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Germany’s shameless power play against Israel

Remember when the new Germany was keen to put its historical baggage behind it and be Israel’s best friend in Europe? That was then. Now Berlin is set to block a historic chance for raising the Jewish state’s international profile. The issue is a fight for seats on the top UN body, the Security Council. Germany, a major UN donor, mover and shaker, serves on it often. Israel, frequently singled out for international criticism, never has. Until now, in fact, Israel was the only UN member who wasn’t eligible for a seat. But now it is, and in June UN members will choose which countries will take two available council seats next year: Germany, Belgium or Israel. Needless to say, Jerusalem is least likely to win. Here’s how it works: Regional groups present candidates for approval by all UN members. But after joining the UN in 1949, Israel was its only member rejected by all regional groups, especially the one dominated by its warring neighbors. Like Rodney Dangerfield, it got no respect from any Turtle Bay clubs. So it set eyes on a UN bloc known as the Western Europeans and Other Group. Besides democracies west of the Berlin Wall, WEOG includes Australia, Canada and America. In late 1990s, one of America’s most astute modern diplomats, then-UN ambassador Richard Holbrooke, finally succeeded in adding Israel to the group. To placate Israel’s critics, Israel’s candidacy for UN bodies would be phased-in slowly — it would have to wait two decades before being eligible for a council seat. As a good-faith gesture, the group promised Israel that it and Belgium would run uncontested for the two open 2019-20 seats. Then, in 2016, Germany announced it would also run — even though it already served as a council member as recently as 2011-12. “We run every five years, so the Israelis shouldn’t be surprised,” Berlin’s then-foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, told me at the time. The Israelis said they were surprised, and understandably sore about Berlin’s abrogration of Holbrooke’s assurances. When there is any real competition for a council seat, countries lobby furiously. Now, as the June election approaches, Germany and Belgium have been wining and dining UN ambassadors from key voting countries, hosting lavish receptions and briefing reporters on what they’ll do as council members. Knowing its vulnerabilities, Israel mostly conducts its campaign behind the scenes, hosting decision makers from key voting countries in Jerusalem, and even leaning on Arab allies for support in the General Assembly’s secret ballot. Last week, President Trump’s nominee to serve as US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, a former spokesman for several Republican ambassadors at the United Nations, tweeted his support for Israel. He urged Democrats and Republicans to back the isolated Mideast ally and fulfill a two-decade-old promise. But Germany is unlikely to withdraw. So, unless Belgium yields, Israel’s hopes for UN respect seem doomed for now — and maybe for the foreseeable future. Why? Diplomats have been telling me Israel violates too many Security Council resolutions to be a member — as in the one passed during the last weeks of Barack Obama’s presidency, which marked Jewish holy sites as occupied Palestinian territory. But is building a porch in Maale Edumim really such a huge threat to world peace? How about, then, a report released last week by UN experts on the Security Council’s North Korea sanctions? It found Germany violated a council ban on sparkling wines, exporting $151,840 worth of bubbly and other luxury goods to Kim Jong-un’s cronies. Or how about, as the Jerusalem Post’s Benjamin Weinthal reports, German companies exporting to Iran banned materials that were later used in chemical attacks in Syria? Never mind. Germany (and Belgium) will surely benefit from the UN’s habit of magnifying Israel’s violations beyond all proportion. Thus, Israel’s petition to join the most prestigious UN club will likely be rejected, thanks to a late entry by a shameless, clueless, cynical German power play against the Jewish state. Twitter @bennyavni

BRIEF-Doccheck Q1 sales up at 6.21 million euros

Staunchly conservative U.S. lawmaker Scalise among wounded in shooting WASHINGTON, June 14 Steve Scalise, the Republican leader wounded in a gunman's attack on Wednesday on people practicing for a charity baseball game, is a staunch conservative and key figure in trying to push legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives.

Floyd Mayweather v Conor McGregor: CEO of Mayweather Promotions wary of UFC champ

Those are the thoughts of the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, Leonard Ellerbe. Mayweather will fight McGregor in a super fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on August 26. The bout which will be contested at 154 pounds, could smash all box office records for a fight. Mayweather, 40, who was unbeaten during his professional career, is coming out of retirement to face UFC champion McGregor. A victory for the American will take his record to 50 wins.

Push for debt waiver: Farmers begin day-night dharnas across state

Farmers stage a dharna in Muktsar. Express Farmers stage a dharna in Muktsar. Express AHEAD OF VIDHAN Sabha session, which will get underway from March 20, farmer labour unions have started day-night dharnas outside DC offices across the state. They are demanding debt waiver and NREGA work as per the act. The dharnas were held outside SDM’s office in Lehragaga in Sangrur and outside DC offices in Muktsar, Bathinda, Faridkot, Moga, Mansa among others. Armed with ration to cook food on the spot, men and women in large numbers gathered outside the DC offices, while in come cases village panchayats were sending cooked food at the dharna site. Sharing details about reason for debt waiver Lachhman Sewewala, general secretary of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union (PKMU) said,”In October, PKMU did a survey of Khet Mazdoor families and as per the data of Punjab government. It was found that there are 7.5 lakh Khet Mazdoor families in Punjab and each labourer’s family is under a debt of Rs 91,000.” The report was released in October 2017, but on Monday, the labourers again demanded debt waiver giving reference of the survey. The centre for research in rural and industrial development, Chandigarh, had also organised discussion on the PKMU report in October. Sewewala said, “As per the report, 85% of the agricultural labourers in Punjab are under debt and hence they should be looked after first of all. However, CM Capt Amarinder Singh just made a one line mention about farm labourers in his speech in Mansa during the first function on farm debt waiver in January, but no policy has been made till now. We will continue our dharnas till March 21 and later chalk out what action will be taken after the wheat harvesting season.” The protesting workers also demanded work as per NREGA which is minimum 100 days. They said that 100 days norms were not being adhered to in any village of Punjab and rather they demanded it to be increased to 250 days in a year. The labourers whose consumption of power bills is 3,000 units or more annually will now have to pay the power bills, PKMU demanded this decision to be taken back. For all the latest Ludhiana News, download Indian Express App

Georgia approves $63 million Sanford Stadium enhancement

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — A $63 million enhancement to Georgia’s Sanford Stadium that will provide a new locker room has been approved by the athletic association’s board of directors. The project also includes a new video board, a plaza for fans to use on game days and a room to host recruits. The project approved at the board’s quarterly meeting on Tuesday is expected to be completed in time for the 2018 season. Georgia’s current locker room is at the east end of the stadium. The new locker room will be almost twice as large and will be built on the west end of the stadium. The video board also will be significantly larger than the one now in place.

BRIEF-T-Bull Q2 net profit down to 1.1 mln zlotys

Aug 14 (Reuters) - T-BULL SA: * SAID ON FRIDAY THAT ITS Q2 REVENUE WAS 3.7 MILLION ZLOTYS VERSUS 3.5 MILLION ZLOTYS A YEAR AGO * Q2 NET PROFIT WAS 1.1 MILLION ZLOTYS VERSUS 1.3 MILLION ZLOTYS A YEAR AGO Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)

Game of Thrones season 6 recap: 10 major plot points before season 7

The seventh series will consist of seven episodes and will air in July as the battle gets underway and characters collide like never before. It will feature some of the longest episodes in the history of the show that will see humanity in a war with the White Walkers as a queen returns to reclaim her throne from the usurpers. Newly-released photos from HBO show characters teaming up including the Hound (played by Rory McCann) and Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer). Here is our Game of Thrones season 6 recap: Jon Snow’s parents After speculation in both the novels and the TV show, it was revealed that Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark (Aisling Franciosi) are the real parents of Jon Snow (Kit Harington), making him an heir to the Iron Throne. The massive revelation came in one of Bran Stark’s (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) flashbacks to the past as he trained with the Three-Eyed Crow (Max von Sydow). Of course, Jon does not know any of this yet but Bran could be the one to break the news to him when they finally reunite. SKY Mothers of Dragons Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones Jon Snow comes back from the dead In one of the worst kept secrets in television, Jon came back from the dead in the season six opener thanks to a little help from Melisandre (Carice Van Houten) and the Lord of Light. He’s also no longer the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch after renouncing his oath following his resurrection. Jon Snow and Sansa Stark team up After fleeing Winterfell and the clutches of Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) with the help of Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) was finally reunited with her half-brother Jon. The pair then planned to take back Winterfell by fighting Ramsay in what was one of the most epic battle scenes in Game of Thrones - The Battle of the Bastards. Despite having wildlings and men from the North on his side, it was only when Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) brought the full force of the Vale that Ramsay was defeated. Half-way through the battle though Rickon Stark (Art Parkinson) was brutally killed by Ramsay in one of his sadistic teams. SKY Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Bolton in Game of Thrones Ramsay Bolton is killed off Much like the death of Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) at the Purple Wedding, viewers were probably punching the air when Sansa (Sophie Turner) set the brutal lord’s own ravenous dogs on him and let them rip him to pieces. It was a grisly and violent end for a detestable character. But could Sansa develop a taste for killing that could turn her into a villain? Euron is the king of the Iron Islands Game of Thrones may have found its new big bad villain in the form of Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk), who killed off his brother before taking his kingdom from him. He was on a crusade to win over Daenerys using his manly persuasions but Theon and Yara got there first and teamed up with her. Will he now switch allegiances and join with the Lannisters in season 7? SKY Aidan Gillen as Littlefinger in Game of Thrones Sam goes to Oldtown On Jon’s orders, Sam Tarly (John Bradley) went home to Highgarden with his lover Gilley (Hannah Murray). After getting an extremely frosty reception, Sam and Gilley made their way to the Citadel in Oldtown, where he began his training as a maester. Daenerys Targaryen teams up with Theon and Yara Greyjoy She’s already joined forces with Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) but the Mother of Dragons made another alliance with Theon (Alfie Allen) and Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whlan) after the turned up in Meereen. Daenerys Targaryen returns to Westeros After six years, the finale of the last season of Game of Thrones saw Daenerys finally touching down in her kingdom following her voyage across the Narrow Sea. SKY Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones Cersei sits on the Iron Throne In the most explosive finale of Game of Thrones to date - quite literally - Cersei disposed of her enemies quite swiftly using a cache of wildfire to blow up the Sept of Baelor and all her enemies with it. Despite her son Tommen Baratheon (Dean Charles-Chapman) ending his life by committing suicide, it looked like Cersei was pretty pleased with herself as she was crowned the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms as she sat on the Iron Throne. Arya is back in Westeros Following her training with the Faceless Men and nearly getting killed off by the Waif (Faye Marsay), Arya returned home to Westeros. The trained assassin killed off Walder Frey (David Bradley) after coming back to the Seven Kingdoms in revenge for perpetrating the Red Wedding in which her brother Robb (Richard Madden) and mother Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) were slaughtered mercilessly. Game of Thrones series 7: First Look Sat, June 10, 2017 Game of Thrones series 7: Here's the exciting first look at Jon Snow & Daenerys Targaryen in action. Play slideshow HBO 1 of 28 Game of Thrones series 7: First look

Texas teen, girlfriend accused in his jeweler father's death

The son of an Austin-area jeweler and the teen’s girlfriend are charged with hiring someone to kill his father, who was gunned down in March during a home break-in, authorities said Wednesday. Nicolas Patrick Shaughnessy and Jaclyn Alexa Edison, who are 19 years old and live together in College Station, were arrested Tuesday on a count of criminal solicitation to commit capital murder, Travis County sheriff’s officials said. They remained in jail Wednesday, with Shaughnessy’s bond set at a $3 million and Edison’s at $1 million. Neither had an attorney listed in online jail records. According to investigators, Shaughnessy’s mother, Corey Shaughnessy, called 911 in the early morning hours of March 2 to report an intruder in the home of her and her husband, Theodore Shaughnessy. Deputies sent to the home found Theodore Shaughnessy dead of multiple gunshot wounds. A family dog was also killed. Authorities say the plot called for Corey Shaughnessy to be killed as well, but she was physically unharmed. The shooter hasn’t been caught, but sheriff’s spokeswoman Kristen Dark said in a statement that detectives “are following new leads in the case.” She declined to elaborate when later reached by phone. Theodore Shaughnessy was the owner of Gallerie Jewelers in Austin. The company had posted on its Facebook page in late April that, “We are happy to announce that Nicolas, Ted’s son, will be carrying on his legacy here at Gallerie.” An obituary for the elder Shaughnessy published in the Austin American-Statesman said he was “a proud father to his son, Nicolas.” In the months before the shooting, Nicolas Shaughnessy approached multiple people asking if they were willing to be paid to kill someone, investigators allege in an arrest affidavit. He estimated that he’d receive some $8 million from the life insurance policies for his parents, from the sale of their home and sale of the jewelry store. Authorities say they found ammunition in the defendants’ home that matched casings found at the crime scene.

Windows 10 download - The simple ways to get Microsoft's biggest ever update for FREE

Windows 10 users can still download and upgrade for free by following a few simple steps Windows 10 free upgrade offer officially ended on July 29 2016, with Microsoft laying down a cut off point to download and upgrade for nothing. However, it’s emerged - more than a year later - that PC owners can STILL upgrade to Windows 10 for free, just by following a few simple steps. Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users can still download and upgrade to Windows 10 today through two different routes, according to Techspot. The first method to get an upgrade is if you use assistive technology, there is no end date in sight for the free update. There is a potentially wide umbrella of people who qualify for accessibility features. Microsoft says: “If you use assistive technology on Windows, you are eligible for the upgrade offer.” If you use assistive technologies, to upgrade to Windows 10 you simply have to head to Microsoft’s accessibility site. There, you have to download the programme listed in the upgrade and install Windows 10. Microsoft announced the Windows 10 free upgrade for those who use assistive technologies would be extended when the general free upgrade period ended.

Celtics' Terry Rozier: Drops career-high 31 points in Friday's win

Rozier produced 31 points (11-18 FG, 6-8 3Pt, 3-4 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and two steals across 36 minutes during a 119-110 win over the Hawks on Friday. Rozier continued his sensational play as he dropped a career-high 31 points in the win. His six three-pointers made and 18 field goal attempts also marked season highs. Rozier's scorching play over the last two games make him an attractive short-term option, but the reality is that his value will likely drop off fairly soon when Kyrie Irving (quad) and Marcus Smart (hand) return.

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Apple is world’s largest company with $924 billion market cap, as Microsoft beats Google

Apple leads with a market cap of nearly 4 billion and Amazon is at distant second, with nearly 3 billion. (File Photo) Apple leads with a market cap of nearly 4 billion and Amazon is at distant second, with nearly 3 billion. (File Photo) Microsoft has surpassed Alphabet, the parent company of Google, in the market capitalisation for the first time in three years, becoming the third most valuable firm after Apple and Amazon globally. According to a report in Investor’s Business Daily late Tuesday, Microsoft had a market cap of $753 billion at the close of trading, almost $14 billion ahead of Alphabet. Apple leads with a market cap of nearly $924 billion and Amazon is at distant second, with nearly $783 billion. The credit for Microsoft’s rise goes to its CEO Satya Nadella who has been strategically restructuring the company towards Cloud and Office offerings. Driven by consistent growth in its Office and Cloud solutions, Microsoft posted a revenue of $26.8 billion and net income of $7.4 billion in its third quarter that ended on March 31. “We are innovating across key growth categories of infrastructure, AI, productivity and business applications to deliver differentiated value to customers,” Nadella said. Office commercial products and Cloud services revenue increased 14 per cent – driven by Office 365 commercial revenue growth of 42 per cent. The Azure cloud offering had 93 per cent revenue growth. Revenue in Productivity and Business Processes was $9 billion and increased 17 per cent in the quarter. Microsoft now has over 135 million active Office 365 business users, with 30.6 million Office 365 consumer users. Revenue in Intelligent Cloud was $7.9 billion and increased 17 per cent. For all the latest Technology News, download Indian Express App

Stoke `keen to recruit PSG striker Jese´

Stoke boss Mark Hughes hopes to clinch a loan deal for Paris St Germain striker Jese Rodriguez. Press Association Sport understands officials from the Potteries club are locked in negotiations with the Ligue 1 outfit about the 24-year-old and are optimistic they can reach an agreement which would bring the former Real Madrid player to the Bet365 Stadium. Mark Hughes is reportedly locked in negotiations (PA) Jese, who cost PSG almost £22million last summer, has made just one league start for the French side to date and spent the second half of last season on loan at Las Palmas. Then-Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka had hoped to bring him to England in January, but the Teessiders were unable to complete a deal.

Castle Gardens Care Home

Castle Gardens is a purpose-built home offering dementia, nursing, residential and end of life care in the coastal town of Invergordon near the A9. It has picturesque views of the surrounding countryside and all bedrooms have en suite facilities, are wheelchair friendly and have TV points and a nurse call system. There_s a GP service, mobile hairdresser, and small pets are allowed, while visitors can make drinks in the kitchenette. Organised activities include arts and crafts, baking, quizzes, animal visits, musical events, church services and trips out in the home_s minibus. There is a mature garden, with views over the nearby woodland and garden enthusiasts have access to the greenhouse and potting shed where they can help keep the vegetable and herb gardens looking good. We always recommend that before selecting or making any important decisions about a care home you take the time to check that it is right for your or your relative's particular circumstances. Any description and indication of services and facilities on this page have been provided to us by the relevant care home and we cannot take any responsibility for any errors or other inaccuracies. However, please email us on the address you will find on our About us page if you think any of the information on this page is missing and / or incorrect.

New York Post

Enjoy a dramatic 'Turn,' but 'Salem' may be too schlocky “Turn” (Sunday, 9 p.m., AMC): The newest offering from AMC is the story of America’s first spy ring, set during the Revolution. And while the series was based on Alexander... Dramas take on cold, dark wintry feel on screen It looks like the dramas are feeling the effects of this long winter: everything is cold and dark: “The Following” (Monday, 9 p.m., Fox) If you didn’t catch the Season...

