accounts. He also offered a three-month amnesty to taxpayers, starting June 1, to pay off taxes on undeclared domestic assets. A similar scheme announced last year to declare foreign assets yielded recovery of less than $1 billion in extra taxes. Amit Maheshwari, a Delhi-based corporate tax consultant, said the government could do little to settle past tax disputes, but was trying to reduce future litigation. "The government is trying to project an investor- and taxpayer-friendly regime. " BIG SUMS Some 4.4 trillion rupees in outstanding tax dues are owed by companies and the remaining 3.3 trillion by individuals, tax department data obtained by Reuters show. Last year the government told parliament that just 17 people owed the government 2.14 trillion rupees, with each more than 10 billion rupees in arrears. Among them is Hasan Ali Khan, a businessman who raised racing horses for a living. In 2007, tax officials raided his offices in Maharashtra state for not filing returns since 2001, and charged him with tax evasion and money laundering violations. They also slapped a back tax demand on Khan of nearly 370 billion rupees. After a near decade-long battle, which saw Khan imprisoned for more than four years, the tax tribunal cut his liability to 30 million rupees. In the ruling on Feb. 29 the tribunal said tax authorities did not have evidence of his income to back their demand and should reassess his case. Khan was not available for comment. His lawyer said he planned to appeal the new tax demand. ($1 = 66.6300 Indian rupees) (Editing by Mike Collett-White and Paritosh Bansal)

2016-04-17 23:00 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

87 NHL-National Hockey League roundup April 17 (The Sports Xchange) - The New York Rangers and free agent forward Malte Stromwall agreed to terms on a contract Sunday. Stromwall, 21, skated in 49 games with AIK of Allsvenskan in Sweden this season, registering 42 points (25 goals, 17 assists) and 26 penalty minutes. He ranked second in the league in goals and tied for seventh in points. The 6-foot, 185- pound Stromwall has played parts of the last three seasons with several teams in the Swedish Hockey League and Allsvenskan. He has skated in 87 career SHL games, recording nine goals and five assists. He has tallied 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) in 55 career games in Allsvenskan. - - - The Minnesota Wild recalled defenseman Mike Reilly from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League. Reilly, 22, has collected seven points (one goals, six assists), 27 shots on goal and eight penalty minutes in 29 games with Minnesota this season. He has recorded five goals and 18 assists in 45 games with Iowa. - - - The Dallas Stars reassigned right wing Brett Ritchie to the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League, the team announced. Ritchie, 22, has one assist in eight games with the Stars this season. He had 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 35 games with Texas. - - - (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

2016-04-17 22:57 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

88 Rangers still have a gap to make up on Celtic, says Mark Warburton Mark Warburton has warned Rangers not to be ‘fooled’ by their stunning triumph over Celtic and insisted the club still need to spend heavily this summer if they are to snatch the Premiership crown. The Ibrox boss capped his first Old Firm clash with a penalty shootout triumph following a pulsating 2-2 draw in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final. Wednesday night’s Championship clash with Hibernian is now a dress rehearsal for the final on May 21 – the first time a Scottish Cup finale has been contested by two clubs from outside the top tier. Warburton was irked by the fact few observers had backed his side to win but insisted there is still work to be done to catch Celtic. ‘The gap is there — don’t be fooled by that,’ he said. ‘The better team won, but there is a gap there and we’ve got to recognise that. ‘We cannot go into next season feeling satisfied with second, third or fourth. We need to go into the season to be highly competitive. To do that we’ve got to keep working hard on and off the pitch. ‘If we can get the environment right and the quality of player right then we’ll be in a good place. ‘We were the better team and the better team won on the day. But Celtic are a team packed with international players. They have European players and we need to recognise that. ‘Nothing has changed from the previous message – we have to work hard to close the gap. But what today showed was that the gap is nowhere near as big as certain people have made out.’ Rangers had the stronger performers in almost every department, Barrie McKay capping a man of the match display with a stunning postage stamp extra-time strike in the 96th minute. In a riposte to those who wrote his team off Warburton added: ‘I read some outrageous report about how many Celtic would score and how it would be a cricket score. Well, hopefully we have shown the gap is a lot narrower than they imagined. ‘I’m irritated. The favourites have to be Celtic, absolutely have to be. Anyone that understands football would say they have the stronger squad, they have the experience, they have the financial impetus, they are the favourites. I understand it. ‘But I was irritated by people underestimating Rangers. We have been good this season. A young squad has come together quickly. So all credit to the players. I think they deserved quite a bit more respect. They showed that today. I read reports about them getting battered by Celtic today. ‘Well, they showed today that they have got quality, commitment, work ethic, and that gap is a lot narrower than people are talking about.’ Expressing delight for the supporters who endured the taunts of rivals for the last four years he added: ‘Their level of support was magnificent. ‘They’ve been to some dark places in the last four or five years so it’s great they can enjoy days like these. We were down to the bare minimum with just 16 players. ‘But we deserved to win the game of football and that’s the most pleasing thing. ‘We dominated the first half and conceded from two breaks. But to show the character to come back was outstanding. ‘We had some young players with the experienced ones and they were first class. Asked if he enjoyed his first taste of a Glasgow derby the former Brentford boss grinned: ‘If you can’t enjoy that you should go and get a paper round. It was magnificent. There was a fantastic atmosphere. You have to enjoy it.’