AP Investigation: Rape of Rohingya women is 'methodical'

SHE IS ONLY 13 She is only 13, but R had already learned to fear the military men. Last year, she says, soldiers stabbed her father to death. One day in late August, ten soldiers barged into R's house. They snatched her two little brothers, tied them to a tree and beat them. R tried to run out the front door, but the men caught her. They tethered her arms to two trees. They ripped off her earrings and bracelets, and stripped off her clothes. R screamed at them to stop. They spit at her. Then the first man began to rape her. The pain was excruciating. All ten men forced themselves on her before she passed out. R's older brothers carried her toward the border. Once in Bangladesh, a doctor gave her emergency contraceptives. R desperately misses her little brothers, and her sleep is plagued by nightmares. She struggles to eat. Before the rape, she says softly, she was pretty. RAPED TWICE F and her husband were asleep at home in June when seven soldiers charged into their bedroom. The men bound her husband with rope and gagged him with a scarf they ripped from F's head. They yanked off F's jewelry and stripped off her clothes. They threw her to the floor, where the first soldier began to rape her. Her husband wriggled the gag from his mouth and screamed. One soldier shot him, and another slit his throat. After the assault, the men dumped F's naked body outside her home and set it on fire. The neighbors rescued her. Two months later, she realized she was pregnant. In September, her nightmare began again. F was asleep at a neighbor's house when five soldiers broke down the door. The soldiers slashed the throat of the 5-year-old boy who lived there and killed his father. They stripped off the women's clothes. Two men raped F, and three men raped her friend. After the men left, the women lay on the floor for days before fleeing for Bangladesh. Despite everything, F is determined to love the child. HER HUSBAND BLAMED HER K and her family were settling down to breakfast one morning in late August when they heard the screams of other villagers outside. Her husband and three oldest children bolted out the door. But K was nearly 9 months pregnant and had two toddlers to watch. She couldn't run anywhere. The men barged in, threw her on the bed, yanked off her jewelry and stole the money she had hidden in her blouse. They ripped off her clothes and tied down her hands and legs with rope. When she resisted, they choked her. And then they began to rape her. She was too terrified to move. One man held a knife to her eyeball, one a gun to her chest. Another forced himself inside her. Then they switched places. All three men raped her. She began to bleed and was certain her baby was dying. She blacked out. When she awoke, the men had gone. Her husband blamed her for the assault, admonishing her for not running away. The family fled to Bangladesh. Two weeks later, K gave birth to her son. A, 35, mother of four, who says she was raped by members of Myanmar's armed forces in August I WAS IN IMMENSE PAIN R was at home in late August with her husband and five of her six children when she heard a commotion outside. She saw houses going up in flames in her village. Her husband ran out, but she had the children to take care of. Five soldiers barged into the house. Her children screamed and ran outside. The men stripped off her clothes, took her necklace and kicked her in her back with their knees. Then one of the men began to rape her, while the other four held her down and hit her with their guns. When it was over, they took money and her husband's clothes from the wardrobe. She fled to Bangladesh with her family the next day. She struggled to move with her injuries, and had to use a walking stick. 'I was in immense pain,' she says, pausing to take a long breath at the memory. 'It hurt so much to walk through the hills.' Four days later, she arrived in Bangladesh. ALLAH SAVED US A was at home praying with her four children in late August when about 50 soldiers surrounded her village and opened fire on the men. A began to shake; she had heard of soldiers raping women in other villages. Three men burst into her house and told her to get out. She refused. They beat her. Her children screamed. The soldiers slapped them, then threw them out of the house. Two of the soldiers hit her until she fell. One pressed his boot against her chest, pinning her down. They took off her jewelry and stripped off her clothes. Then all three raped her, punching and kicking her when she screamed. One pressed a knife to the back of her neck, making her bleed. She still bears a faint scar. After the attack, she bled so heavily she thought she was dying. A farmer told her that her husband had been shot to death, so her brother, mother and daughter helped her make the painful trek to Bangladesh. 'They wanted to wipe us out from the world,' she says of the military. 'They tried very hard, but Allah saved us.' In the first few days after the attack, she cried all the time. Now she cries silently in her mind. THE BABY GIRL WAS DEAD M was at home feeding her son rice in late August when a bullet from the military blasted through the bamboo wall of her house and struck her teenage brother. Her husband and children ran out of the house. But M was 8 months pregnant, and did not want to leave her brother behind. For two days, she stayed by his side, until he died. Soon after, four soldiers charged into her house. They began slapping and punching her. Three soldiers dragged her outside the house, stripped her and beat her. When she screamed, they put a gun in her mouth. The first man began to rape her, while the other two held her down and punched and kicked her pregnant belly. After the second rape, she kicked them so ferociously, they finally left. M felt intense cramping in her belly. She gave birth that night at home. The baby girl was dead. M buried the infant in an unmarked grave by her house. Her husband returned, and they made the three-day walk through the hills to Bangladesh. 'They humiliated us, they destroyed our land and farm, they took our cows, they took our produce,' she says. 'How would I go back? They destroyed our livelihood.' M, 25, mother of four, who says she was raped by members of Myanmar's armed forces in late August, is photographed in her tent in Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh WHEN WILL I HAVE PEACE? H was reciting the sunrise prayer at home in late August with her husband and six children when she heard a commotion outside. A dozen soldiers burst through her door and started beating her husband. They grabbed three of her children by their feet, carried them outside and bashed them against trees, killing them. Her husband screamed, and H ran out of the house. As she fled, she heard gunshots behind her. She never saw her husband again. She made it with her three other children to the nearby hills, where other women from her village were hiding. But soldiers descended upon the women and dragged them away to rape them. They ripped off H's clothes, took her jewelry and tied her hands behind her back with her headscarf. One man held her head and hands back, while another held her legs. The third raped her. Then they switched. All three men raped her. Her crying children refused to leave her side during the assault. The soldiers slapped them, kicked them, tried to shove them away. They refused to budge. When the soldiers finished, her 8-year-old daughter tried to cover her naked body with her torn clothing. It took her and her children four days to reach Bangladesh. 'I've lost my husband, I've lost my children, I've lost my country. When will God take me back to my country?' H says. 'When will I have peace?' I BURN INSIDE FOR MY CHILDREN When seven soldiers stormed into the house in October, 2016, S's husband fled. The soldiers began beating her parents. A soldier beat S with his gun, ripped two of her babies from her arms and dropped them on the floor. They tore the clothes off S, her mother and several other young women in the house, and took S's earrings and money she had hidden in her clothes. Two soldiers took S to a field. They covered her mouth with their hands to stop her screams. They held her down and raped her. When it was over, she hid in the hills but eventually returned home. In August, S was at home with her family when the military began firing rocket launchers at houses, setting them ablaze. Her husband and two eldest children fled, but she stayed behind to pack up her baby girls and a few belongings. One baby was in a swing, the other sleeping on the floor. A rocket launcher hit the house. The babies went up in flames before her eyes. There was nothing she could do. So she ran. She hid with the rest of her family in the hills for several days before making the 3-day trek to Bangladesh. 'I burn inside for my children, but what can I do?' she asks. 'They burned to death. I guess that was my destiny.' SHE TOLD NO ONE The military surrounded N's village one early morning in late August. Around 18 soldiers stormed her house, and dragged N outside with her sister-in-law and mother-in-law. The women were taken to the center of the village, where soldiers robbed them of their jewelry. Three men then took her to the hills and stripped her naked. Two men held down her hands while a third raped her. Then they switched positions. All three raped her. During the attack, they showed her their knives and beat her. She was too frightened to fight back. When it was over, they left her there. She returned home and told no one about the rape. She was in agony after the assault and bled for eight days. SHE SAW HER VILLAGE BURNING There was no warning before five soldiers suddenly stormed into 16-year-old S's house one morning in early August. They searched the home for money and valuables. Then they slashed her husband's neck, killing him. The men briefly left to ransack other neighboring houses, before returning. Two soldiers pulled her into a room, snatched her 3-month-old son from her arms and put him on the floor. They searched her clothes for valuables and took her earrings. Another three men came in and began to beat her with guns while the others stripped off her clothes. One soldier held down her hands, and another put his gun in her mouth. All five men raped her. When she struggled, they beat her. She could hear her baby crying and was terrified the men would kill him. When they were finished, they let her get dressed and then dragged her bleeding body outside to the center of the village. Soldiers were dragging other women they had assaulted out of surrounding houses. The men beat S and the other women again, then left them. S ran back to her house, grabbed her baby and ran. As she fled, she saw soldiers lining men and boys up and shooting them. When she made it to the hills, she looked down and saw her village burning. SHE NEVER SAW HER SON AGAIN The soldiers had been harassing T's family for days: Showing up and stealing their food, urinating in their rice, hitting T and, once, stripping off her clothes. And then one morning in mid-August, five men dragged her husband out of the house, where they slashed his neck. They grabbed her 10-year-old son and dragged him outside; she never saw him again. Her 12-year-old daughter managed to flee. The soldiers took off T's earrings and nose ring, then stripped off her clothes. When she screamed, they kicked her. Then they pinned her to the floor. Two men held her while the first man raped her. Then they switched. One man put a gun in her mouth to silence her screams. Afterward, she bled for two days. Months later, her back still hurts from the attack. When they finished, they ate the food in her kitchen and stole her chicken and duck. They also dragged away the body of her husband. She ran into the hills and found her daughter and father. They tried to find safety in neighboring villages, but the military kept showing up. With nowhere to go, they headed toward Bangladesh. A, 20, was raped by three soldiers at knifepoint. After the attack, she bled so heavily she thought she was dying. A farmer told her that her husband had been shot to death, so she fled ALL I HAVE LEFT ARE MY WORDS N's husband was walking down a road in late August when several villagers saw soldiers grab him and drag him into the hills. Later that day, children in the hills came upon his head, along with several other corpses. Soldiers were milling around near the bodies. N stayed in her house with her 8-year-old daughter for the next few days, unable to stop crying. Then suddenly, around 80 soldiers descended on the village. Five soldiers came to her door and shouted: 'Who's inside?' N was terrified. The men barged in. One man held her as she screamed and fought. They covered her eyes with tape, and hit her head with a gun. Two held her in place while three others began rifling through her clothing. There was nothing for them to steal; she'd already hidden her valuables. They ripped her clothes off and beat her in the head with a gun until she blacked out. When she awoke, her vagina was swollen, bleeding and covered in sores. She had clearly been raped; by how many men, she does not know. She was in too much pain that day to leave the house. She and her daughter fled the next day for Bangladesh. She bled for eight days, and three months later still has trouble urinating. 'I have nothing left,' she says, blinking back tears. 'All I have left are my words.' SHE BLED FOR SIX DAYS N, 17, was at home with her parents and siblings in late August when she heard the crackle of gunfire. Suddenly, 10 men burst into the house. They began slashing open sacks of rice looking for valuables. Then the soldiers tied her hands with rope behind her back and put tape over her mouth. Five of the men held her frantic family back, hitting them with their guns. They ripped off her clothes, snatched her earrings and took the money she had hidden in her new blouse. When she tried to protest, they hit her with their guns. They threw her to the floor. Five men then took turns raping her, while the others helped hold her down. Her parents were forced to watch. When they screamed, the soldiers beat them. Eventually, they stood in silence as their daughter was assaulted. After the men left, N's parents untied her and washed her. She bled for six days. The family left for Bangladesh the next day. N was in too much pain to walk, so her father carried her over the border. IT WAS JUST ALL PAIN Around 100 soldiers surrounded A's village one afternoon in late August. A's husband fled, leaving her alone in the house with their 2-year-old son. Two soldiers came into her house. One soldier threw her baby on the floor, then grabbed A by the neck. Both men slapped her and pointed their guns at her. They tore off her clothes. She wept and begged them to stop. One of the men took off her earrings. Then they shoved her to the ground, laughing at her. One soldier pressed his knife to her right hip and cut into her flesh. Both of them punched her in the face. The men then took turns raping her. She could hear her son crying. She prayed to Allah, terrified the men would kill her and her boy. 'It was just all pain,' she says now. As the soldiers walked out, they fired their guns toward the sky. After the rape, she couldn't eat for days and struggled to walk. She hid in the nearby hills with her son until she found her husband. Together, the family walked for 14 days until they finally crossed the border into Bangladesh. TEARING HER FLESH WITH THEIR TEETH M was at home with her husband, her sister-in-law and her sister-in-law's brother in late August when security forces stormed their village. The husbands fled, leaving M alone in the house with her sister-in-law, who was in the shower. Three men kicked the door open. They tied M's arms behind her back. They dragged her sister-in-law out of the shower. They bit her face and body, tearing her flesh with their teeth. All three men raped her, then stabbed her torso and her breasts with their knives, killing her. One of the men came over to M, stripped her clothes off and took her earrings. He unzipped his pants, pushed her down onto her back and then raped her. He choked her and punched her in the face and chest, and bit her eyebrow. She was terrified she would be killed like her sister-in-law. She screamed so loudly that her neighbors came running. The men then fled. She has no plans to return to Myanmar. 'How can I go where there is all this pain and suffering?' she says. SHE DOES NOT KNOW HOW THEY DIED D was at home one evening in late August when she heard noise outside. Her two older sons and husband rushed out of the house, leaving her alone with her 3-year-old boy. Three men entered her home. She screamed and her son began to cry. They took her nose ring and earrings, then ripped off her clothes. One man restrained her arms and held a knife to her hip while the other two men raped her. She feared the men would kill her, so she stifled her screams. After two hours, the men finally left. When her husband returned, he found her naked. But she was too ashamed to tell him what had happened to her. She was so swollen and bled so much that she found it difficult to walk for nearly three weeks after the rape. They fled to another village. While there, people from her village told her that her home had been burned, and that they had seen the dead bodies of her eldest sons. She does not know how they died. D and her family arrived in Bangladesh in October. IT WAS NEVER-ENDING It was late August and K was around four months pregnant when soldiers swarmed her village. Four men smashed the door open, tied up her husband and began beating and kicking the couple's children. They kicked K's 3-year-old daughter in the head so hard that she died of her injuries three days later. They dragged K's husband out of the house and took him to a police station. They snatched the money she had hidden in her blouse and took her earrings. Then they ripped off her clothes. They hit her face and kicked her back. They tied her up and began to rape her, one after the other. The men kicked her so viciously, she feared the baby inside her would die. 'It was never-ending,' she says now. Just before the men left, they shoved a gun inside her vagina. The pain was excruciating. The next day, a village leader helped raise the money the soldiers demanded to release K's husband from the police station. In November, K gave birth to a baby boy. He was two months' premature, and his skinny arms are barely wider than an adult's thumb. K is too malnourished to produce much milk for him, so he is subsisting on sugar water. M, 30, mother of four, who says she was raped by members of Myanmar's armed forces in late August, is photographed in her tent in Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh SHE FEARED HER BABY WAS DYING S was pregnant and at home with her family in late August when 20 soldiers surrounded her village. All the men in the area fled, including her husband. Four soldiers burst into the house, grabbed her two crying toddlers and beat them. She tried to run, but they caught her and dragged her deeper inside the home to a bathing area. One man threatened her with a gun, another with a knife. They ripped her clothes off, and took her gold earrings and gold chain. They threw her to the floor. One man held her left arm, one held her right arm and one held down her legs, while the fourth man raped her. Then they switched. All four men raped her. When she screamed, they threatened to shoot and stab her. They kicked and punched her so hard, she feared the baby inside her was dying. Finally, they left. After the attack, she felt sharp pains in her belly and bled for a month. For two weeks, she thought the baby had died. Finally, she felt something moving inside her. Her husband never returned home. She does not know whether he is dead or alive. IF WE CAN LIVE PEACEFULLY It was mid-afternoon one day in late August when about 10 men in camouflage uniforms entered M's house. Her three children began to scream and cry. Five men took her husband away, and four forced her out of the house and into the nearby hills. One of the men held a gun to her. They tore her clothes off and took her earrings. They bit her face and her body and hit her. They tied her mouth with her own headscarf. And then three of the men held her down while the other man raped her. The attack lasted for hours; all four of the men raped her. The men eventually released her and she stumbled back to her house. Her husband was not there. After resting for five days, she took her children and began the three-day journey to Bangladesh. She had to use a walking stick to move her battered body. Despite the horror she endured, she would consider returning to her homeland - if she is assured of her family's safety. 'If we can live peacefully side by side like we do here in Bangladesh, then I will go back,' she says. WE'VE HAD ENOUGH TORTURE F was at home in late August when she heard screaming outside. Her husband went to investigate and saw that about 300 soldiers and Buddhist villagers had surrounded the area. The men began burning houses and arresting people. Soldiers separated the men from the women. About eight soldiers and villagers grabbed F's husband and tied his hands behind his back. They tore off her and her mother's jewelry. Then they took the women outside and set fire to F's house. Around 100 men took F, her mother and about 20 other women to another village. The soldiers beat them with guns, kicking and slapping them. Once they reached the next village, the women were forced to lie down on the ground next to each other. The men tied their wrists together with rope and began to rape them. Ten men raped F, beat her with their guns, kicked her and slapped her. She could hear her mother crying and calling 'Allah' as she, too, was raped. It was dark when the men finally left. F managed to wriggle her wrists free of the rope and ran into a field. In the morning, she returned to search for her mother, but she had vanished. She saw at least five women lying dead on the ground, their throats cut. She has no idea what has become of her husband. And she cannot imagine returning to her homeland. 'We've had enough torture,' she says. SHE DOES NOT KNOW IF HER HUSBAND IS ALIVE S was lying in bed with her husband and son after dinner in late August when around 10 soldiers burst into the house. A few took her husband outside. Five stayed behind, and one pointed his gun at her. She tried to run, but they grabbed her and kicked her back, stomach and chest. They stripped off her clothes and took her necklace and earrings. Three men raped her. Her young son began to cry. A soldier pointed his gun at the child and he screamed louder. S was in agony. After the men were finished, they took her outside, naked. Her son followed them. About two dozen other women, also naked, had been dragged outside as well. The soldiers forced the women to march toward a rice paddy, beating and kicking them as they walked. S felt blood running down her legs. Once they arrived, the men ordered them to lie down. S fought back and soldiers kicked her. She fell to the ground. Three more soldiers began to rape her. When at last the assault was over, S fled back toward her house with her son, only to find her home had been burned along with many others. She does not know if her husband is alive.

Indians' Edwin Encarnacion helped off the field after rolling ankle at second base

The first inning of ALDS Game 2 between the Yankees and Indians (GameTracker) featured quite a bit of offense Friday afternoon. The Yankees scored two quick runs against Corey Kluber on Gary Sanchez's two-run home run, then the Tribe answered right back with Carlos Santana's two-run single in the bottom half. During that bottom of the first, the Indians lost one of their most important players to an ugly right ankle injury. Edwin Encarnacion rolled his ankle running back to second base on a line drive to shortstop Didi Gregorius. Encarnacion hit the bag awkwardly and rolled over on the ankle. Here's a look: This is less than ideal for Encarnacion pic.twitter.com/5cfaBtx8QW — Ozzie (@OzzieStern) October 6, 2017 Encarnacion crumbled to the ground and was down for several minutes in obvious pain. He was eventually helped off the field, unable to walk under his own power. The Yankees, by the way, challenged the safe call at second base. Encarnacion was originally ruled safe by getting back to the bag before Gregorius touch the base, but replay clearly showed that was not the case. As Encarnacion was on the ground in pain and being helped off the field, the umpires had their headsets on reviewing the play. Is it wrong to challenge a play while a player is injured? Of course not. Maybe in a blowout game, sure, it would be crass. But in the postseason, to get the third out of the inning to escape a jam? No way. Fair game as far as I'm concerned, even if it is a little heartless. As for Encarnacion, the Indians announced the injury as a right ankle sprain, and said he is being evaluated. He hit .258/.377/.504 with 38 home runs in the first season of his three-year, $60 million contract. It's worth nothing Michael Brantley, who has been working his way back from an ankle injury, could be ready to step in at DH should Encarnacion miss time. There would be a drop-off in production, but not a ton.

Jaguars' Branden Albert: Skips first Jaguars workout

Albert did not attend the Jaguars' opening day of offseason workouts Monday as he seeks a new contract, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports. Albert was acquired from the Dolphins in late February for a 2018 seventh-round pick, and although he still has two years remaining on the five-year, $47 million pact he signed back in 2014, Albert is already searching for a new deal in Jacksonville. Since the workouts that started Monday are voluntary, the Jags cannot fine Albert for not attending, but that doesn't mean the team won't be bothered by his absence. In what will be his 10th season, Albert is projected to start at left tackle for the Jaguars, making his situation an unwanted development at a key position.