2016-04-17 22:55 Stephen Mcgowan www.dailymail.co.uk

89 Danielle Lloyd quits social media after ex Jamie O'Hara Twitter rant There's certainly no love lost between ex-spouses Danielle Lloyd and Jamie O'Hara. And following their Twitter row on Friday over maintenance and their children, there was further social media strife between the exes on Sunday. Model Danielle, 32, announced she was quitting social media for the immediate future after she was criticised by her ex-husband, 29, for her spending. Scroll down for video Taking to Twitter two hours after her former spouse's latest tweets, an upset Danielle wrote to her 414,000 followers: 'Am sorry to all my fans but am going to have to leave social media as I will not be abused lies about.. I just want to be a mother. 'Thanks to all my fans for support I will be back but the trolls and my ex have finally warn me down and I can't cope X.' Earlier on Sunday morning, Fulham FC footballer Jamie accused his former spouse of running up 'a £6K credit card bill in my name' during a trip to Dubai. Jamie is believed to be referring to Danielle's frequent trips to Dubai last summer while she was dating UAE-based property developer Tom Jimson, 23. The midfielder tweeted on Sunday: 'Been called a liar here's the facts, £13k mortgage and all bills paid for, £2,500k maintenance, £500 nursery fees, plus £30k for car... 'And been left with a £6k credit card bill in my name that ex spent in Dubai last year with her ex Tom without me knowing. 'And degrading? Was I not degraded for two years while my name was dragged through the mud in various papers that my ex got paid to do. 'And not forgetting the £750,000 she gets when she eventually leaves my house that she shares with another man and refuses to leave. 'I'm making this statement because I will not tolerate being called a liar, I made my mistakes but I've not said a word for two years. 'Yes I've got my boys this weekend after I refused to be bribed for £250 that is minimum payment on credit card bill that she spent 6k on. 'Standing up for myself finally because of two years of hell I've endured as a father trying to rebuild my career and life after a divorce.' Celebrity Big Brother star Danielle had a long-distance romance with Dubai-based Tom last year before splitting in July. The mother-of-three is now engaged to electrician Michael O'Neill, 29, following a whirlwind romance after meeting at their local gym. Michael proposed to Danielle on Valentine's Day after just six months of dating, with her new fiance having already moved in with the model and her children. Jamie, who was divorced by Danielle on the grounds of his adultery in December 2014, spent this weekend with their three sons Archie, five; Harry, four; and George, two. He shared a video of eldest son Archie on a balance scooter on his Instagram on Saturday, writing: 'So much fun today, got to see my boys last minute after all the stress, most special little boys how good is Archie on this board.' His time with his boys came after he argued with his ex on Twitter, accusing her of not allowing him access to their children, which she denied. The footballer posted a series of tweets on Friday - which have since been deleted - reading: 'So my ex wife refusing access to my children again over money, what a disgrace where's the justice for dads and there children, had enough. 'I pay £15k a month for my ex and children to live in a house and she won't even let me see them, no morals no class.' Just hours later, she fumed in response: 'I continue to stay dignified as my children are the ones that matter! £15k deluded - your children are the same place u left them!! You know the house number please for your children. Stop airing your dirty laundry!' And in response to his comment about 'morals and class', Danielle hit back: 'Where was your moral and class when you cheated?' A spokeswoman for Danielle said on Saturday that the model was shocked' that Jamie would 'degrade her even further than with his cheating' by discussing his issues so publicly. She said: 'After their marriage ended after her ex-husband's adultery, Danielle is completely shocked that the father of her three boys would take to such a public forum to both lie and try to degrade her even further than he has with his cheating. 'Danielle does not wish to comment on her financial situation with her children's father - and is both happy and relieved to be in such a stable, trusting relationship now with Michael after all she's been through.' Danielle and Jamie started dating in April 2009 and announced their engagement after six months of dating. They went on to have their two eldest sons before marrying in a lavish wedding in Syon Park in May 2012, with their youngest son George arriving the following year. However, they separated in September 2014 following reports Jamie had cheated before being granted a quickie divorce that year.

2016-04-17 22:51 Emily Sheridan www.dailymail.co.uk

90 AstraZeneca has held internal talks for Medivation bid - Sunday Times April 17 (Reuters) - Drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc has held internal talks about a bid for cancer treatment maker Medivation Inc but has yet to make a formal offer, the Sunday Times reported, citing sources. AstraZeneca has been looking at Medivation for the past six months and is looking very closely at making an offer, the newspaper said, citing sources and a senior healthcare banker. (http://bit.ly/1XDshZk) In March, Reuters reported that Medivation had been working with investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co to handle interest from other companies in a potential acquisition, but it had no plans to sell itself. San Francisco based-Medivation, which has a market capitalization of $8.4 billion, focuses on cancer treatment drugs. Less than a week ago, the company rebuffed a takeover bid from French drugmaker Sanofi SA, Bloomberg reported. (http://bloom.bg/20zuyXw) AstraZeneca and Medivation said they do not comment on rumors or speculation. (Reporting by Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)

2016-04-17 22:47 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk

91 91 Inzamam quits as Afghanistan coach to become Pakistan chief selector Kabul : Pakistan batting legend and former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has resigned as the coach of Aghanistan and is set to be named his country's chief selector. Inzamam resigned after almost eight months before his contract expires with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, the country's cricket board said on Sunday. Inzamam-ul Haq According to a statement by Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Inzamam resigned from his post considering his national obligations, pointing towards upheaval in Pakistan cricket. The statement by ACB further added that Inzamam has hailed the professional co-operation of the Afghan team and cricket board, khaama. com reported on Sunday. ACB also added that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan spoke regarding Inzamam’s resignation as Afghanistan cricket head coach and requested Shafiqullah Stanikzai to cooperate in this regard. This comes as reports emerged earlier on Sunday suggesting that PCB has approached the Inzamam for chief selector post. According to the reports, a special committee has been formed to appoint a new coach and Inzamam as PCB's chief selector. An PCB official said on Sunday PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan met with Inzamam about heading up the new selection panel. Inzamam’s contract with the Afghanistan Cricket Board was renewed for a period of 1 year earlier in November last year. He coached the team that performed recently in the WorldT20 in India. They beat eventual champions the West Indies in the Super 10 stage before exiting the tournament. He had originally agreed to coach Afghanistan on a temporary basis ahead of the One-Day and Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe but the contract was renewed for one year after the Afghan team made history with back to back wins against Zimbabwe.

2016-04-17 22:43 By IANS www.mid-day.com

92 Haunting Photos From the Boston Marathon Bombing Police officers with their guns drawn hear the second explosion down the street. The first explosion knocked down a runner at the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon. On April 15, 2013, two explosions occurred near the finish line of the killing three people and injuring over 200. An unprecedented manhunt was launched to find the perpetrators, one of whom was killed and the other was taken into custody.

2016-04-17 20:00 ABC News abcnews.go.com

93 Photos: The Big Chicken through the years 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.

2016-04-17 15:14 www.ajc.com

94 Guantanamo Bay: Nine Yemenis released to Saudi Arabia The US has transferred nine Yemeni prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba to Saudi Arabia, officials say. The Saudis agreed to take the prisoners because Yemen was considered too unstable for them to return them to. The transfer leaves 80 prisoners at the US military jail - most of whom have been held without charge or trial for more than a decade. President Obama wants to close the prison before he leaves office. The BBC's Laura Bicker in Washington says that the transfer of the nine has been a long sought- after deal between Washington and Riyadh and comes just days before President Obama touches down in Saudi Arabia for a summit of Gulf Arab allies. Life after Guantanamo prison Will Guantanamo prison finally close? The move is part of a push by the presidential administration to release detainees deemed low- risk. The White House wants to transfer the remainder to the US but Congress is opposed. "The United States is grateful to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its humanitarian gesture and willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility," a Pentagon statement said. The most high profile inmate to be freed is Tariq Ba Odah who has been force-fed daily since he went on hunger strike in 2007. "Mr Ba Odah's transfer today ends one of the most appalling chapters in Guantanamo's sordid history," said Omar Farah, one of his lawyers. All of those recently released will be put through a government-run rehabilitation programme in Saudi Arabia which aims to reintegrate militants back into society, American officials say. The latest releases mean that the number of inmates in Guantanamo Bay is the lowest in its 14- year history. Another 26 detainees have been approved to leave the base by the end of the summer. The White House in February presented a plan to Congress to close the Guantanamo Bay - which costs $445m (£316m) to run annually. The prison is located on an American naval base in south-eastern Cuba. Former US President George W Bush opened it to accommodate foreign terror suspects after the 9/11 attacks on the US. White House officials say they cannot give any names of people being held, but the New York Times has its own list .