Las Vegas students, teacher offer musical salute to Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher

Jarren Kolisnek, left, Annie Walters work through a scene during rehearsal for Broadway West's Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Broadway West owner Susan Swanson directs rehearsal for Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Broadway West owner Susan Swanson, right, directs rehearsal for Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Broadway West owner Susan Swanson, middle, directs rehearsal for Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Jarren Kolisnek, left, Annie Walters work through a scene during rehearsal for Broadway West's Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Broadway West owner Susan Swanson, right, directs rehearsal for Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Broadway West owner Susan Swanson, middle, directs rehearsal for Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Students at Broadway West work through rehearsal of Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Jarren Kolisnek, left, Annie Walters work through a scene during rehearsal for Broadway West's Dance Wars, a tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Susan Swanson first met Debbie Reynolds back in the early ’70s. Swanson was starting a showbiz career, and Reynolds was — well, Reynolds, Hollywood sweetheart and trouper extraordinaire. So when the two turned up — in the same gown — at an opening-night gala for the musical revival “No, No, Nanette,” in which Swanson had a featured role, Swanson had a logical response. She hid. That is, until “Nanette” cast member Jerry Antes, who also knew Reynolds, pushed Swanson over to Reynolds’ side. The star greeted the newcomer with these words: “ ‘What’s the matter, kid?’ ” And when Swanson pointed out their identical attire, Reynolds told her, “ ‘You have good taste. Let’s walk around together.’ ” Swanson met Reynolds’ then-teenage daughter Carrie Fisher a few years later. Reynolds was on Broadway starring in another musical revival, “Irene” — which featured Fisher — and Swanson visited Reynolds backstage, thinking there might be a role for her. There was. Reynolds asked Swanson to talk with Fisher “ ‘about the business and how much fun you’re having.’ ” So Swanson introduced herself to Fisher. “Carrie said, ‘Did my mother send you here?’ ” recalls Swanson, who dutifully relayed Reynolds’ hopes for her daughter’s continuing career in musicals. That prompted a definite, expletive-deleted response from Fisher. “Her mother really was sad that (Carrie) had such a great voice and didn’t use it,” Swanson comments. Soon after, “Star Wars” came along and rocketed Fisher into a different cinematic galaxy altogether. In subsequent decades, Swanson — who segued from performing to teaching young showbiz hopefuls — kept in touch with Reynolds and brought her own students to Reynolds’ Southern California dance studio every year. And when Reynolds and Fisher died late last December, within a day of each other, the students at Swanson’s Broadway West studio “knew I was sad,” Swanson notes. They asked her to “teach us what they did and who they were.” Swanson’s students will demonstrate how well they’ve learned those lessons in “Dance Wars,” a Broadway West revue subtitled “A Tribute to Our Friends Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher.” Programming the Reynolds portion of the tribute was easy: songs and scenes from such musical favorites as “Singin’ in the Rain” and “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.” Fisher’s playlist involves John Williams’ stirring “Star Wars” musical scores, which accompany both dance sequences and choreographed lightsaber battles. And while the cast members, who range in age from 5 to 22, weren’t old enough to experience Reynolds and Fisher’s Hollywood heydays firsthand, they do appreciate their talents. “I just loved her,” 12-year-old Jarren Kolisnek (who’s playing Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain” role of Don Lockwood) says of Reynolds. “She had a great singing voice and was really entertaining and full of life.” Jarren’s twin sister, Lordyn, who’s playing Fisher’s signature “Star Wars” role of Princess Leia, describes the character as “one of those princesses who’s not always trying to be fancy — she’s more brave.” And 15-year-old Michael Watson has been training for his “Star Wars” role, the towering Wookiee Chewbacca, for some time. Not only is he tall like Chewbacca is, Watson notes that, “ever since I could, I’ve been trying to replicate” Chewy’s distinctive, gargly growl. “My father was a big ‘Star Wars’ nerd,” he explains. At an afternoon rehearsal, the young performers gather, decked out in costumes ranging from 1920s Hollywood (for “Singin’ in the Rain”) to “Star Wars’ ” galaxy far, far away. “They’re very excited,” Swanson says of her charges. “But they’re getting more excited doing Debbie’s stuff than ‘Star Wars,’ because there’s more singing and dancing.” Contact Carol Cling at ccling@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272. Follow @CarolSCling on Twitter. Preview What: “Dance Wars” When: 7 p.m. Friday (doors open 5:30 p.m.) Where: Ron DeCar’s Event Center, 1201 Las Vegas Blvd. South Tickets: $15, including buffet dinner (702-384-0771, broadwayweststudio.com)

Remember When Group and Carers Cafe

About Remember When Group and Carers Cafe Remember When Club provides support and activities for people with dementia and their carers, offering them a warm welcome, support, companionship, reassurance, and support. The sessions will be held in two rooms. In one room a wide range of activities is offered for people with memory problems and in the other carers can gain support from one another.

​Most banks to adopt blockchain by 2020

​Most banks to adopt blockchain by 2020 Average investment in blockchain technology this year will be $1m Print Print Life More than 80% of global bankers expect to see commercial adoption of the blockchain by 2020 and over half of global financial institutions investing or planning to invest in the technology this year. This was a key finding of a survey of 100 financial services professionals conducted by Infosys Finacle. The research also concluded that the average investment in blockchain projects this year is expected to be about $1 million. Only 4% of the survey respondents said they had spent more than $10 million on their blockchain initiatives. Half the banks are also working with a fintech start-up or technology company to augment their blockchain capabilities. Blockchain rollouts will be prioritised in business areas where the technology can significantly improve transparency, automate processes across enterprises as well as reduce settlement and transaction time, the report said. The study also revealed that the top use cases expected to production are cross border payments, digital identity management, clearing and settlement, letter of credit process and syndication of loans. A private blockchain, where access permissions are tightly controlled with rights to modify or read restricted to only a few users, was the most preferred type for 69% of banks. One fifth indicated that they were adopting or planning to adopt hybrid or ‘consortium’ blockchains where the consensus process is controlled by a pre-selected set of nodes. Finally, a public or completely decentralised blockchain, where anyone can join the consensus process, was preferred by only 10% of respondents. IDG News Service

Capitals' Evgeny Kuznetsov: Dishes out three helpers in opener

Kuznetsov set up all three of Alex Ovechkin's goals and scored in the shootout in Thursday's season-opening win against Ottawa. This is a duo we can get behind. Kuznetsov had a phenomenal outing, setting up his linemates all night long and racking up four hits. He doesn't need Ovechkin on his wing to produce, but having the Russian sniper as his new linemate certainly could help him improve on the 59 points he recorded last season. The 25-year-old is an elite talent locked into a top-six role, so he's pretty much a must-start whenever the Caps are in action.

Delaware man wounded in Istanbul attack says he played dead

As California lawmakers return to Sacramento on Wednesday, liberal dreams of expanding safety-net benefits and providing health coverage to immigrants are giving way to a new vision revolving around a feverish push... As California lawmakers return to Sacramento on Wednesday, liberal dreams of expanding safety-net benefits and providing health coverage to immigrants are giving way to a new vision revolving around a feverish push to... Three people are in custody Monday awaiting formal charges after two Dakota Access pipeline protesters rappelled from the roof of the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis to hang a banner during the Minnesota... Three people are in custody Monday awaiting formal charges after two Dakota Access pipeline protesters rappelled from the roof of the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis to hang a banner during the Minnesota Vikings'... Critics have accused metro Phoenix ... (more) Start the conversation, or Read more at WFMJ-TV Youngstown.

BRIEF-Castellum invests SEK 317 mln in Stockholm

Aug 15 (Reuters) - CASTELLUM AB * CASTELLUM INVESTS SEKM 317 IN STOCKHOLM'S LEADING CAR DEALERSHIP CLUSTER * NEW BUILDING IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION DURING Q1 OF 2019. Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)

Mecca Masjid blast case: ‘Is it difficult to prove that Aseemanand and I were in jail at the same time?’

Aseemanand, one of the five acquitted in Hyderabad Mecca Masjid blast case. (File Photo) Aseemanand, one of the five acquitted in Hyderabad Mecca Masjid blast case. (File Photo) “If Aseemanand and I were not in Chanchalguda Jail at the same time then how did he know my name which he mentioned in his confession statement? How did he know that I was arrested earlier on suspicion of being involved in the Mecca Masjid blast case?” asked Shaik Abdul Kaleem, to whom Aseemanand allegedly confessed his involvement in the Mecca Masjid blast case. Kaleem was earlier arrested as a suspect in the case in 2007 and acquitted by court in 2008. The prosecution had submitted Aseemanand’s confession before a magistrate in New Delhi and before Kaleem as the main evidence against him in the chargesheet, and the entire case hinged on these two points. Read | Court questioned NIA’s claim that Swami Aseemanand confessed In the judgment delivered by the NIA court on April 16, Judge K Ravinder Reddy who acquitted all accused in the case, including Swami Aseemanand, observed the prosecution failed to prove that Kaleem and another youth, Maqbool Bin Ali, were in Chanchalguda Jail when Aseemanand was lodged there. Kaleem, 29, wondered why the CBI and the prosecution lawyer did not seek jail records to prove that they were together. “Is it so difficult to prove that two persons sent to judicial custody to Chanchalguda Jail, where entries are made, records are maintained and prisoners are given numbers, were there at the same time or not? (Accused) Lokesh Sharma and Devender Gupta were already there and then Aseemanand came. Sharma and Gupta were taken elsewhere and only Aseemanand was there in the barracks. We were together for a few days and that is a fact. That is what I told the court. I told this in Ajmer court as well as the Panchakula court where the prosecution made me a witness,’’ Kaleem says. Read | Despite confession, NIA failed to get proof against IED ‘planter’ Kaleem, who works at the office of AIMIM MLA Ahmed Bhalala in Malakpet, says he is relieved that the case is over. “I don’t want to discuss the verdict. I don’t want to get into trouble again. I got married three months back, in January, and I want to forget the ordeal,” he said. The Mecca Masjid: the site of the blast (Express photo by Raaj Dayal) The Mecca Masjid: the site of the blast (Express photo by Raaj Dayal) In his verdict, the judge also dismissed Kaleem’s testimony as untrustworthy, observing that he was under police surveillance and was obliged to become a police witness. Read | Mystery red shirt found with unexploded IED at site never reached NIA Kaleem was arrested on June 3, 2007, by a Hyderabad Police SIT as a suspect in the Mecca Masjid blast case. He was accused of impersonation and using forged documents to obtain SIM cards, which were allegedly used by his brothers Shaik Abdul Amjad alias Khaja and Shaik Abdul Khader, and other persons accused of being associated with organisations like Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami Bangladesh, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad. The SIT had lodged a case at central crime station and four other youths were also held as Kaleem’s aides. He was lodged at Cherlapalli Jail. After several months of probe and narco analysis tests, police failed to establish they were involved in the blast and they were acquitted on July 23, 2008. On October 12, 2010, Kaleem was held for allegedly trying to pass off a mobile phone to his jailed brother and was sent to judicial custody in Chanchalguda Jail where he claimed to have met Aseemanand towards the end of November. For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App

Carers' Support Group Fishponds

About Carers' Support Group Fishponds The peer support group gives people the opportunity to meet with others who understand some of what they are going through. Run by a facilitator, the sessions offer a chance to ask questions, get information and share experiences in a safe and supportive environment.

Fitch Rates American Tower's EUR500MM Debt Offering 'BBB'; Outlook Stable

(The following statement was released by the rating agency) CHICAGO, March 30 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'BBB' rating to American Tower Corporation's (AMT) offering of EUR500 million senior unsecured notes due 2025. Net proceeds from the offering will be used to repay existing debt on its 2013 revolving credit facility (RCF). Proceeds may also be used for general corporate purposes. As of Dec. 31, 2016, pro forma outstanding borrowings on AMT's 2013 RCF totaled approximately $1.7 billion. The pro forma amount reflects borrowings to fund a portion of the FPS Towers' acquisition and the repayment of debt, including the repayment in their entirety of the GTP cellular sites and Unison notes, the redemption of the 7.25% senior unsecured notes due 2019, and repayment of a portion of the 2014 RCF. AMT has a Fitch Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of 'BBB' with a Stable Rating Outlook. KEY RATING DRIVERS Strong Free Cash Flow (FCF) and Margins: AMT's ratings are supported by the financial flexibility provided by its strong FCF and its high EBITDA margin, which has been consistently around 60% in recent years. The tower business model translates into strong, sustainable operating performance and FCF growth, aided by the company's significant scale and the favorable demand characteristics for wireless services (particularly data). Stable Growth Model: AMT is expected to continue to post strong FCF, generate mid- to high-single-digit organic growth and maintain relatively stable margins. Tower revenues are predictable, and growth is provided by contractual escalators embodied in long-term lease contracts and there are strong prospects for additional business. The tower industry is benefiting from wireless carriers continued investment in their fourth generation (4G) networks to meet rapidly growing demand for mobile broadband services. Stable Outlook: Fitch expects AMT's net leverage to be under 5.0x at the end of 2017. Leverage is currently elevated primarily as a result of AMT's acquisitions, including the acquisition of the rights to towers and outright purchases of towers from Verizon Communications Inc. in 2015. Consolidation Risk Manageable: Fitch believes U.S. wireless consolidation, if it were to occur, would not have a material effect on AMT's operations. Revenue growth from continued lease activity and contractual escalators in the U.S market would more than offset the relatively modest losses occurring over time due to consolidation. International Exposure: Similar wireless service demand trends are occurring internationally, with wireless data services at an earlier stage of development than in the U.S. Excluding pass-through revenues, the company's international operations generated approximately 35% of total property revenues in the fourth quarter of 2016. KEY ASSUMPTIONS --In 2017, consolidated revenue grows to slightly less than $6.5 billion, based on expectations for property revenue to be near the mid-point of company guidance of $6.4 billion. In 2018 and thereafter, Fitch assumes revenue grows in the 4%-5% range due to contractual escalators and new-business growth. --EBITDA margins decline slightly in 2017 due to the lower margins associated with acquired properties, but increase moderately thereafter as additional tenants are added to towers. --Capital spending of approximately $850 million in 2017. --Moderate stock repurchases as net leverage under 5x is reached, with further deleveraging arising from EBITDA growth (rather than debt repayment). RATING SENSITIVITIES Positive: At the current 'BBB' level, Fitch does not currently anticipate near-term developments that could lead to an upgrade of the rating. Negative: A negative rating action could occur if operating performance falls short of expectations of at least mid-single-digit organic growth combined with margin pressure, or if a significant transaction, or share repurchases, results in expectations for net leverage sustained above 5x for longer than an 18-24 month period. LIQUIDITY In Fitch's opinion, AMT has a strong liquidity position supported by its FCF, cash on hand and availability on its revolving credit facilities. Operationally, cash flow generation should remain strong. For 2016, FCF (cash provided by operating activities less capital spending and dividends) was approximately $1 billion. As of Dec. 31, 2016, cash approximated $787 million and unused revolver capacity was approximately $2.8 billion. Of the cash balance, approximately $423 million was held by foreign subsidiaries. AMT has two revolving credit facilities: a $2 billion, multi-currency facility due in January 2022 (the 2014 RCF) and a $2.75 billion revolving credit facility due in June 2020 (the 2013 RCF). The principal financial covenants limited total debt/adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the agreements) to no more than 6.0x (up to 7.0x for specified time periods following a qualified acquisition). The covenants limit senior secured debt/adjusted EBITDA to 3.0x for the company and its subsidiaries. If debt ratings are below a specified level at the end of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of adjusted EBITDA to interest expense must be no less than 2.5x for as long as the ratings are below the specified level. Debt maturities consist of approximately $238 million and $1.6 billion in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Contact: Primary Analyst John C. Culver, CFA Senior Director +1-312-368-3216 Fitch Ratings, Inc. 70 W. Madison Street Chicago, IL 60602 Secondary Analyst Bill Densmore Senior Director +1-312-368-3125 Committee Chairperson Sharon Bonelli Senior Director +1-212-908-0581 Date of relevant committee: April 13, 2016 Summary of Financial Statement Adjustments - Financial statement adjustments that depart materially from those contained in the published financial statements of the relevant rated entity or obligor are disclosed below: --Historical and projected mandatory convertible preferred stock is given 100% equity credit. Media Relations: Elizabeth Fogerty, New York, Tel: +1 (212) 908 0526, Email: elizabeth.fogerty@fitchratings.com; Hannah James, New York, Tel: + 1 646 582 4947, Email: hannah.james@fitchratings.com. Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com Applicable Criteria Corporate Rating Methodology - Including Short-Term Ratings and Parent and Subsidiary Linkage - Effective from 17 August 2015 to 27 September 2016 (pub. 17 Aug 2015) here Additional Disclosures Solicitation Status here Endorsement Policy here ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: here. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM.. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE, AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF THIS SITE. DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS RELEVANT INTERESTS ARE AVAILABLE AT HTTPS://WWW. 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Deepwater Wind Featured in New National TV Ad By Citi

Deepwater Wind Featured in New National TV Ad By Citi America’s first offshore wind farm in a realization with Citi’s help claims a new television spot launched by the megabank which highlights its partnership with Rhode Island's Deepwater Wind. "Deepwater Wind ushered in a brand-new era of American renewables," says the new TV spot. The national ad developed by New York-based Publicis. In October of 2016, Citi championed the partnership to finance Deepwater. "Citi is proud to partner with GE, D.E. Shaw and Deepwater Wind to support this innovative project," said Marshal Salant, Global Head of Alternative Energy Finance at Citi. "The Block Island Wind Farm offers a great example of Citi's commitment to sustainable growth and to financing the development of clean renewable energy infrastructure." Related Articles Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Stuffed menagerie, complete with lions, recovered from UK burglar

Jason Hopwood is seen after his arrest for stealing 18 stuffed animals during a burglary in Wimbledon, in an undated Metropolitan Police booking photograph handed out in London, Britain, April 5, 2017. Metropolitan Police handout via REUTERS A series of stuffed animals stolen by Jason Hopwood during a burglary in Wimbledon are seen after they were recovered, in an undated Metropolitan Police photograph handed out in London, Britain, April 5, 2017. Metropolitan Police handout via REUTERS A series of stuffed animals stolen by Jason Hopwood during a burglary in Wimbledon are seen after they were recovered, in an undated Metropolitan Police photograph handed out in London, Britain, April 5, 2017. Metropolitan Police handout via REUTERS LONDON A British burglar who stole 18 stuffed animals including lions, a giraffe and a snarling chimpanzee in a top hat and tie has received a suspended jail sentence, police said on Wednesday. The loot, which also included a stuffed rhinoceros, a crocodile, a sloth, a zebra, a penguin and a pink flamingo, belonged to a licensed taxidermy company and was worth about 100,000 pounds ($124,850) in total, police said. Jason Hopwood, 47, had pleaded guilty to burglary and fraudulent use of a registration plate. He was sentenced to 21 months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 200 hours of community service work. The animals were stolen in March last year from a warehouse in Wimbledon, southwest London. After receiving an anonymous tip-off, police found an abandoned van in Essex, east of London, with all 18 animals inside and sticky patches where fake number plates had been attached. Hopwood was subsequently identified as the van's owner. "Cataloguing and exhibiting the stolen items was a truly unique and memorable experience, and this is certainly an investigation which will stay with me for years to come," said Detective Constable Stuart Goss of London's Metropolitan Police. (Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Stephen Addison)

Pints, Pinot and Performing Arts to benefit Kirby Centera s youth program

Former founding member of The Badlees and accomplished solo songwriter Bret Alexander will be the final featured performer in a lineup of talented local musicians for Kirby Fest. Start the conversation, or Read more at Weekender.