2016-04-17 13:53 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

95 IPL 9: Erratic Hyderabad look to bounce back against inconsistent Mumbai Hyderabad : Plagued by injuries and poor form, hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to quickly get their act together to bounce back from the twin defeats when they clash with defending champions Mumbai Indians in an IPL T20 match here tomorrow. Sunrisers Hyderabad players during a practice session The Hyderabad team has been left to deal with the injuries to its crucial players, including Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson and Ashish Nehra and lost both their matches against Royal Challenger Bangalore (by 45 runs) and Kolkata Knight Riders (by 8 wickets). In the absence of the injured players, the poor form of its opener Shikhar Dhawan has been a matter of concern to the SRH, but Eoin Morgan's 43-ball 51-run innings in yesterday's match against Kolkata will come as a big relief for the hosts. Naman Ojha also fought hard against KKR with a useful 37 runs and the wicket-keeper batsman will look to step up the gas tomorrow. Much would depend on Captain David Warner, Dhawan, Moises Henriques, Morgan and new acquisition Deepak Hooda and Ojha who are expected to put a competitive total on the board to make it difficult for the rivals. Though it missed the services of the seasoned Nehra, Sunrisers have some competent bowlers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, young Mustafizur Rahman, Karn Sharma, Abhimanyu Mithun and Barinder Sran, who will look to deliver the goods tomorrow. Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, have won only one of the three matches they played so far and a win is crucial for the side to put its campaign back on track. The Mumbai side, which turned around after a string of losses last year, lost to the new IPL team ' Rising Pune Super giants ' in their campaign opener in Mumbai on April 9. It, however, came back strongly to post a thumping six-wicket win over Kolkata on April 13 in Kolkata but again suffered a setback on its home ground with another new team ' Gujarat Lions last night. Mumbai would look up to Rohit Sharma, who played a captain's knock with an unbeaten 84 against KKR, big-hitter Kieron Pollard, New Zealand's Mitchell McClenaghan and new England recruit Jos Butler to make life difficult for the hosts tomorrow. The other talented batsmen, including Ambati Rayudu who hails from Hyderabad, Hardik Pandya and Parthiv Patel will also need to come up with a solid show. The bowling attack, comprising the seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee and Jasprit Bumrah, should help the Mumbai's cause. For Hyderabad, after losing back-to-back matches, a quick turnaround is necessary to make its way in the tournament and coach Tom Moody asserted that his team can bounce back. "Absolutely, that is exactly the message. There are a few areas we need to address. But as I said, this is two games into the tournament. We need to reflect and learn and build from areas we are falling down. "But still, I am very positive. We can turn around this quickly. We have seen that in previous seasons, the Mumbai Indians last year," he told reporters last night. The Teams (from): Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (C), Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Jos Buttler, Mitchell McClenaghan, Ambati Rayudu, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Jagadeesha Suchith, Tim Southee, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Gopal, R Vinay Kumar, Corey Anderson, Unmukht Chand, Marchant de Lange, Siddhesh Lad, Kishore Kamath, Krunal Pandya, Kishore Kamath, Deepak Punia, Nitish Rana, Jitesh Sharma, Nathu Singh, Akshay Wakhare, Lendl Simmons, Lasith Malinga. Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner (C), Ashish Reddy, Ricky Bhui, Bipul Sharma, Trent Boult, Ben Cutting, Shikar Dhawan, Moises Henriques, Deepak Hooda, Siddarth Kaul, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhimanyu Midtun, Eoin Morgan, Mustafizur Rahman, Ashish Mehra, Naman Ojha, Vijay Shanker, Karn Sharma, Barinder Sran, T Suman, Aditya Tare, Kane Williamson and Yuvraj Singh

2016-04-17 22:41 By PTI www.mid-day.com

96 BUHARI VANGUARD APPOINTS CORDINATORS……. Supports Buhari for 2019 In a press release signed by the Vanguard National Chairman, Alhaji Musa Aliyu stated that the appointments of the two Cordinators were approved by the Vanguard’s National Working Committee meeting held in Abuja recently. The release stated that the choice of the two gentlemen were based on their track records in previous assignments, adding that the group has also agreed to align itself with the resolution of the APC’s NEC meeting that President Buhari should continue in 2019. “As a matter of fact, four years is not enough for President Buhari to correct all the wrongs done to this country in the past 16 years. “Presently, President Buhari has barely three years to go in this administration and that is why we in the Buhari Vanguard want to support resolution reached by the APC at their NEC MEETING, that Buhari should continue in 2019. We support it if only President Buhari will accept it,” he said.

2016-04-18 02:04 Ehis Agbon worldnewsvine.com

97 E-skin 'can monitor body's oxygen level' Scientists say they have developed ultra-thin electronic "skin" that can measure oxygen levels when stuck to the body. The goal is to develop such "skin" to monitor oxygen levels in organs during surgery, say researchers in Japan. Tests on volunteers found the "skin" provided stable measurements of oxygen concentration in blood. The device contains micro-electronic components that light up in red, blue and green on the surface of the body. Scientists at the University of Tokyo are working on ways to display numbers and letters on the skin for health monitoring purposes. Wearable electronics are a future growth area in research, with interest in medical applications such as contact lenses that monitor glucose levels, or smart glasses. The latest findings are revealed in Science Advances . "The device unobtrusively measures the oxygen concentration of blood when laminated on a finger," said lead researcher Tomoyuki Yokota and colleagues. He added: "Ultimately, flexible organic optical sensors may be directly laminated on organs to monitor the blood oxygen level during and after surgery. "

2016-04-17 16:14 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

98 Nitesh Rane 'beheads' former Maharashtra AG Shrihari Aney Congress MLA Nitesh Rane on Sunday cut a cake with the image of former Maharashtra Advocate General Shrihari Aney, in a symbolic gesture to oppose those favouring division of the state. Nitesh Rane Nitesh, son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, cut the cake with Aney's image while he was in Hingoli district of Marathwada, to attend an event on the Maratha reservations issue. He cut the cake in such a manner that the image of the head was severed from rest of the portion. Aney, who took over as state's Advocate General (AG) in October last year, resigned from his position last month after his comments demanding a referendum on statehood for Vidarbha created a flutter in the Maharashtra state assembly. Earlier this week, Aney had celebrated his 66th birthday by cutting a cake with an image of the Maharashtra state printed on it. Aney symbolically cut two pieces of Vidarbha and Marathwada from the cake in the presence of some of his friends and well-wishers. His symbolic gesture was seen as a retort to MNS leader Raj Thackeray's comment during the party's recent rally at Shivaji Park here. Referring to the former AG's stand on separate statehood for Vidarbha and Marathwada, Thackeray had said, "Is Maharashtra some kind of a cake, which you can cut slices of? "

2016-04-17 22:30 By PTI www.mid-day.com

99 100 years ago: Beyond the reach of urban root-grubbers The lambs, very white beside the grey-fleeced ewes, complained in infantile tones when the rain drifted in dense clouds over the windswept fields, but the leaf-buds, opening almost visibly, welcome the warmer wind and invigorating rain. Round those Cheshire farms where damson trees line the hedges as well as the orchard borders white blossom is everywhere, and in many orchards cherry, plum, and pear are well decorated; a few yards from where I now write some beautiful sprays of pink apple blossom are already open. In the fields, beyond easy reach of urban root-grubbers, primroses are plentiful, and jack-in-the-hedge and silver stitchwort whiten many a roadside ditch; a little sun after the rain, and countless still folded flower buds will burst open. Although I met with several dainty willow wrens feeding along the now green hedgerows and in the bushes by a small stream, not one burst into song; they repeatedly called plaintive “looits,” but seemed too depressed by the dull sky to sing. The sand-piper, the redstart - announced by “R. C. S.” from Surrey , - and the yellow wagtail are due here now, but I failed to find them in likely spots. There may be a rush of migrants any time now. “H. H.” - I have several times stated in these notes that not only are there white and piebald blackbirds, but that this species is more given to such “sports” or variation than coy other; indeed a white blackbird is far commoner than a white sparrow.

2016-04-17 22:30 Thomas Coward www.theguardian.com

100 'Shelter in place' notice issued for some in Texas City Texas City officials issued a "shelter in place" notice late Friday after an incident at a Marathon Petroleum Corp. refinery. The order was issued because of the loss of the sulfur recovery unit at Marathon's Galveston Bay refinery, near the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel. The order was for Texas City residents living between 14th Street and 34th Street and for those living between 4th Avenue South and Palmer Avenue, authorities said late Friday. Residents in the affected areas were ordered to turn off air conditioners and remain indoors with the windows closed until further notice, officials said. Shortly after midnight, it was announced that the sulfur unit had been declared stable. The "shelter in place" notice was lifted at about 12:30 a.m. Additional information was not immediately available.

2016-04-17 20:20 By Mike www.chron.com

Total 100 articles. Created at 2016-04-18 06:04