Yankees: Does Gary Sanchez Have A Panic Button

When the Yankees report to Spring Training in a few weeks, it goes without saying that eyes, and that mainly includes the media, will be focused on Gary Sanchez. No doubt the team will do everything they can to insulate him from the onslaught of attention he is bound to receive, but in the end, it will fall on his shoulders to adjust. Start the conversation, or Read more at Yanks Go Yard.

Airbus CEO says he expects results from CSeries deal at...

MONTREAL, July 4 (Reuters) - Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders said on Wednesday he expects to see the first results of the company's new majority stake in Bombardier's CSeries jetliner program within weeks, around the time of the Farnborough Air Show in July. "I'm convinced we'll see first results already in the next couple of weeks," Enders told employees at a Bombardier plane factory near Montreal. Asked later about CSeries orders, Enders told reporters there could be something around the time of Farnborough. Airbus SE took a majority stake in Bombardier Inc's CSeries after completing a tie-up with the Canadian train and plane maker on Sunday. (Reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal Editing by Matthew Lewis)

What’s the point of progress if kids are malnourished, asks Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court. (File) The Bombay High Court. (File) The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said Maharashtra’s progress and prosperity is pointless when 50 per cent of children in the state are malnourished and below the poverty line. The court also observed that the government has not taken any serious steps to address the problem. A division bench of Justices V M Kanade and P R Bora was hearing a bunch of PILs highlighting increasing instances of malnutrition-related deaths and illness among those living in Melghat region of Vidarbha and other tribal areas. “In our state, the children’s population must be over 40 crore. Out of this, 50 per cent children are below poverty line and suffering from malnourishment. What is the point of prosperity and progress in the state when this is the situation,” Justice Kanade observed. Watch What Else is Making News The court further said the state government ought to make separate allocation of funds to address the issue in the upcoming budget session. The court has posted the petitions for further hearing on March 1, when the secretaries of Women and Child Welfare department and the Tribal Welfare department will have to submit power-point presentations to HC on how they propose to tackle the problem and what measures will be undertaken. The court had earlier too come down heavily on the government for failing to initiate steps to solve the problem, and had said the concerned ministers will have to take more interest.

Elizabeth Hurley flashes SERIOUS cleavage in raunchy bikini top

The 51-year-old actress showcased her incredible cleavage yet again as she flaunted her assets in a racy leopard print bikini. Enjoying another day of bliss in the Seychelles, the star looked sensational in a halter-neck design that boasted provocative chain detailing between the bust. Elizabeth upped the sex appeal by wearing her brunette tresses in natural waves around her face, which appeared to be make-up free beneath her shades.

Bellway shares hit high as housebuilder plays down Brexit impact

GETTY Bellway have announceed strong growth after playing down the impact of Brexit The FTSE 250 group said demand for new homes had increased across all regions in the traditionally strong spring selling season and remained buoyant in the weeks leading up to the General Election. Growth is expected to continue next year despite a “degree of instability” following the election result and uncertainty over Britain’s negotiations to leave the EU, as Bellway suggested all political parties recognised the need for more homes to be built. Reservations, where a buyer reserves the right to buy a property for a period of time, were up 13 per cent in the four months to June 4, while completions for the 12 months to July 31 are expected to be about 10 per cent higher than last year’s 8,721. Bellway had previously suggested completions would be at least 5 per cent higher. We have made a significant investment in land Chief executive Ted Ayres The average selling price is about £260,000, and Bellway said its investment in higher value locations should drive prices higher. It has contracted to acquire 10,250 plots since last August, up from 8,600 the previous year. GETTY The firm said demand for new homes had increased in all regions during spring Chief executive Ted Ayres said: “We have made a significant investment in land and work in progress over a number of years and this, together with a strong balance sheet, should ensure that Bellway is well positioned to deliver further volume growth, this year and beyond.” He cited good availability of affordable mortgages, low unemployment and the Government’s Help to Buy scheme as underpinning healthy demand for new homes. More for your money in Margate Mon, July 25, 2016 Margate led a property boom across the north Kent towns that fall within London's commuter orbit Play slideshow Rightmove 1 of 20 5 bedroom semi-detached house for sale Cornwall Gardens, Cliftonville, Margate, Kent £425,000

Was Keith Chegwin in Coronation Street? The reason soap fans are confused

The video will start in 8 Cancel Get soaps updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Veteran actor telly favourite Keith Chegwin passed away in the early hours of this morning. During an impressively long showbiz career which began in the sixties, the Liverpool-born star kept himself busy with a variety of shows and appearances. Initially making a name for himself fronting Cheggers Plays Pop and Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, he turned his hand to reality TV, taking part in Celebrity Big Brother , Celebrity Masterchef and Dancing On Ice. Also on his jam-packed CV was a nineties comeback on The Big Breakfast - and a memorable cameo opposite Ricky Gervais on Extras. One programme he never graced, however, was Coronation Street. Yet plenty of people have convinced themselves otherwise. Owing to a strong physical resemblance to Corrie actor Les Dennis, several fans believed Keith was the man behind Dennis' character, Michael Rodwell. Two years ago, fans even set up a petition to get Keith in Coronation Street. It asked fans to vote for Keith to join as Rodwell's brother. While the pair never graced the cobbles together, both Les and Keith appeared in Extras, and then again on Life's Too Short with Warwick Davis. (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire) Keith's paasing at age 60 followed a ''long-term battle with a progressive lung condition'', his family said. In a statement, Chegwin's family added: "We are heartbroken to share the news that Keith Chegwin sadly passed away following a long-term battle with a progressive lung condition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which rapidly worsened towards the end of this year."

Rockies' Chad Bettis: Shines in return from disabled list

Bettis pitched seven scoreless innings with two strikeouts during Monday's win over Atlanta. He didn't factor into the decision. This was the first start of the year for Bettis, and shutting out any opponent for seven innings at Coors Field is impressive. However, he posted an underwhelming 4.82 ERA through four outings with Triple-A Albuquerque this year and was only marginally better over 52 starts -- 4.52 ERA -- with Colorado during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Calling Coors home also hinders his fantasy outlook moving forward. Despite Monday's encouraging outing, it's still probably best to take a wait-and-see approach with the 28-year-old righty at this stage of the game. Bettis projects to make a home start against the Brewers next.

Maharashtra rejects inter-state kidney transplant plea; suspects donor and patient unrelated

AFTER rejecting a request for an inter-state kidney transplant, the Maharashtra state organ transplant committee will now write to its Gujarat counterpart to inquire into documents scrutinised by the latter while issuing a no-objection certificate authenticating the relationship between a prospective donor and patient. The case pertains to a Gujarat-based donor and a Nerul-based patient employed with a telecom company. The case was rejected by the Maharashtra committee on March 9 after officials suspected that the prospective donor and recipient were not related to each other. The recipient was detected with end-stage kidney disease in September 2017. The committee observed that the versions of the donor, recipient and the donor’s wife did not match. In addition, the committee in its report said the recipient’s sister and two sons did not attend a meeting for questioning. The prospective recipient, in his documents, claimed that the donor is his sister’s son. “There are no photos to establish the relationship between the donor and the recipient as nephew and uncle. The recipient did not even attend the donor’s wedding. When we asked why his sister did not come, he said she can’t walk properly,” an official said. The committee rejected the application on grounds of disparity in the versions of the prospective donor and recipient. The prospective donor works as a security guard in Gujarat while the patient is a senior executive with a telecom agency, posted in Navi Mumbai. “We are also going to approach the local tehsildar in Gujarat who attested to the residency of the donor and his occupation,” a state government official said. On March 12, state organ transplant committee received an anonymous e-mail claiming that the patient had paid Rs 15 lakh to the prospective donor, in addition to offering a job to the latter’s son. According to Dr Gauri Rathod, the state transplant coordinator, four cases of unrelated organ transplants have been rejected by the committee over the last year in Maharashtra. The procedure has become tightly controlled since an alleged racket was unearthed at the Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital in Powai in July 2016. The licence for the hospital to conduct organ transplant remains suspended. According to documents with the Directorate of Health Services, Jaslok hospital referred the latest case for approval as the prospective donor and recipient were not directly related. Organ transplants are approved by a hospital authorisation committee if the donor and recipient are closely related, such as in cases of father and son or siblings. In cases where extended family members or unrelated people want to undergo an organ transplant, an additional approval from the state government is mandatory. Following the rejection, the Navi Mumbai patient has not appealed to the state. For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App

Varun Gandhi on dynastic politics: ‘We are beneficiaries of unequal system in our country’

BJP MP Varun Gandhi in Vadodara on Monday. (Bhupendra Rana) BJP MP Varun Gandhi in Vadodara on Monday. (Bhupendra Rana) Referring to the dynastic politics, BJP MP from Sultanpur Varun Gandhi on Monday said that his “Gandhi” surname helped him to climb the ladders in politics. “Today, let’s be very honest about this. If my last name were not Gandhi, would I have become an MP at (the age of) 29? I would have not. Would I have become a general secretary (of the BJP) at 32? Probably not. The fact is that we are living in an unequal country and we are beneficiaries of an unequal system. When we talk about young MPs, you just decide the name, A to Z, everybody comes from a political family,” Varun, who is son of Union minister Maneka Gandhi and late Sanjay Gandhi, son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, said while addressing college students here. While he urged youths to bring about a change in the country, the BJP leader said, “The young people sitting right here are probably more talented and intellectual than I am. But today if you want to join the political process, you will burn yourself trying to achieve something and it will take at least 25 to 30 years to be at such a position, and by then you will be tired.” Calling India a country full of opportunities as well as challenges, he urged youths to go beyond the responsibility of casting votes to make a difference in the country. Stating that 10 per cent of Indians occupy 91 per cent of the country’s assets, Varun Gandhi wondered how there can be no disparity. “Even Member of Parliament who disclosed assets of over Rs 25 crore, I wrote a letter to each of them asking them to give up their salaries, but they refused to do so. I have been a Member of Parliament since 2009, but I haven’t withdrawn my salary even once. The salary straightaway goes to organisations which needs funds,” he said. He said India is still battling the evils of corruption as “the flow of information in not transparent in our country”. “Disseminating information through transparent means is the solution to corruption,” he added. For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App

Is the rise of SmackDown Live and absence of Brock Lesnar making Raw irrelevant in WWE?

Is there any question that SmackDown Live has officially become WWE's "A" show? Brian Campbell and Adam Silverstein discuss a changing of the guard on WWE's main roster while opening this week's edition of the In This Corner Podcast (21:14). The guys start by waxing poetic about the main event of 205 Live (8:50) before settling their outstanding bet (23:50), sharing confusion over the Ronda Rousey-Nia Jax angle (32:05), questioning what's happening with Braun Strowman (48:25) and giving due props to Daniel Bryan and Samoa Joe (51:44). BC and The Silver King also debate Elias, NXT's top feud, the Lana-Naomi dance-off and Sami Zayn's potential -- all in Hero or Zero (1:05:10) -- before wrapping things up by answering your DM slides (1:20:00) and sharing their Feel Spots (1:34:43). Plus, a special announcement at the end of the show! Subscribe to the In This Corner Podcast: iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Follow on Twitter: @BCampbellCBS | @SilversteinAdam

John Terry leaves Aston Villa after Championship club miss out on promotion

John Terry has left Aston Villa following the expiry of his contract Terry joined Aston Villa on a one-year deal after leaving Chelsea last summer. He helped Steve Bruce's side finish fourth in the Championship and made 36 appearances in all competitions. However, Terry could not get his side over the line in the play-off final, with Villa losing 1-0 to Fulham at Wembley last Saturday. Aston Villa released the following statement on their website this afternoon.

BRIEF-Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc anticipates production of Shaanxi Weinan products will resume in first half of 2017

April 13 Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc: * Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc announces its annual results for the year ended December 31, 2016 * Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc - currently anticipates that production of Shaanxi Weinan products will resume in first half of 2017 * Biostar Pharmaceuticals-as a result temporary suspension of production, there may be substantial doubt regarding ability to continue as going concern * Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc - currently anticipates that production of shaanxi weinan products will resume in first half of 2017 * Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc - temporary suspension of production has materially negatively affected company's operating results Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

Kelsey Plum drafted #1 overall in WNBA draft

Washington Huskies' guard Kelsey Plum has been selected as the number one overall draft pick in the 2017 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars. Plum becomes the first Husky, man or woman, to get drafted number one overall and is the first Husky woman to get drafted in the first round. Start the conversation, or Read more at KHQ-TV Spokane.

Current law 'failing to curb' growing number of child drug runners, report seen by ITV News shows

Video report by ITV News National Editor Allegra Stratton Current laws are failing to curb the rise in numbers of children being used to run drugs across the country, a report obtained by ITV News suggests. The practice, known as county lines, or going county, involves gangs using children as young as 10 to carry and sell drugs across borders and boroughs. The tactic, which enables gangs to sell drugs outside of their immediate area with less chance of detection, is fuelling a spike in violent crime. The Home Office report, complied by 4,000 professionals at the front line of county lines children, calls for urgent action. One case worker warned: "Children found with drugs are not raising alarm bells. "Any child holding crack cocaine should be a children protection case. These are drugs people kill for, and that kill." These teenagers told ITV News they have to do what they can to survive. Credit: ITV News Another said they had to fight for a child in possession of a gun to be accepted as a case of neglect. ITV News and the Tonight programme spoke to three teenagers in Birmingham who are forced to run drugs. While being interviewed, one of the boys showed ITV News his knife describing the substantial blade as "just a small one". The boys started as young as 10 and have now become trapped in a cycle that is hard to break - these groomed children are likely to go on and groom other vulnerable young people themselves. "You got to survive, you've got to live," they told ITV News. A teenager shows ITV News his 'small' knife. Credit: ITV News For the first time on national television, ITV News met with three men who use children to sell their drugs. They were unrepentant about their actions claiming they are simply "showing the kids what we had to do when we were kids". "Before they do anything, the first initation we do, when we meet with the young ones, we tell them, do you wanna do this, before you get into this? "Because once they're getting into this there's no coming out and there is a come out but it's not a come out as a thing like," one of them said. "Once you get into this, you can either die or go to jail, there's two things. "And if you don't get those two things then you're lucky." Report author Simon Ford said: "I think that it is very evident that this issue is growing. "It’s a national problem and as I said having worked in this field for the last two or three years I have certainly seen it increase. "I don’t think we have got a real measure on the size of it at the moment, other than the fact that we know it is increasing." This man told ITV News he was not grooming children by using them to run drugs. Credit: ITV News A youth offending manager told ITV News she had been trying to get authorities to give the issue the urgent attention it needed for years. She said: “Things are worse than they’ve ever been. We know it as going county (county lines) it has been around for a long, long time and we have had so many opportunities to get this under control. Now I’m at the point where, how are we ever going to get this under control. Is it too late? "We have a whole generation of young people who are out there exploiting others that’s are carrying weapons, that are killing people. But are also being victimised and targeted."

US and Mexico host talks to reboot drugs war

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (Source: AP Photo/File) US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (Source: AP Photo/File) Senior officials from the United States and Mexico are hosting their Central American neighbours on Thursday to plan ways to build a legal and economic wall against the drug trade. Their two-day Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America will look at ways of rebuilding prosperous, stable economies in the region and fighting transnational organized crime. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be at pains to assure the worst-hit countries of Central America that Washington will continue to support their best efforts to assert the rule of law. But the Miami get-together comes just as President Donald Trump’s administration is looking to dramatically cut development assistance — so the meeting will also seek to interest new partners. Along with co-host Mexico and the Northern Triangle –Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador — envoys from Belize, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the European Union, Nicaragua, Panama and Spain will also take part. Although senior US officials are diplomatic when asked which countries should be spending more to support anti-drug programs in the Triangle, they nod to Canada and Europe as places that could do more. “Much of the product that is flowing through Central America today in trafficking routes makes a right turn and heads to Western Europe,” says William Brownfield, assistant secretary of state. It may be a question of tactics rather than resources. In the 46 years since then-US president Richard Nixon first declared drugs “public enemy number one,” the “War on Drugs” has produced more many more casualties than victors. Still, Brownfield — who heads the State Department’s law enforcement and counter-narcotics efforts — thinks progress has been made in the often-lawless Northern Triangle since 2009. Working with Colombian trainers bloodied in their own long war against cartels and militias, the United States has spent USD 1.5 billion building police and judicial capacity in a region destabilised by traffickers. That has started to get results — homicide, violence and drug flights are down over the past two years — but has also been controversial and often criticized by local activists. Just last month, an official report found that American anti-drug agents had been implicated in the deaths of Honduran civilians during botched raids in 2012 more than they had admitted. The new initiatives, coming along with Trump’s aggressive rhetoric about building a “great wall” to stop criminals from bringing rape and drugs from Mexico, have led to fears of a new militarisation of the effort. “This conference unfortunately signals a recommitment to some of the worst policies the US has implemented in Central America in the past several decades,” researcher Alexander Main said. For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App

Kerala CM congratulates ISRO scientists

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday congratulated ISRO scientists and officials who worked for the successful PSLV-C37 mission that launched CARTOSAT-2 series earth observation satellite and 103 nano satellites. (Representational Image) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday congratulated ISRO scientists and officials who worked for the successful PSLV-C37 mission that launched CARTOSAT-2 series earth observation satellite and 103 nano satellites. (Representational Image) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday congratulated ISRO scientists and officials who worked for the successful PSLV-C37 mission that launched CARTOSAT-2 series earth observation satellite and 103 nano satellites. In a message, Vijayan said it was ‘a proud moment’ for the country especially as the technology for the launch was developed by the scientists in the country itself. WATCH WHAT ELSE IS IN THE NEWS One of the main advantages was that it would reduce the cost of satellite launches, he pointed out. “I congratulate the scientists and others who worked behind the successful mission PSLV-C37′, he said.

New York Post

Bill Gates says bitcoin has been a 'fairly direct' cause of deaths Bill Gates is no bitcoin fan. The world’s second-richest man made his aversion to cryptocurrencies clear during a Tuesday “ask me anything” session on Reddit, saying that among other evils,... Bill Gates needs to practice what he preaches When one of the two richest people on the planet says that he is undertaxed, it makes for intriguing, self-righteous headlines. Bill Gates of Microsoft fame is worth an estimated... Billionaire Bill Gates has no idea how commoners spend their money It’s been awhile since billionaire Bill Gates had to grocery shop among us plebs, so you’ll forgive him if he’s a little disconnected from the price of common items. The... Bill and Melinda Gates to focus on poverty in the US KIRKLAND, Wash. — Bill and Melinda Gates, as the world’s top philanthropists, are rethinking their work in America as they confront what they consider their unsatisfactory track record on schools,... Bill Gates invests $40 million to create a 'super cow' Bill Gates is planning to pump $40 million into a scheme to create a “super cow” that can produce more milk. The Microsoft billionaire wants to take genes from British... Bill Gates firm buys $80 million plot of land to create 'smart city' A real estate investment firm owned by Bill Gates recently bought a giant plot of land in Arizona for $80 million to be developed into a “smart city.” Arizona-based Belmont... The one regret Bill Gates has about Microsoft computers Bill Gates revealed the one decision he wishes he could change if time travel were possible – and it might surprise you. The Microsoft founder said he wouldn’t change too...

Alfie Evans update: Judge rules OUT flying toddler to Italy

EXPRESS Alfie Evans will not fly to Italy for treatment Mr Justice Hayden also appeared to rule out his family's wishes to take the 23-month-old to Italy for treatment. Alfie has been at the centre of a life-or-death treatment battle, with his parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, trying to stop his doctors at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool from withdrawing life support in a sometimes acrimonious six-month dispute which has seen a series of court battles. Last night life-support was withdrawn but Alfie, who has a degenerative neurological condition destroying his brain, has shocked medics by continuing to breathe unaided for nearly 24 hours with an air ambulance on stand by to fly the child to Italy. But in a blow to Alfie’s parents, Mr Justice Hayden, speaking to lawyers representing Alfie's parents and Alder Hey Hospital, suggested he has ruled out further treatment in Italy or Germany. One of the things Tom Evans said, if it can't be Italy or Munich, which it cannot be, was whether they could take Alfie home Mr Justice Hayden Mr Justice Hayden said: "If there were a more constructive attitude from the family might other options become possible, away from Alder Hey? "I'm not suggesting this, I don't want it to be taken as an indication from me. "One of the things Tom Evans said, if it can't be Italy or Munich, which it cannot be, was whether they could take Alfie home." The court then adjourned for an Alder Hey consultant in the courtroom to consider the matter. A "last-ditch appeal" by the Italian ambassador and the Pope, to grant Alfie citizenship of Italy to take him for treatment at a hospital in Rome, failed on Monday. Alfie Evans in pictures: Heartbreaking photos of Alfie in hospital Tue, April 24, 2018 Alfie has a degenerative neurological condition which has not been definitively diagnosed after being born in a "semi-vegetative" state. Play slideshow Facebook 1 of 12 Alfie Evans pictured in hospital with his mother A late night court hearing heard by telephone by Mr Justice Hayden and lawyers for both sides confirmed his earlier decision permitting life-support, helping Alfie to breathe, to be withdrawn. Earlier on Tuesday Mr Evans claimed medics had been "gobsmacked" as his son continued to breathe for himself after medical intervention was withdrawn at around 9.17pm on Monday. But Mr Justice Hayden cut down Paul Diamond, representing the parents, as he began the family's appeal hearing. Mr Diamond said: "This really is an appeal, in our submission for common humanity and common sense..." The judge interjected: "I don't think it's helpful to use emotive terms. As a barrister confine yourself to the law."

PRECIOUS-Gold steadies after hitting 5-mth peak as political tensions simmer

* SPDR Gold holdings rise by about 6 tonnes this week (Recasts, updates prices) By Maytaal Angel April 12 Gold steadied on Wednesday after hitting a five-month peak as political tensions simmered, leaving investor interest in safe havens like the precious metal largely in tact. Tarnishing an otherwise brightening outlook for global growth, tensions continued to boil in the Korean peninsula and the Middle East, while worries over the upcoming French presidential election persisted. Spot gold was mostly unchanged at $1,274.85 per ounce by 1249 GMT. It hit its strongest since Nov. 10 at $1,279.80 earlier, extending the previous session's near 2 percent gains. U.S. gold futures rose 0.2 percent to $1,277. "The short term geopolitical impact will likely fade but (gold) was oversold on expectations of rate hikes and the reality of muted rate hikes sets up the potential for (further) upside," said Hamza Khan, head of commodities strategy at ING. Gold tends to gain when rate hike expectations recede because lower rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. The dollar was flat versus a currency basket after falling on Tuesday, though a general risk-off mood that has prompted investors to sell the greenback prevailed. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday stressed the need for a peaceful solution for the Korean peninsula on a call with U.S President Donald Trump. On Tuesday North Korea warned of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed towards the western Pacific. Elsewhere, Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday trust had eroded between the United States and Russia, as Moscow delivered an unusually hostile reception to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a face-off over Syria. In France's presidential race, centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen clung on as frontrunners, but a far-left veteran has surged into the top four, pushing some pollsters to calculate the most extreme run-off scenarios. Gold could resume its rise ahead of the Easter long-weekend, Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA, said. "Gold has finally broken and closed above its 200-day moving average at $1,257.50, which now becomes a support. From a technical perspective, the way is now clear for a run at $1,300 and possibly higher," Halley said. Holdings of SPDR Gold Trust , the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.50 percent to 842.41 tonnes on Tuesday. The ETF has seen about six tonnes of inflows this week. Spot silver was unchanged at $18.30 an ounce. Platinum fell 0.4 percent to $963.50 after rising over 3 percent in the previous session, while palladium dropped 1.1 percent to $793.20. (Additioanl reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Susan Thomas)

Google Pixel 2 update brings Augmented Reality stickers, new features to Assistant

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL Android Oreo 8.1 update brings AR stickers. Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL Android Oreo 8.1 update brings AR stickers. Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones are getting a new update from the company, and this includes the much talked about Augmented Reality stickers, which will now be a part of the camera app. Google Android Oreo 8.1.0 update is now rolling out to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones. The update is around 522 MB in size. Of course, the big feature is the addition of the AR stickers to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Google has revealed in the past that the new Pixel 2 series is calibrated for AR and these virtual stickers are supposed to ensure a more fun experience on the Pixel 2 camera. The AR stickers work in a fashion similar how live filters work on apps like Snapchat, Instagram. The stickers are part of the camera app on Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL after the new update. Google’s AR stickers will include characters from the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi film with characters like BB-8 and R2-D2. There are also characters from Netflix’s popular show Stranger Things with users getting the option of adding characters like Eleven, the Demogorgon, etc. The AR stickers will also include animated AR balloons, cake, and champagne for a New Year’s Party as well. In order to try out the AR stickers, a user just has to open the camera app, switch to AR Stickers mode and choose a sticker pack. Once these are picked, a user can then drop them into the scene. Users can move, resize and rotate the stickers as well. The AR stickers will interact with other characters in the scene as well. Google will release more AR Sticker packs, says the company. The Android Oreo 8.1 update also adds the Google Lens to the Assistant on the Pixel 2 series. A user can now just activate the Assistant and Lens will be one of the options. The Lens will identify landmarks, a famous painting, etc and give information to the user in real-time. Google Assistant on Pixel 2 will also give users the option of broadcast their voice from the phone to the Google Home devices. The Assistant also gets support for new languages, including Spanish and Italian. Finally, Android Oreo 8.1 comes with SmartSelect, which recognises text when long pressed, highlights the relevant words, and then recommends a next logical step via a suggested app. For instance, it will take a user to the Google Maps app, if it detects that an address was copied. Google says this feature is powered by machine learning. SmartSelect can recognise addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and more. For all the latest Technology News, download Indian Express App © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

Fitch Downgrades Salvadorian Banks after Sovereign Action; Outlook Revised to Stable

(The following statement was released by the rating agency) MONTERREY, April 20 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has downgraded the Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings of Banco Agricola, S. A. (Agricola) and Banco Davivienda Salvadoreno, S.A. (Davivienda Sal) to 'B-' from 'BB-'. The Rating Outlooks have been revised to Stable from Negative. Fitch has also downgraded both banks' Viability Rating (VR) to 'ccc' from 'b', affirmed their Short-Term IDRs at 'B' and downgraded their Support Ratings to '5' from '3'. A full list of rating actions follows at the end of this press release. Fitch's actions follow the downgrade of El Salvador's sovereign Long-term Foreign Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'CCC' from 'B', Long-term Local Currency IDR to 'RD' from 'B', Country Ceiling to 'B-' from 'BB-' and the Short-Term Local and Foreign Currency IDRs to 'C' from 'B'. (See 'Fitch Downgrades El Salvador's Long-Term Local Currency IDR to 'RD'' at 'www.fitchratings.com'). KEY RATING DRIVERS IDRS AND SUPPORT RATINGS (SRs) The IDRs and SRs of Agricola and Davivienda Sal reflect the potential support from their respective shareholders, Bancolombia, S.A. (Bancolombia; Long-Term IDR 'BBB'/Outlook Negative) and Banco Davivienda, S.A. (Davivienda; 'bbb'/'BBB'/Outlook Negative); however the IDRs are constrained at El Salvador's Country Ceiling of 'B-'. Fitch believes that the owner's commitment to their subsidiaries are sufficiently strong to allow them to be rated above the sovereign rating. The low level of the latter also constrains the SRs of these banks, which have been revised to '5'. According to Fitch's criteria where country risks are high, subsidiary ratings may be capped at levels significantly below those which would be possible based on the parent's ability and propensity to provide support. Fitch's opinion regarding the ability and propensity of Agricola and Davivienda Sal respective parents reflects the high reputational risks for their parents in the event of subsidiary default and that any required support would be manageable relative to ability of their respective parent's to provide it. VR Despite maintaining relatively sound credit attributes, Agricola's and Davivienda Sal's VRs are constrained by the El Salvador's sovereign rating, given their significant exposure to the financial health of the government. Fitch usually does not rate banks above the sovereign, especially in such a high level of sovereign credit risk. Therefore, the weak operating environment has currently a high influence on these banks' VRs. Further deterioration of the operating environment may impact their asset quality and their funding and liquidity profile. Agricola's VR is moderately influenced by its good quality of its loan book, high profitability, sound capital position and solid deposit based funding profile. Davivienda's VR is moderately influenced by its modest profitability, aligned with industry average, sound but decreasing capital position, and adequate asset quality. Davivienda's funding profile is robust, also underpinned by a large and granular deposit base. AGRICOLA SENIOR TRUST'S LOAN PARTICIPATION NOTES The loan under the Senior Unsecured Loan Agreement ranks pari passu in right of payment to all of Agricola's existing and future senior indebtedness and is effectively subordinated to all of the bank's secured indebtedness with respect to the value of the assets securing such indebtedness and to all of the existing and future liabilities of its subsidiaries. It has thus been downgraded due to the downgrade of Agricola's IDR at the same level as the latter. RATING SENSITIVITIES IDRs and VRs Agricola's and Davivienda Sal's ratings remain sensitive to a change in the El Salvador Sovereign Rating and Country Ceiling. Changes in the banks' IDR would mirror changes in El Salvador country ceiling; in turn, changes in El Salvador Sovereign Rating would also impact the bank's VRs. SRs Support ratings could be upgraded in a scenario of an important enhancement of the operating environment that conducts a change in Fitch's assessment on Bancolombia's and Davivienda's propensity to provide support to their respective subsidiaries in El Salvador. Fitch has taken the following rating actions: Banco Agricola, S.A. --Long-Term IDR downgraded to 'B-' from 'BB-'; Outlook revised to Stable from Negative; --Short-Term IDR affirmed at 'B'; --Viability Rating downgraded to 'ccc' from 'b'; --Support Rating downgraded to '5' from '3'. Agricola Senior Trust --Loan participation notes downgraded to 'B-/RR4' from 'BB-'. Davivienda Salvadoreno, S.A. --Long-Term IDR downgraded to 'B-' from 'BB-'; Outlook revised to Stable from Negative; --Short-Term IDR affirmed at 'B'; --Viability Rating downgraded to 'ccc' from 'b'; --Support Rating downgraded to '5' from '3'. Contact: Primary Analyst Monica Ibarra Director +52 (81) 8399-9150 Fitch Mexico, S.A. de C.V. Prol. Alfonso Reyes 2612 Monterrey, N.L. Mexico Secondary Analysts Marcela Galicia (Agricola) Director +503 2516 6616 Mario Hernandez (Davivienda Sal) Associate Director +503 2516 6614 Committee Chairperson Alejandro Garcia, CFA Managing Director +1-212-908-9137 Media Relations: Elizabeth Fogerty, New York, Tel: +1 (212) 908 0526, Email: elizabeth.fogerty@fitchratings.com. Summary of Financial Statement Adjustments: Pre-paid expenses were re-classified as intangibles and deducted from Fitch Core Capital. Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com Applicable Criteria Future Flow Securitization Rating Criteria (pub. 14 Sep 2016) here Global Bank Rating Criteria (pub. 25 Nov 2016) here National Scale Ratings Criteria (pub. 07 Mar 2017) here Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form here Solicitation Status here#solicitation Endorsement Policy here ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: here. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE, AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF THIS SITE. 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The manner of Fitch’s factual investigation and the scope of the third-party verification it obtains will vary depending on the nature of the rated security and its issuer, the requirements and practices in the jurisdiction in which the rated security is offered and sold and/or the issuer is located, the availability and nature of relevant public information, access to the management of the issuer and its advisers, the availability of pre-existing third-party verifications such as audit reports, agreed-upon procedures letters, appraisals, actuarial reports, engineering reports, legal opinions and other reports provided by third parties, the availability of independent and competent third- party verification sources with respect to the particular security or in the particular jurisdiction of the issuer, and a variety of other factors. 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As a result, despite any verification of current facts, ratings and forecasts can be affected by future events or conditions that were not anticipated at the time a rating or forecast was issued or affirmed. The information in this report is provided “as is” without any representation or warranty of any kind, and Fitch does not represent or warrant that the report or any of its contents will meet any of the requirements of a recipient of the report. A Fitch rating is an opinion as to the creditworthiness of a security. This opinion and reports made by Fitch are based on established criteria and methodologies that Fitch is continuously evaluating and updating. Therefore, ratings and reports are the collective work product of Fitch and no individual, or group of individuals, is solely responsible for a rating or a report. The rating does not address the risk of loss due to risks other than credit risk, unless such risk is specifically mentioned. 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‘Roseanne’ actress Lecy Goranson: “I feel like the way ‘Roseanne’ depicts the working class in America is something that is incredibly powerful and incredibly important”

× ‘Roseanne’ actress Lecy Goranson: “I feel like the way ‘Roseanne’ depicts the working class in America is something that is incredibly powerful and incredibly important” Lecy Goranson, actress and the original Becky on “Roseanne,” joins Justin to discuss ABC’s reboot of the beloved sitcom. Lecy talks about growing up in Evanston, how often she is able to come back to the Chicago area, when she became interested in acting, the circumstances surrounding her audition to be on “Roseanne,” when she found out that she got the role of Becky, if she could feel the cultural impact that “Roseanne” was making, why she decided to leave the show to attend college, what fame did to her life, how working-class people were depicted on the show and her appearance tomorrow night as part of the 54th Chicago International Television Festival. Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin Kaufmann airs Monday through Friday from 7 pm. to 11 pm on @WGNRadio

China's first-quarter GDP growth seen at 6.8 percent: government think tank

A Chinese flag is seen near a construction site in Beijing's central business area, China, January 17, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee HONG KONG China's economy, the world's second largest, will likely expand 6.8 percent in the first quarter of 2017, the official Xinhua agency quoted a government think tank as saying on Wednesday. The expected pace is on par with the 6.8 percent growth logged in the fourth quarter, which was better than market expectations due to higher government spending and record bank lending. The National Academy of Economic Strategy attributed the first-quarter expansion to a strong rise in factory-gate prices, rebounding corporate profits and increasing imports, Xinhua said. "The focus of macro-economic policies should be in supply-side structural reforms to boost potential output in the long run," Wang Hongju, a researcher at the academy, was quoted by Xinhua as saying. In the first half of the year, GDP will grow by 6.7 percent. Industrial production is likely to increase moderately in the second quarter, while investment sees slightly slower growth, according to the think tank. It warned that the government should guard against risks in the property and financial sectors by properly managing monetary and land supply "floodgates", Xinhua said. (Reporting by Meg Shen in Hong Kong and Lee Chyen Yee in Singapore; editing by Andrew Roche)

Madeleine McCann's nanny thinks 'best-case scenario' is she was 'snatched for a rich couple who couldn't have children'

Kate McCann reveals that she is "really encourage Nadia admits that she's now paranoid when she goe Third woman claims she was sexually abused by Sir Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email A nanny who once cared for Madeleine McCann has said the "best case scenario" is that she was taken by a childless rich couple. Speaking out 10 years after Madeleine's disappearance, the former nanny said the thought of Maddie being happy with a wealthy family is the only place she can go in her mind. She said: "Think possibly is the wrong word, but hope. I hope she is still alive. “It’s probably very naive, but the best case scenario of a very horrible situation, is that she was procured and taken for a rich person who didn’t have children. “I can’t go anywhere else in my head. I can read it about other people and know how horrible that seedy world is where children are sold. But my brain won’t go there with her. I just switch off. “But I think the only person who knows exactly what happened is Madeleine. Can I believe it’s 10 years on? Yes and no. (Photo: Getty) (Photo: PA) Speaking of that dreadful night in May 2007, the ex-nanny –who looked after the girl several times – said: “A parent came to me and said there was something going on, and said someone’s looking for a child, I didn’t instantly think it was Maddie. "A couple of minutes later I walked into Kate crying, friends comforting her, Gerry looking under cars, and it just blew up. "I don’t even think she saw me. I just stood next to her and tried to comfort her. “She was pacing up and down. The worst possible thing had just happened to her. “I think I said something like, ‘She’ll be found, these things happen all the time.’ “She was crying, but almost in a catatonic state, and Gerry was very distressed. That’s the one thing I really remember from him, looking under the cars. I can’t forget that. (Photo: Daily Mirror) “We were told to start looking in bins in case her body was in there. It was at that point we realised this was serious.” Along with other staff, the ex-carer, who worked for travel firm Mark Warner at the the Ocean Club resort, sifted by hand in the dark through industrial-sized bins and piping leading into the sea in their hunt for Madeleine. They also walked Praia da Luz’s small, winding streets searching for the missing girl until they were told, against their wills at 5am, that it was time for bed. But the woman, who we are not naming, said she is still furious with local police , who she claimed took 90 minutes to arrive on the scene. (Photo: Daily Mirror) And she told how people were in and out of the apartment where Madeleine vanished from – contaminating a ­potential crime scene. The former nanny added: “I know I didn’t step into that apartment but pretty much everybody else did. So, evidence gone, nothing. There was nobody there to say, ‘We need to lock this off now.’ "The police didn’t get there for ages, maybe an hour and a half, so we were looking for her. "And at the end of the day, no matter how much you’ve been trained with ­children, we were children, mainly ­teenagers, we’re not police. “That’s why police were trying to get everyone’s timelines, because they weren’t there.” She also told how she was interviewed by officers in the wake of Madeleine’s disappearance and later detectives from ­the Met’s Operation Grange handed her two pages of statements they had retrieved from their Algarve compratiots. (Photo: Daily Mirror) Her original statement was four to five pages long, but the one the Portuguese had been working from was only two pages long – missing a number of details from her interview. The woman claimed “whole chunks of information were missed out”. She added: “I think a lot of things should’ve happened differently. ­Unfortunately the effects were catastrophic.” And the carer told how she was astonished Kate and Gerry were ever deemed suspects in their own child’s ­disappearance. She is still constantly quizzed by people about the case who ask if “the parents did it”. She said: “I tell them no, there’s no way at all. A, timings and B, where it was, their r­eactions, the whole thing. Not a chance.” The woman also told how Madeleine was a favourite among the child minders. Her allocated nanny was Catriona Baker, but others also got the chance to look after her. The carer added: “I remember her character and ­temperament. She was slightly shy, very sweet. Not loud or precocious. (Photo: PA) “We obviously give the same care to all the children, but she was a real cutie and a real sweetheart. If you asked her, ‘Can you just pass me that?’ She’d be like, ‘Sure.’ “She was easy for us, and you were happy to sit and help out this pretty little girl who’s really nice.” While the Ocean Club was clearly popular with British holidaymakers like the McCanns, from Rothley, Leics, the former child minder claimed it was considered an unsafe place for those who worked there. After she arrived she was stunned when a fellow nanny passed on a message from hotel staff to never venture off the site alone. She added: “I just couldn’t get over how different it was to other Mark Warner resorts. “We were told, ‘Here’s a rape whistle, don’t go anywhere by yourself, ever.’ There’d been a girl attacked the year or so before in Praia da Luz. It didn’t sound like a family resort to me. “I just got the feeling the locals didn’t want us there.” It emerged in 2014 that 11 years earlier a 10-year-old British girl had been sexually assaulted “in the heart” of Praia da Luz. (Photo: Daily Mirror) The victim came forward three years ago after a Scotland Yard appeal revealed a string of potentially linked sex assaults on young UK girls across the Algarve between 2004 and 2006. Mark Warner, which operates in resorts all over the world, quit Praia da Luz in 2015. Madeleine vanished as her parents ate with friends at a tapas bar just 40 yards from where she slept next to twin siblings, Amelie and Sean. But the former nanny, who couldn’t face child minding again after the Algarve horror, said dining while kids were in the apartments was “really normal” in such resorts. And she insisted there was no evidence Kate and Gerry would ever neglect their kids. She said: “I remember thinking, even before I knew them, how they were the picture perfect family.” (Photo: The People) Asked if she thinks Madeleine is still alive, the woman said: “Think possibly is the wrong word, but hope. I hope she is still alive. “It’s probably very naive, but the best case scenario of a very horrible situation, is that she was procured and taken for a rich person who didn’t have children. “I can’t go anywhere else in my head. I can read it about other people and know how horrible that seedy world is where children are sold. But my brain won’t go there with her. I just switch off. “But I think the only person who knows exactly what happened is Madeleine. Can I believe it’s 10 years on? Yes and no. (Photo: PA) (Photo: Daily Mirror) No because 10 years seems like a really long time, she’d be nearly 14. “And yes, because sometimes, when I talk about it, it feels like I’m right back there again. “I wonder if she’s alive. Does she even remember? Does she remember her parents? “I’m probably less harrowed by it now, but that’s just because, although it’s awful, it’s become accepted. “‘It’s Madeleine, she’s gone missing but it would just be the best day ever if I could be told that she’s been found.” Operation Grange, which was last month given £85,000 of Home Office funding to extend its probe until September, still speaks to witnesses.

What is Christian Concern? Inside the anti-abortion religious group that led the fight to fly Alfie Evans to Italy

Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email The organisation behind the failed bid to take Alfie Evans to Italy says its aim is to introduce a "Christian voice" into law, the media and government. Christian Concern has strong views on issues including abortion, adoption, marriage and end of life. On its website it says: "We want to work to infuse a biblical worldview into every aspect of society. "We want to be a strong Christian voice in the public sphere. "We seek to highlight injustice, change public opinion on issues of key importance and affect policy bat the highest levels." To read our latest updates on the Alfie Evans case, click here. (Image: PA) The pro-life organisation has also supplied Alfie's family with a barrister and states: "Every human being is created in the image of God, and is therefore sacred and to be respected as valued and loved by God." It adds: "Abortion, embryonic research, euthanasia, and assisted suicide are just some of the current ways in which human life min God's image is being devalued in society. "We campaign for human life, particularly at its most vulnerable, to be protected in law from the point of conception until the point of natural death." (Image: Internet Unknown) (Image: Facebook) Because of their values, the organisation has stood by Alfie's parents' side to fight for their son. He has an undiagnosed brain condition and doctors say it is kinder to let him die - but his parents disagree and want to take him to Rome for more treatment, and his dad Tom has even met with the Pope. Earlier today it released a statement claiming an air ambulance is "on hand" to take Alfie to Rome where doctors are ready to care for him. Yesterday the Italian government granted Italian citizenship to Alfie. Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said this afternoon: “Alfie continues to fight for his life in an extraordinary way, as do his parents and our lawyers. (Image: PA) “We welcome the intervention of the Italian government and are grateful that they stand ready to take Alfie to Italy. “A common sense approach must now be for Mr Justice Hayden to discharge all the court orders which detain Alfie and seek to end his life in Alder Hey, and give him the chance to be treated and looked after in Italy.” She added: “It cannot be in Alfie’s best interests to be left in Alder Hey where the court order is to let him die. “Alfie’s best interests would be served by allowing him to travel to Italy. “We urge the court to allow Alfie to travel to Italy today.” (Image: PA) On its website, Ms Williams explained why Alfie's case is so important. She said: "Alfie matters because he is a human being, made in God's image and with inherent dignity. "The idea that some lives matter more than others, and that this can be decided by judges and other authorities, is abhorrent. "Alfie is human. Just like you, your friends and your family members. "In his particularly fragile condition, it is absolutely right that his parents, and many others, are deeply committed to protecting him. "This is a deeply Christian impulse - to care for the most vulnerable." Andrea Williams co-founded the organisation in 2008. She is currently CEO of Christian Concern and also the founder and operating director of Christian Legal Centre.

Lukaku hits double in United rout, Spurs also win

Football Soccer - Premier League - Manchester United vs West Ham United - Manchester, Britain - August 13, 2017 Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff LONDON (Reuters) - Romelu Lukaku scored twice on his Old Trafford debut as Manchester United delivered their biggest Premier League win in nearly three years to rout West Ham United 4-0 on Sunday. Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba also struck late on as United outshone all their rivals over the weekend to top the fledgling table, leading manager Jose Mourinho to salute their new-found confidence. Sunday's other game saw Tottenham Hotspur win 2-0 at newly promoted Newcastle United whose captain Jonjo Shelvey was sent off for a deliberate stamp on Dele Alli in front of the referee. At Old Trafford, a United side inspired by Nemanja Matic, their 40-million-pound signing from Chelsea, provided another expensive newcomer, the 75-million-pound Lukaku, with the perfect service. Lukaku, who also scored against Real Madrid in last week's Super Cup, netted 25 times in the league for Everton last season and looked equally deadly following his move to United. The Belgian struck in the 33rd and 52nd minutes, first getting on the end of a perfect through ball from Marcus Rashford and then heading a second goal from a drifted Henrikh Mkhitaryan free kick after the break. Martial and Pogba then ruined former City keeper Joe Hart's return to Manchester with further strikes that sent the crowd away confident that last season's problems of winning at home will not be repeated. "It was a dream come true," said Lukaku. "The win was good, four goals and a clean sheet. Football Soccer - Premier League - Newcastle United vs Tottenham Hotspur - Newcastle, Britain - August 13, 2017 Tottenham's Dele Alli scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith "Jose Mourinho wants me to be the leader and create as much as I can. The fans want to see attractive football. It is just the start." Mourinho was not inclined to get carried away, pointing out that United also started last season well, but said: "The team was confident -- a word I like." Slideshow (11 Images) At St James' Park, Spurs' victory was almost as easy once Shelvey suffered his moment of madness in the 48th minute. The spark point was Alli's refusal to give Shelvey the ball after the Tottenham midfielder was fouled. The 25-year-old Shelvey responded with a stamp that left referee Andre Marriner no choice but to give Newcastle's captain the third red card of his career. Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez said Shelvey apologised to his team mates after costing Newcastle the match on their Premier League return. Shelvey will now serve a three-match ban. Goals by Ben Davies and Alli himself sealed the Tottenham win with Kyle Walker-Peters named man of the match on his Premier League debut. Bizarrely, the full back was a replacement for the almost identically named Kyle Walker, who joined Manchester City in the off-season.

Kingdom Care at Home Children and Young People

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Macron Trump LIVE: Trump warns if Iran threatens USA 'will pay price like few ever paid'

Speaking during a joint meeting with Emmanuel Macron the US leader warned Iran that a new nuclear deal will need “solid foundations”. He said: “If I do what some people expect, whether or not it will be possible to do a new deal with solid foundations. “Because this is a deal with decade foundations. It’s a bad deal, it’s a bad structure. It’s falling down. “It should have never, ever, ever been made. “I blame Congress, I blame a lot of people for it. But it should have never been made. “And we’re going to see what happens on the 12th. “But I will say, if Iran threatens us in any way, they will pay a price like few other countries have ever paid.” Trump continued his hostile rhetoric toward the nuclear deal, calling it terrible, ridiculous and insane and threatening Iran with repercussions should it restart its nuclear program. GETTY Trump issued a warning to Iran The Republican firebrand has until May 12 to decide whether to keep the US in the agreement and is under strong European pressure to remain in it, with Macron saying that while imperfect it holds the best chance of containing Tehran. Trump also blasted the nuclear accord with Iran as “insane”. The US leader has previously threatened to tear up the deal, which curbs Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for a stay on economic sanctions. Tehran has vowed to ramp up its nuclear programme if the agreement collapses. He added: "I think we really had some substantive talks on Iran. And we're looking forward to doing something.” Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron join husbands on state visit Mon, April 23, 2018 First Ladies Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron join husbands US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron for three day state visit at the White House. Play slideshow EPA 1 of 32 US President Donald J. Trump hosts French President Emmanuel Macron

Which? Elderly Care

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Which? Elderly Care

We always recommend that before selecting or making any important decisions about a care home you take the time to check that it is right for your or your relative's particular circumstances. Any description and indication of services and facilities on this page have been provided to us by the relevant care home and we cannot take any responsibility for any errors or other inaccuracies. However, please email us on the address you will find on our About us page if you think any of the information on this page is missing and / or incorrect.

Dementia support

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Which? Elderly Care

We always recommend that before selecting or making any important decisions about a care home you take the time to check that it is right for your or your relative's particular circumstances. Any description and indication of services and facilities on this page have been provided to us by the relevant care home and we cannot take any responsibility for any errors or other inaccuracies. However, please email us on the address you will find on our About us page if you think any of the information on this page is missing and / or incorrect.

Coronation Street fans 'sickened' as rapist Josh confesses to spiking David’s drink but claims he's homophobic and they ‘both wanted it’

Get soaps updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Josh Tucker finally confessed to spiking David Platt’s drink in tonight’s Coronation Street. The sociopathic mechanic admitted he slipped GHB into his pint, but denied raping his supposed friend. Corrie viewers were sickened as the rapist claimed they “both wanted it” despite David clearly attempting to say “no” in Friday’s horrific scenes. Josh then shockingly tried to turn the tables on David by insinuating he was ‘homophobic’ with his ‘caveman attitude’. (Image: ITV) (Image: ITV) David blasted “twisted” Josh and revealed he wasn’t knocked out completely and could “still feel it”. But Josh continued to play mind games and claimed David was “blowing hot and cold” then “trying to rewrite history”. “You were all over me like a rash. Now suddenly you’ve gone all caveman,” said Josh. Defiant David replied: “I’m not gay alright - fact - and saying that doesn’t make me a caveman.” (Image: ITV) Disgusting Josh insisted it was “just a laugh” before finally confessing to spiking his drink with a few drops of GHB. Explains his shocking actions, he said: “To loosen us up. Both of us. It’s no biggie. Oh just save the drama we were both waisted. We both wanted it.” The rapist then calmly left the house but was chased down the street by mortified David. “You’re a hairdresser and you’ve done time,” said Josh as he made wild assumptions. Trying to convince David he was guilty about ‘cheating’ on Shona, he added: “What goes on tour stays on tour. Shona’s not going to find out from me.” (Image: ITV) Horrified Corrie fans took to Twitter to slam Josh after the upsetting scenes. One viewer said: "Josh is one sick pervert turning up at David's acting like it's nothing. He even admitted to spiking his drink. No remorse. Disgusting" Another added: "That Josh is a sick creep! He actually admitted to David that he spiked his drink.. saying he wanted it feel really sorry for David cause when he tells people that we was raped no one will believe him well played by u both" A third said: "This Josh guy makes me SICK like I feel nauseous looking at him and how he's playing everyone. Poor David is going through this all on his own. Nothing worse than someone making you feel like it was ur fault or that "u wanted it"" *Coronation Street continues on Wednesday at 7.30pm

Labour Live festival CONFIRMED for June with Jeremy Corbyn on the bill

The festival, dubbed ‘Labour Live 2018’ will take place at Tottenham’s White Hart lane recreation ground on the 16 June and will involve a host of musicians as well as some of the party’s best-known figures. Mr Corbyn, 68, and shadow Chancellor John McDonnell will make an appearance along with shadow secretary of state for international development Kate Osamor. But the announcement has already sparked a backlash on Twitter, with dozens taking to social media to mock the event. Steve Hobday tweeted: “The gullible young will lap it up, it’s almost embarrassing it’s so transparent... Labour confirms music festival in June, with Jeremy Corbyn on bill.”

New York Post

A meaningless Aaron Judge game reveals how all-in these Yankees are TAMPA — There was 6-foot-7 Aaron Judge at the Yankees minor league complex Saturday afternoon standing in left on Derek Jeter Field, a spot he has not played in the... Giancarlo Stanton-Aaron Judge left field situation gains clarity LAKELAND, Fla. — Since Giancarlo Stanton has played left field in exhibition games and Aaron Judge has five innings of a minor league game at the position (on Saturday), it... Aaron Boone hints Yankees could have two second basemen TAMPA — With less than two weeks left before Opening Day, Neil Walker finally made his Grapefruit League debut on Friday night, starting at first base with the Yankees hosting... Manny Machado opens up on the Aaron Judge controversy PORT ST. LUCIE — Whether he lands in pinstripes or not, Manny Machado already has Aaron Judge’s back. Judge took heat from the MLB tampering police after he said Wednesday... MLB's slap on wrist shouldn't change affable Aaron Judge TAMPA — Aaron Judge proved last year he can take a punch. How will he handle a slap on the wrist? Here’s hoping he reacts similarly. The cheery Yankees slugger... Yankees wrap up Judge tampering with '30-second' talk Tampa — The conversation was brief and concise, Aaron Judge said Thursday morning. He got the point. He’s unlikely to repeat the mistake he made. The reigning American League Rookie... This will likely be the last time Aaron Judge recruits Manny Machado SARASOTA, Fla. — The Yankees got their first spring-training look at potential free-agent target Manny Machado on Wednesday. And Aaron Judge said he took the opportunity to make his pitch... Here's how little Yankees are paying the Baby Bombers TAMPA — Aaron Judge is coming off a season in which he led the American League in homers, but he won’t be leading the league in salary anytime soon. The... Derek Jeter gets first taste of reality as Yankees adversary JUPITER, Fla. — In one rather significant way, this had to feel like Groundhog Day for the Marlins’ new CEO. How many times, after all, has he heard the “DER-ek...

UFC 226: Anthony Pettis plans to get back to his roots in fight with Michael Chiesa

What a wild ride former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has been on. Pettis was originally scheduled to face off with his opponent this week at UFC 226, Michael Chiesa, in April until Murphy's law took effect. Chiesa was on the bus the Conor McGregor infamously attacked after UFC 223 media day in Brooklyn when he threw a dolly threw the window, sending shattered glass everywhere, including Chiesa's face. With Chiesa pulled for medical reasons, Pettis appeared to be left without an opponent, but when first stand-in for the the lightweight title fight, Max Holloway, was deemed medically unfit to continue his weight cut, Pettis stepped on the scale and appeared to be close to facing off with Khabib Nurmagomedov. He came in 0.2 over the 155-pound limit, but was never heard from again. Can't get enough UFC? Subscribe to my podcast In This Corner with Brian Campbell where we break down everything you need to know in the Octagon. Now, three months later, Pettis is back at square one and facing off with Chiesa in a fight that could help shape the health of the 155-pound division. CBS Sports talked with Pettis ahead of his bout with Chiesa in April and he said that this fight is all about getting back to basics. "I let these guys talk me into needing to wrestle. I'm not a wrestler," Pettis told CBS Sports. "My body's not built for wrestling. I'm a striker with great jiu-jitsu and I got back to that. I got back to my roots of going to finish these guys and not defend takedowns. My last couple camps, I've been like 'I got to defend the takedown. I have to stay off the ground.' F--- that. I'm gonna go out there and just fight this guy." Pettis (20-7, 7 KO) is most known for his superman head kick off the fence back in WEC. For the former champion who is just 2-5 in his last seven fights to be successful, he may need to pull out a few more tricks like that. "I'm just gonna bring my natural aggression that's in my blood to fight, and that's what got me to the title. I wanted it bad," Pettis said. "I wanted to win and I didn't care if I didn't know how to wrestle. I didn't care if I knew how to do a proper fireman's carry. I just want to go out there and fight these guys." Pettis is now trying to chase down the man he appeared close to fighting in April, somebody he admittedly didn't know much about when he carried the title. "It's crazy because when I was the champ, Khabib was, I remember I was in an interview and he was asking for a title shot and I didn't know who he was really and now you see him challenging for the belt," Pettis said in April. "This sport just grows and continues to grow. There's so many guys that want this bad, its great to see, I love it."

"Real Indian" running against Elizabeth Warren defends "Fake Indian" sign

- Advertisement - In Massachusetts, there is an independent candidate named Shiva Ayyadurai hoping to challenge Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren for her seat in the United States Senate. His campaign website calls him the “personification of the American Dream,” based on his trajectory from the “untouchables” caste of India in the 1970s, to receiving his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to his political ambitions today. The website also includes a prominent call to action, asking voters to “Defeat #FakeIndian Elizabeth Warren.” And that controversial terminology — referring to Sen. Elizabeth Warren as a “fake Indian” — is not limited to Ayyadurai’s website. For over a month, the upstart candidate’s campaign bus has sported two identical signs emblazoned with the words, “Only a real Indian can defeat a fake Indian.” It’s parked in a lot just a mile away from Warren’s home. The signs also feature a side-by-side composite photo of Ayyadurai next to an eye-catching Photoshopped rendering of Warren in a Native American headdress. This, of course, isn’t the first time Warren has taken flak from political opponents over her claim of being part Cherokee. In 2012, Warren’s Native American heritage was a frequent sparring point of Republican Sen. Scott Brown. And the issue made headlines again in November when President Trump referred to her as “Pocahantas” while hosting an event for Native American “code talkers” at the White House. In the case of Ayyadurai’s campaign sign, however, city officials in Cambridge reportedly took action and served the campaign with a letter from the City of Cambridge’s Building Inspector, stating that a fine of $300 per day would be levied against the Shiva 4 Senate campaign if it did not remove the “fake Indian” banner from its campaign bus immediately. The city said the sign violates local zoning code. Ayyadurai, for his part, feels that the letter represents “an outright attack on the First Amendment and Free Speech,” and he’s fighting back with a lawsuit. “We will not allow the racist Warren to unleash her fascists in the City of Cambridge to shutdown our historic slogan, attack the First Amendment, and extort monies from our campaign,” Ayyadurai’s campaign website now reads in bolded red text. It then goes on to solicit donations from constituents “to support our fight to defend the rights that our American revolutionaries died fighting for” — all this before gently closing the webpage with the words, “Be the Light, Shiva.”

Max Verstappen blasts performance of Red Bull F1 in 2017, concerned about 2018

Driver Max Verstappen says he is worried not only about Red Bull's performance in Formula 1 this year -- he's uncertain about 2018, too. Verstappen is under contract for next year, but after retiring in Montreal , he insisted 2017 has been "completely crap" so far. Start the conversation, or Read more at AutoWeek.

My Life Living Assistance (Canterbury) and My Life Specialist Care Services (Canterbury)

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Indian Navy thwarts piracy bid in Gulf of Aden

The Indian Navy has thwarted a piracy attempt on an Indian merchant vessel MV Jag Amar in the Gulf of Aden while it was going to Saudi Arabia. 'The Indian Navy's INS Trishul, a stealth frigate, thwarted the attempt. The attack took place at around 12.30 pm. The Indian Navy's Marine Commandos are currently on board MV Jag Amar,' an Indian Navy spokesperson said. During the raid by Navy's marine commandos, the forces recovered one AK-47 assault rifle along with one magazine and 27 rounds while 12 suspected pirates in one skiff, grapnel and ladders have also been recovered. The Indian Navy's INS Trishul, a stealth frigate, thwarted the attempt INS Trishul is deployed in the Gulf of Aden to address any piracy-related issues faced in the region along with the coast of Somalia in Africa. In the last six months, this is the third piracy attempt foiled by Indian Navy in the Gulf of Aden, a key shipping route near the southern tip of the Red Sea between Somalia and Yemen. In May, INS Sharda, had stopped pirates from taking control of a Liberian registered ship, the MV Mountbatten. In April, the Indian and Chinese Navies had came together to protect a bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden which had come under attack from pirates overnight. Foreign navies have been deployed off the Gulf of Aden to operate convoys and monitoring a transit corridor for ships to pass through vulnerable points. India had joined this effort in October 2008 and has escorted thousands of ships. Several attempts of piracy were foiled by the Indian Coast Guard ships near the Lakshadweep islands as Somalian pirates had hijacked big ships and were using them as mother vessels to travel into deep sea to launch attacks on oil tankers and bulk carriers to demand ransom money from insurance companies.

Benjamin Netanyahu

NYC's mayor and 'co-mayor' are throwing city in the gutter In the search for the perfect metaphor to sum up Bill de Blasio’s misbegotten mayoralty, it will be hard to top the scene at City Hall the other day. The... Iran is pushing Israel into war If a Mideast war breaks out anytime soon, Israel’s critics will likely accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of wagging the dog. They’ll be wrong. As Netanyahu makes the rounds in... Trump may visit Jerusalem for opening of new embassy President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday celebrated the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in their first stateside meeting since the decision was announced —and... Netanyahu crony turns state's witness in corruption probe One of Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidants will give Israeli cops recordings of conversations between the prime minister and his wife under a deal he cut with Israeli authorities, a new... Police question Netanyahu over telecom case JERUSALEM — Israeli media say police are questioning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an investigation into a corruption case involving the country’s telecom giant. Army Radio and other... Netanyahu's confidant to testify against him in corruption probes JERUSALEM — A confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to turn state’s witness in one of several corruption investigations posing a serious threat to the conservative leader’s... Polish president slammed for anti-Semitic remarks Poland’s prime minister came under fire once again for making an anti-Semitic remark when he said “Jewish perpetrators” were involved in the Holocaust, prompting a stern rebuke from Israeli Prime... Iran will 'respond seriously' if US gives up nuclear deal MUNICH — Iran’s foreign minister is rejecting the idea that Tehran wouldn’t respond if the United States gives up on the 2015 nuclear accord with world powers. Israeli Prime Minister... Netanyahu warns Iran: 'Do not test Israel's resolve' MUNICH — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed an international agreement with Iran on Sunday, saying it has emboldened the regime in Tehran to become increasingly aggressive in the region....

Colorado Springs off-highway vehicle enthusiasts want bigger share of public ...

The Gazette is Colorado Springs's most trusted source for breaking news, sports, weather, obituaries, politics, business, art, entertainment, blogs, video, photos. What to watch on TV for the week of April 16-22 - Bald and out of shape Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bill Nye, Project Genesis and much more Mark and Evan Turner take to the backroads on the weekends for family bonding on dirt bikes. Start the conversation, or Read more at The Gazette.

Stuart Broad ready to step into the unknown as England prepare for West Indies day/night Test

Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email England are stepping into the unknown world of day/night Test cricket on Thursday with their opening bowler having never used a pink ball in a competitive match before. Stuart Broad missed out the pink round of championship matches this summer, and he has never played in the Champion County match in the UAE that has been a pink ball fixture for several years. And thanks to the grim weather during the county matches during the summer, other players got very little match practice for the game in Birmingham. “I’m stepping into the unknown completely,” said Broad. “I’ve bowled one ball with the pink ball - I got it relatively straight! “I just don’t know what to the expect. The pink ball county round, the guys said the ball went quite soft quite quickly. (Image: Action Images via Reuters) (Image: Getty Images Europe) “I need to think about fuel, and if it is colder in the evening there might be leggings on to try to avoid injury like Usain Bolt doing his hamstring. “This is a big series for us and this is the first Test of the series - it’s quite nerve racking. You’re playing something that is completely unknown to you but you still have to stamp your authority on the series.” Stumper Jonny Bairstow is going to have his work cut out picking up the different coloured ball as it is thrown in to him, but he’s up for the challenge. “That’s part and parcel of it,” said Bairstow. “You have to pick up ball out of multi-coloured background wherever you are on field. It will be fascinating to see how the ball behaves.”

Caddies find success on and off the course

By Andrew Both Oct 6 (Reuters) - Iced coffee company founder, Christmas tree salesman, carpenter, broadcaster. PGA Tour caddies have come a long way from the days when they scratched out a meager living and their vagabond lifestyles were more of a hobby than a profession. These days, a few lucky ones or those good enough to work for a very top player rake in close to seven figures annually, while perhaps half of the 200-odd full-time caddies on tour make a decent living. But there are plenty of caddies, even on the mega-wealthy PGA Tour, who barely make enough to cover expenses. Fortunately, most players compete in only 20-to-30 tournaments a year, which gives their caddies plenty of free time to pursue other lines of income. Steve Hulka, who has caddied for a series of journeymen, more than 15 years ago came up with the idea to transport players´ clubs and luggage from event to event in a truck and trailer. Not only does that allow players to travel unencumbered, but it also ensures the clubs will not get lost or damaged during airline travel. Martin Laird's caddie Shawn Segars uses his down time in November-December to sell Christmas trees from a street stall in Charleston, South Carolina. Matthew Tritton, Curtis Luck's caddie, is a part-time carpenter in San Diego, while Rickie Fowler's caddie Joe Skovron marketed a golf clothing line until he realised there was more money to be made working for Fowler. Then there are those who branch into the media, most recently Jim `Bones´ Mackay, who has parlayed his name as Phil Mickelson´s long-time bagman into an on-course commentary role at NBC. But no tour caddie can hold a candle to Cayce Kerr, an indefatigable 57-year-old who has worked for a string of world class players in a three decade-long career. Kerr, a born salesman, was the man who introduced Rangefinders to the professional game in 1996, selling, he says, about 350 at $3,300 each to tour players. Some 15 years later, he has dabbled in chocolate wine, before tweaking ingredients at the urging of his current boss, Ernie Els. "When he wanted to market this chocolate wine, I said `No, this is too good to be wine, it´s got to go as a drink,'" four-times major winner Els told Reuters. "And then he absolutely went to town and changed the drink a little bit. Now it´s become this (alcoholic) iced coffee with three different flavours." It does not hurt that Els´ name is on the label, and it certainly helps that he is enthusiastically helping promote it. "Ernie had a sip of the iced coffee and said `I want to put my name on this label´," said Texas-born Kerr. The product is being sold in five states. But as big a buzz as Kerr gets closing a business deal, and the high hopes he has of turning the iced coffee into a nine-figure business, he still loves caddying more than anything. "There´s nothing like being inside the ropes, just you and your player," said Kerr, who has worked with a long list of major winners over the years, including Fuzzy Zoeller, Fred Couples and Vijay Singh. But he is cognizant that job security is non-existent. "You´ve always got to remember you´re only one bad yardage or untimely remark from being fired," Kerr said." A good caddie can help a player, to an extent, and you´ll only have a job as long as you are bringing value." But it´s important never to think you are responsible for your player´s success. "You know what makes a great caddie?" Kerr said. "A great player." (Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Gene Cherry)

Defender Stones in line for Man City return against...

Feb 4 (Reuters) - Manchester City defender John Stones is in line to return for next weekend's Premier League clash with Leicester City after missing Saturday's draw at Burnley with a knee problem, manager Pep Guardiola said. Stones, who missed last week's 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion with illness, was rested for the match at Turf Moor with skipper Vincent Kompany returning from a calf injury and new recruit Aymeric Laporte available as defensive cover. The England international has made 15 league appearances this season apart from featuring nine times in domestic cup competitions and the Champions League. "He (Stones) has a bit of a problem in the knee and I prefer for him to rest, to recover a bit," Guardiola said. "It is a little bit painful... I decided not to use him, let him recover and come back better against Leicester and Basel." After the visit of eighth-placed Leicester, City return to Champions League action with a last 16 first leg clash at Swiss side Basel on Feb. 13. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

NYC’s animal shelter leaders grilled over ‘doggy death row’

The officials running New York’s animal shelter system were grilled over their animal kill list during a City Council hearing Tuesday — with members demanding to know how long pets are kept before being placed on death row. The hearing, which centered on a bill to put a full-service animal shelter in every borough, was held after The Post on Tuesday revealed a slew of problems with the kill list at Animal Care Centers, including wrongly condemning pets and placing massive bureaucratic hurdles in front of would-be adopters. Manhattan Councilman Keith Powers asked ACC CEO Risa Weinstock the average time an animal spends at a shelter before being placed on the kill list — which ACC euphemistically calls the “at risk” list. “I can’t talk in terms of how much time before they are at risk,” she said. “It’s an individual determination.” Powers didn’t seem happy with that non-answer, saying, “I think it’s a fair question to ask what the average time is.” Weinstock also said that of all the animals that wind up at ACC shelters, 7 percent land on the kill list, where they have just 18 hours to be adopted before being euthanized. “The 18 hours is an additional amount of time that we give to an animal that we consider at risk of euthanasia,” she said, meaning sick or dangerous animals. “There is no time limit if an animal is healthy and has good temperament.” Animal-rights activists at the hearing also commented on The Post’s report, which revealed that adopters had to go through a third-party group to adopt a pet placed on the 18-hour kill list. Craig Semen of Compassion for Animals brought up how The Post found that out of 55 rescue partners who are supposed to help people save animals on the list, only 16 answered phone calls in the time frame. The crowed burst into applause. Council members also expressed concern that animals were getting sick in the shelters and then being put on the kill list. Diseases as seemingly harmless as kennel cough — the canine equivalent of a cold — are enough to land animals on the kill list. Keeping animals in close quarters can lead to the spread of illnesses, Weinstock said, and shelters want sick animals out as quickly as possible for that reason. The City Council passed a law in 2000, mandating that ACC have at least one shelter in every borough. The law was scrapped before it could be implemented, but Queens Councilman Paul Vallone introduced a new bill this year to make it law once again. “It’s troubling and disturbing because it should have been done a long time ago,” Vallone said.

Phillies' Odubel Herrera: Gets rare day off

Herrera is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks. Herrera had started 16 straight games after sitting twice in the opening five. His hot start (.329/.369/.456) is giving him one of the few true everyday roles in the Phillies' lineup, but he'll still get the occasional day off. He sits Tuesday as the Phillies face a tough lefty in Robbie Ray, with Aaron Altherr playing center field in his place.

How to perfectly flip a pancake

The video will start in 8 Cancel Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email So you've bought the ingredients, you've picked your pancake recipe, nothing can stop you making the perfect pancake. Wrong. Without a robust flipping technique you could still end up with egg, milk and flour on your face. Yes, the dreaded Pancake Day toss is something we all want to get right. And that moment that your crispy batter folds in on itself and gets stuck is devastating. So here's a little tutorial for you. Have a look at how to do it and how NOT to do it - then film yourself having a go and send it to us using the form below. This is how it should be done They make it look so easy. Here's a good technique in slow motion, pay attention Think you can flip it over with a spatula? Think again. Definitely use a non-stick pan Don't get cocky One flip is enough. But if you've got skills, flaunt them Don't let it land on the pan rim That sinking feeling when you see it rip apart? Yes, that. Now send us your videos!

Exclusive live look inside Carrie Fishera s memorabilia-filled home and the i...

Good Morning America took an exclusive tour through Fisher's estate in Beverly Hills, California with her brother Todd Fisher and Profiles in History CEO Joe Maddalena to look at the personal treasures, memorabilia and items from the set of Star Wars. Many of the items will be hitting the auction block soon. Start the conversation, or Read more at KUIC-FM Vacaville.

Meet your Kentucky Opry: Jody Conley -

Founding member Jody Conley is one of most sought after keyboard players in the region, both on stage and in the recording studio. He was born in Paintsville and has been playing music for almost 50 years. Start the conversation, or Read more at Floyd County Times.

Iceplex tax break plan nixed

A tax break for a proposed ice-rink complex in Freedom Park is no longer being considered, as Greenwood officials are instead looking into other financial incentives that could be offered to the developer. Concerns about a requirement for stricter and more expensive construction standards for the project and the legality of providing a tax break to an ice-skating complex caused officials to withdraw the request for a tax break, which the Greenwood City Council was set to vote on for a second time this evening, Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers said in a written statement. Start the conversation, or Read more at Daily Journal.

BRIEF-Ophthotech announces results from phase 3 trial of Fovista

Aug 14 (Reuters) - Ophthotech Corp: * Ophthotech announces results from third phase 3 trial of Fovista® in wet age-related macular degeneration * Ophthotech corp - ‍pre-specified primary endpoint of mean change in visual acuity at 12 months was not achieved​ * Ophthotech - ‍did not observe any clinically meaningful visual benefit in pre-specified secondary endpoints when fovista was added to eylea or avastin regimen​ * Ophthotech - ‍addition of 1.5mg of Fovista to Eylea or avastinregimen did not result in benefit as per mean change in visual acuity at 12-month point​ * Ophthotech - ‍ocular adverse events more frequently reported in fovista combination therapy group compared to eylea or avastin monotherapy group were mainly related to injection procedure​ * Says ‍company has decided to stop treating patients who are in second year of oph1004 study​ * Ophthotech - ‍based on a preliminary analysis, fovista combination therapy & eylea or avastin monotherapy were generally well tolerated after 1 year Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

Watch the 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games Atlantic Regional: TV, stream schedule, top athletes

The third and final week of the 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games Regionals kicks off on Friday, June 1, and with it, CrossFit will take one giant step closer to the Games and identifying the "Fittest on Earth." Deemed one of the fastest growing sports in America thanks to its worldwide use of high-intensity exercises and real-world obstacles to identify Earth's fittest workout warriors, CrossFit's 2018 competition has been running since February. Those with the best scores from each of 18 global regions have since advanced to Regionals, the last stage of workouts before August's championships at the 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games. Here's everything you need to know about the Atlantic Regional: Where is it? The Atlantic competition will take place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. When is it? The Atlantic competition starts on Friday, June 1, and runs until Sunday, June 3. How to watch The CrossFit Regionals will be available to stream on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app for key connected TV devices including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku, and the CBS Sports mobile app for iOS and Android. Who is competing? Here are some of the top names to watch at the Atlantic Regional:

Have The Craic With Today FM Online

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St. Anthonya s turns itself around to become a The Miracle on Olive Avenuea

From left, Savannah Ginty, Ryan Pavlovich, Robert Sanchez, Nick Vargas and Maddy Mizraji are student ambassadors at St. Anthony Catholic High School in downtown Long Beach. St. Anthony's, a legendary high school in Long Beach, was in desperate need of a miracle at the turn of the 21st century. Start the conversation, or Read more at Press-Telegram.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Oprah Winfrey’s cameo sparks celebrity debate

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale season two, episode 12. Last week’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale was a hard watch, as the show tends to be. June (played by Elisabeth Moss) gave birth in an abandoned mansion and almost bleeds to death. However, there was one slight ray of sunshine in the episode, which is slightly unusual for The Handmaid’s Tale and has opened up a larger debate about the world in which the show is set. At one point in the episode, June stumbles upon an abandoned car. She turns it on and then the radio starts playing. A voice on the radio then says that they’re broadcasting from “somewhere in the Great White North”. This is a reference to Canada, which seems to be a safe heaven and unaffected by Gilead’s tyrannical rule. The broadcaster then announces some news about “additional sanctions on Gilead,” and economic aid for the “American Government in Anchorage.” There’s also talk about the U.K.’s “plans to raise the cap on American refugees”. The radio programme finishes with this unnamed DJ saying: “We are still here — Stars and Stripes forever, baby.” GETTY • HULU The Handmaid’s Tale season 2: Oprah Winfrey’s cameo sparks celebrity debate This all sounds rather familiar. Talk of economic sanctions on countries, Canada being the best place in the world, refugees crises. However, that wasn’t the only familiar thing about this short radio transmission. The radio DJ’s voice was also recognisable. Turns out it was the voice of none other than Oprah Winfrey. It’s unclear as to whether Oprah was playing herself in this episode, however, it does open up a larger question: where have all the stars gone? Where’s Justin Bieber? Taylor Swift? Justin Timberlake? Where on Earth is Beyoncé? What influenced The Handmaid's Tale? Tue, June 6, 2017 What influenced The Handmaid's Tale? From Environmental issues to and Serena Joy and Ronald Reagan. Play slideshow Hulu 1 of 13 The Handmaid's Tale HULU Joseph Fines is The Handmaid's Tale

Coronation Street spoiler: Michelle’s kidnapper REVEALED after he makes TERRIBLE slip-up

The ITV show has dealt Michelle (played by Kym Marsh) a tough hand recently, after she was kidnapped and held in the boot of Will’s (Leon Ockenden) locked car. But while she and her partner Robert Preston (Tristan Gemmill) remained convinced the culprit was Robert’s old drug-dealing friend Rich (Fraser Ayres) after she was eventually rescued, the real person to blame was Michelle’s unassuming friend and ex. Will has been clearly obsessed with his past love and desperate to split her and Robert apart since he returned to the cobbles, and had thought that by framing Rich and inciting Robert’s rage the pair would row and subsequently break up. Instead, what he witnessed was the couple growing closer than ever after Robert mistakenly went and attacked Rich for his perceived actions.

LaMelo Ball scores 92 points for Chino Hills

CHINO HILLS LaMelo Ball, the younger brother of UCLA's star freshman Lonzo Ball, scored 92 points 41 in the fourth quarter to help Chino Hills beat Los Osos, 146-123, on Tuesday night. He only had 29 points at halftime. Start the conversation, or Read more at The Wave.

Hornets' Frank Kaminsky: Plays 17 minutes in return

Kaminsky finished with just eight points (3-8 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), but added five rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block in 17 minutes during Monday's 116-103 victory over Oklahoma City. Kaminsky returned to action and saw just 17 minutes of court time. While he didn't contribute a lot in the scoring column, he was able to chip in elsewhere. He should be seeing additional court time with Cody Zeller (knee) on the sidelines, and is worth an add if you are in need of a big man who can hit the three ball.

Iran will help clear up case of arrested diplomat, Austria says

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran will help shed light on the case of one of its Vienna-based diplomats who was arrested in Germany over a suspected plot to carry out a bomb attack on an exiled Iranian opposition group, Austria said on Wednesday. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz attend a news conference at the Chancellery in Vienna, Austria July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner The case cast a shadow over Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Austria on Wednesday at which both sides discussed issues including salvaging the Iran nuclear deal after the U.S. decision to withdraw and reinstate sanctions on Tehran. “We expect full clarification in connection with this and I thank you, Mr President, for assuring us that you will support this clarification,” Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a statement to reporters after meeting Rouhani. Rouhani did not mention the diplomat in his remarks and the two leaders took no questions. Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz attends a news conference at the Chancellery in Vienna, Austria July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Austria summoned Iran’s ambassador over the case on Monday and said it was stripping the arrested Iranian of his diplomatic status. Belgian authorities identified the diplomat as 46-year-old Assadollah A and said he is suspected of having been in contact with two people arrested in Belgium with 500 grams of the homemade explosive TATP and a detonation device in their car. Their alleged target was a rally near Paris last weekend of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) - an umbrella organization of opposition groups in exile that seek an end to Shi’ite Muslim clerical rule in Iran. Belgium also issued a European arrest warrant for a man of Iranian origin being held in France suspected of being involved in the alleged plot, a French judicial source said. U.S. President Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani as well as former European and Arab ministers attended the NCRI meeting. Slideshow (2 Images) The NCRI held a small protest against Rouhani’s visit on the edge of the area of central Vienna that police sealed off. Foreign ministers from the remaining signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal - Iran, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China - meet in Vienna on Friday to discuss salvaging the accord. European powers are putting together an economic package aimed at safeguarding the deal by shielding Iran from some of the impact of U.S. sanctions resuming. Rouhani has said Iran will stay in the accord if its interests are preserved. An Iranian official said Rouhani was also due to meet the head of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is policing the restrictions the deal places on Iran’s atomic activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Rouhani’s one-day visit to Austria followed a longer trip that was planned two years ago but which he canceled at the last minute on unspecified security grounds.

7 dead, 1 injured in military helicopter crash in Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's Defense Department says seven army personnel are presumed dead after a helicopter crashed in the northern state of Durango. One soldier was found seriously wounded at the scene. The bodies of the rest of the victims were believed to be in the wreckage of the craft. The department said Friday the Bell 412 transport helicopter was on a training mission and was carrying 2 pilots, an officer and five soldiers. The crash occurred near El Salto in a mountainous region of Durango. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Maple Leafs' Mason Marchment: Inks entry-level deal

Marchment agreed to terms on a two-year, entry-level contract with Toronto on Saturday, Kristen Shilton of TSN.ca reports. Through 38 games with the Marlies, Marchment has notched 10 goals and 12 assists, along with a plus 13-rating. The Leafs organization is stacked with young talent, so it could be a while before the 22-year-old gets a shot at the lineup. How he performs at training camp ahead of the 2018-19 season will likely determine whether he is on coach Mike Babcock's short list of potential call-ups next year.

Rotting clams that stunk up neighborhood are being removed

The rotting clamshells that were used to pave an access road in a small Rhode Island community are being removed after neighbors complained about the stench and maggots. WJAR-TV reports that workers were at the property Wednesday morning to remove the clams after the property owner was issued a cease-and-desist order giving him until the end of the week to remove them. A crew with heavy equipment was later seen scooping up shells. A Rhode Island man used unwashed clamshells to pave a road that neighbors complained gives off a sickening stench The Tiverton man’s neighbors say the smell has been making them ill for about three weeks Residents complained to the town that the unwashed clamshells created a terrible smell and attracted maggots and flies but they are now finally starting to be removed The owner used the shells to pave an access road two weeks ago. But they had meat still attached, leading to a putrid smell as it decomposed. Video showed maggots crawling all over the road. State environmental authorities said the clamshells were considered waste because of the decaying clam meat. The state Department of Environmental Management issued a Letter of Non-Compliance to the owner last week requiring the clamshells to be removed and disposed of at a licensed solid waste management or composting facility. The property owner David Rose has refused to comment. The putrid smell is caused by the meat on the shells decomposing. Video shows maggots crawling all over the road A Tiverton police officer hand-delivered a cease-and-desist order to the property owner on Friday. The clamshells are now finally being removed much to the relief of nearby homeowners 'Pretty much every person signed the petition that we have,' Blair Moore said to News 10 after collecting signatures and taking phone calls for 14 days. The Moores said that the stench was everywhere and even had to hire a professional cleaner to come and get rid of it - even from the couch cushions.. 'I'm still worried about to see how much they dig up and how much they take away with them. But that was pretty-amazing news for us. I still didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes,' Moore said.

North Koreans watch ice fest unaware of Kim Jong-nam death

Less than two days after the assassination of the half-brother of North Korea's leader, small girls in frilly pastel leotards opened an ice skating gala in Pyongyang to honour the late father of both men. The Paektusan Prize International Figure Skating Festival is held every year to celebrate Kim Jong-Il, the leader who oversaw the North's first nuclear tests. His children - by different women - included both Kim Jong-Un, who inherited power from him five years ago, and Kim Jong-Nam, older by several years, who fell from grace after a bizarre attempt in 2001 to enter Japan on a false passport to try to visit Disneyland. In exile Jong-Nam voiced occasional criticism of the regime. He was murdered at Kuala Lumpur's international airport on Monday, apparently by two poison-wielding female agents. And with no announcement of the death by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the vast majority of Wednesday's audience at the ice rink in Pyongyang would have been oblivious of the killing. Less than two days after the assassination of the half-brother of North Korea's leader, small girls in frilly pastel leotards opened an ice skating gala in Pyongyang to honour the late father of both men The Paektusan Prize International Figure Skating Festival is held every year to celebrate Kim Jong-Il, the leader who oversaw the North's first nuclear tests With no announcement of the death of Kim Jong-nam by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the vast majority of Wednesday's audience at the ice rink in Pyongyang would have been oblivious of the killing But for anyone who was aware, some elements of the programme could have appeared darkly ironic: one early number was set to Pink Floyd's Hey You, lyrics: 'Hey you, out there in the cold, getting lonely, getting old.' In another, a skater performed a pistol-shot gesture to James Bond-like theme music. 'Let us safeguard with our lives the Central Committee of the Party headed by the respected Supreme Leader Comrade Kim Jong-Un,' read a white-on-red banner dangling over the ice. 'Let us uphold great leader Kim Jong-Il as the eternal sun,' proclaimed another. Others read: 'Peace', 'Independence' and 'Friendship'. Some elements of the programme could have appeared darkly ironic: one early number was set to Pink Floyd's Hey You, lyrics: 'Hey you, out there in the cold, getting lonely, getting old' North Korea marks Kim Jong-Il's February 16 birthday as the 'Day of the Shining Star', although accounts differ as to where and when he was born Officially, Kim Jong-Il came into the world on the slopes of Mount Paektu, the spiritual birthplace of the Korean nation, in 1942 - which would make Thursday the 75th anniversary of the event According to independent historians Kim Jong-Il was actually born a year earlier and in the Soviet Union, where his father Kim Il-Sung enjoyed the backing of Moscow Spectators sit before the portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-Sung (left) and Kim Jong-Il (right) as they wait for the start of the Paektusan Prize International Figure Skating Festival in Pyongyang North Korea marks Kim Jong-Il's February 16 birthday as the 'Day of the Shining Star', although accounts differ as to where and when he was born. Officially, he came into the world on the slopes of Mount Paektu, the spiritual birthplace of the Korean nation, in 1942 - which would make Thursday the 75th anniversary of the event. But according to independent historians he was actually born a year earlier and in the Soviet Union, where his father Kim Il-Sung enjoyed the backing of Moscow. Kim Il-Sung would go on to found the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - the North's official name - and the Kim dynasty in 1948. A man looks out from behind a curtain as spectators watch figure skaters perform at the Paektusan Prize International Figure Skating Festival Ranks of around 3,000 government officials in dark uniforms packed the arena, with other sections filled by women wearing colourful hanbok, traditional Korean dresses The festival is held every year to celebrate Kim Jong-Il, the leader who oversaw the North's first nuclear tests Events scheduled for the celebrations include a synchronised swimming show and a firework display. Above the ice rink hung portraits of Kim Jong-Il and his father, smiling benevolently Events scheduled for the occasion include a synchronised swimming show and a firework display. Above the ice rink hung portraits of Kim Jong-Il and his father, smiling benevolently. Ranks of around 3,000 government officials in dark uniforms packed the arena, with other sections filled by women wearing colourful hanbok, traditional Korean dresses. The performers included double Olympic gold medallist and triple world champion Evgeni Plushenko of Russia, and Brian Joubert of France, who won the world championship men's singles gold in Tokyo in 2007. Young North Korean figure skaters prepare to take to the ice to perform in front of crowds at the festival Women wore brightly coloured traditional clothing as they watched the show - oblivious to the fact the brother of leader Kim Jong-Un had been assassinated State media did not tell citizens that Kim Jong-nam had been assassinated and the festival went ahead as planned Celebrations went on as planned despite the death of the dictator's half-brother. Officials dressed in black are shown watching a performer International stars were also invited to take part in the extravaganza, which took place against the backdrop of the assassination of Kim Jong-Un's half brother 'I just tried to give 100 percent on the ice,' Joubert told AFP. Unlike most European Union members, France does not maintain diplomatic relations with North Korea, which is subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions over its nuclear and missile programmes - which Pyongyang says are defensive in nature. 'I'm very curious. I hear a lot of things but I wanted to form my own opinion, I wanted to discover,' Joubert said about his participation in the event. 'I'm just doing my job. I don't even try to find out who it's for, I do it for the people who come to see the gala, so that they are happy.' Spectators wait for the start of the Paektusan Prize International Figure Skating Festival in Pyongyang earlier today Spectators watch a figure skater perform at the Paektusan Prize International Figure Skating Festival in Pyongyang o

RPT-COLUMN-Saudis can take action on crude prices, US exports ahead of OPEC words: Russell

(Repeats with no changes to text. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) By Clyde Russell LAUNCESTON, Australia, May 30 (Reuters) - Next month’s meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is being touted as key to the outlook for crude oil prices, but a strong indication of what’s likely will come next week. Saudi Aramco, the state-owned producer of the world’s largest crude exporter, will release its official selling prices (OSPs) for July-loading cargoes, and these in turn largely set the prices for much of the exports from the Middle East. The problem with set-piece meetings like the OPEC gathering on June 22 in Vienna is that they focus tremendously on what is said, rather than what is actually done. The OSPs, on the other hand, show exactly what the Saudis are doing in the oil market, and in some ways are a more important signal. The Saudis have an opportunity with the July OSPs, likely to be released next week, to show they are serious about two issues currently dominating crude oil markets. These are concerns about the tightness of global supply, especially in light of Venezuela’s woes and the possible curtailment of Iranian exports, and the rising importance of the United States as an exporter, particularly to the major consuming region of Asia. In recent months, Saudi Aramco has been lifting its OSPs to Asia, with the price for its benchmark Arab Light grade being set for June cargoes at a premium of $1.90 a barrel to the Oman/Dubai average, the highest since August 2014. This increase was viewed by several refining customers as unexpectedly large, with Sinopec, Asia’s largest refiner, showing its displeasure by cutting the volumes of Saudi crude it would lift in June, the second month in a row it decided against taking its normal allocation. If Saudi Arabia is serious about raising crude output and boosting supply, one sure way of signalling this would be a sharp lowering in the OSP for July cargoes, with the cut being bigger than what would be justified by market fundamentals. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak met last week in St. Petersburg and discussed a gradual easing of the output curbs OPEC and its allies agreed to in November 2016, according to sources. This led to crude prices stumbling, with Brent dropping 4.3 percent from $78.79 a barrel at the close on May 24 to $75.39 at the finish on Tuesday. BALANCING ACT The trick for the Saudis, the rest of OPEC and their Russian allies, is to ensure that crude prices remain anchored as close to $80 a barrel as possible, which seems to be a level that is a good compromise between meeting the fiscal needs of the producers without being high enough to prompt too much demand destruction. The Saudis also have to balance the geopolitics of oil, striking a balance between their need for relatively high prices against the support of U.S. President Donald Trump in their struggle against regional rival Iran. In some ways the wild card for the oil markets currently is the United States, which is becoming an increasingly important player in Asian markets. Record U.S. crude shipments to Asia are expected in the coming months, with a senior executive at a U.S. oil company estimating that the country will ship some 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in June, of which 1.3 million bpd will head to Asia. Vessel-tracking and port data compiled by Thomson Reuters Oil Research and Forecasts show that about 620,000 bpd of U.S. crude headed to Asia in the first five months of 2018, up from just 259,000 bpd in the same period last year. However, if U.S. crude exports to Asia do surge to more than 1 million bpd in coming months, this could provide the Saudis and the Russians with an added incentive to make more oil available to the market, and at a more competitive price. Again, there is a geopolitical angle, with China, the world’s biggest crude importer, under political pressure by President Trump pressure to buy more from the United States in order to lower the U.S. trade deficit with China. At the same time the Chinese have made their unhappiness with the recent Saudi price increases quite clear, meaning they would most likely want to see a substantial reduction before boosting their volumes from the kingdom.

Best Cheap Cars for 2017

Cheap cars can hit that sweet spot between being a reliable, safe, comfortable car that’s easy to drive and not too expensive to fill up, as well as being kind to your bank balance. If you're looking for a great-value car, you can find one - provided you use our test results to help you out. You may think that skimping and buying a cheaper car will resign you to a fate of breakdowns and bumpy rides, but that’s not always the case. We’ve found high-scoring models that cost significantly less than models that came off worse in our testing. A poor car is something you can be stuck with for years, giving you a frustrating driving experience, a lack of space and comfort, as well as hefty fuel bills. Equally, we’ve found some shocking models that attempt to woo you with a temptingly low price tag only to disappoint at every turn. Price doesn’t always line up with quality, which is why our expert, unbiased testing is so important. We don’t take price into account when we review cars. Our lab casts an impartial eye over every car we test, putting them through over 320 checks and tests, and driving them for 500 miles before we reach a verdict. We've tested models that cost more than £70,000 that are less reliable than cars that are available for less than half the price. Here, we round-up five cheap cars that are every bit as comfortable, easy to drive and efficient as some of their more expensive cousins. You'll find a car that suits your needs in our list, whether that's a spacious large SUV, sprightly small car or an ideal family hatchback - we've got the popular classes covered. Plus three cheap cars you should avoid. Only logged-in Which? members can view our recommendations in the table below. If you’re not yet a member, you can get instant access to our table and all of our online reviews by taking a £1 trial to Which?

NBA playoffs 2017: Warriors coach Steve Kerr goes off script to speak on East...

Warriors coach Steve Kerr continues to feed our ears with so much more than basketball X's and O's. Kerr, who has spoken out on Donald Trump , alternative facts and political policies in the past, went off script once again during his pregame press conference Sunday to give his sympathy to Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas, whose sister died in a car accident Saturday . Start the conversation, or Read more at Sporting News.

The Latest: Turkey detains 147 IS suspects in past week

3:31 Hope to prevent Alzheimer's disease? Pause 5:48 Dave Barry's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide 57:11 Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen talk politics, Florida and a presidential bid at the Miracle Theatre 1:20 The United States of Powerball 1:28 The day Cassius Clay and The Beatles shared the ring 1:38 Dave Barry goes searching for protesters on the campaign trail 2:27 Dave Barry discovers something other than fish in the ocean off Rio 0:47 Dolphins CB Lippet talks about hit that sidelined him 0:55 Dolphins' Landry talks loss to New England

Brexit news: British expats retire to Spain, France and Portugal before EU exit

Hundreds of recent retirees are upping sticks and moving their whole lives abroad, in a rush to settle on the mainland over fears Brexit could make their Spanish dreams more difficult in the future. Blevins Franks, a company that supports those moving to the mainland, revealed that the number of monthly inquiries to its website had doubled in the last year. There had been 900 inquiries on its website in 2017, up from 450 the previous year. And the business has seen an increase in business of between 20 and 25 per cent overall. GETTY There are already estimated to be almost 300,000 UK citizens living in Spain GETTY Hundreds of recent retirees are upping sticks and moving their whole lives abroad There are already estimated to be almost 300,000 UK citizens living in Spain as of 2016. Over 65s make up a third of UK expats in Malta, Cyprus and Portugal, while in France, the figures were 148,800. And it seems many more are rushing overseas to start their retirement on the continent, after experts said it was unlikely that any post-Brexit deal would allow Britons to continue to move abroad as easily they can now. John Springford, a migration expert, said: “The golden age of British retirees heading to the Costas is probably over.” Spain airport strike: Latest pictures Sun, August 6, 2017 Security workers called for partial strikes that might continue on the 7th, 11th and 13th August, if no agreement is reached in negotiations for wage increment with Eulen Group company Play slideshow EPA 1 of 15 Partial strike at Barcelona-El Prat airport The golden age of British retirees heading to the Costas is probably over John Springford, a migration expert He added: “The thing about retirees they are expensive. There is no way Spain would allow lots of Brits to retire there and use their health system unless young Spanish people could come and work in the UK. “If we don’t have free movement it is very unlikely we would have retirement rights.” Spectrum IFA group, which advises British expats in Spain, said 20 per cent of their clients living abroad were trying to obtain Spanish or Irish passports in a bid to support their move - or allow them to remain after Brexit is concluded. The comments come after it was revealed a million Brits living in the EU are scrambling to get citizenship in their new countries before Brexit. GETTY A million Brits living in the EU are scrambling to get citizenship in their new countries

UPDATE 1-Arch-Brexiteer Gove says: No senior British ministers will resign over Brexit

(Adds details) LONDON, July 4 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will not face any ministerial resignations after a meeting of her senior ministers on Friday to resolve differences over leaving the European Union, environment minister Michael Gove said on Wednesday. May has called a crunch meeting of senior ministers at her country residence, Chequers, to overcome bitter rifts over how Britain should leave the European Union and they will aim to agree the contents of a so-called white paper policy document. Gove, a prominent campaigner for leaving the European Union during the 2016 referendum, said the prime minister should be allowed to present her case on Friday and played down the likelihood of any senior ministers resigning. “I don’t think so, no,” Gove told the BBC in an interview when asked if any ministers will be resigning. The outcome of Friday’s meeting is seen as critical to moving Brexit negotiations forward because the EU have complained that talks have stalled because they do not know enough about Britain wants from its future relationship. The most difficult issue for May to settle is what future customs regime Britain will try to agree to with the EU. It is unclear what May will present to her cabinet, but those wanting a “clean break” with the EU fear she will try to force them into a compromise on customs that will keep Britain firmly in the bloc’s sphere, as desired by some companies and several ministers. (Reporting By Andrew MacAskill, Editing by Paul Sandle/Guy Faulconbridge)