DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – When Iran welcomes leaders to a world gathering next week, few will get a grander reception than India's prime minister. As Tehran tries to offset the squeeze from Western oil sanctions, there is no greater priority than courting energy-hungry Asian markets.
The planned visit by Manmohan Singh, the first by an Indian prime minister in more than a decade, puts into sharp relief the sanctions-easing strategies by Iran — and the political complexities for Washington that limit its pressure on Asian powers needing Tehran's oil.
Oil purchases by India, China and South Korea — which decided this week to resume Iranian imports — have not covered Tehran's losses after it was tossed out of the European market in July. But they have given Iran a critical cushion that brings in tens of millions of dollars in revenue a day and means that Iran has dropped only one ranking, to stand as OPEC's third-largest producer.
The U.S. has pressed hard for Iran's top customers — China, India, Japan and South Korea — to scale back on crude imports, with some success, offering in return exemptions from possible American penalties. But Washington cannot push its key Asian trading partners too fast or too aggressively and risk economic rifts.
"Despite Western sanctions ... China and Japan will remain major importers of Iranian crude oil and so will India," said Siddak Bakir, a Middle East and South Asian analyst for IHS Energy in London.
The ability of sanctions to wring concessions over Iran's nuclear program remains a key divide between Israel and the U.S. and its European partners.
Washington urges allowing more time for sanctions to eat into Iran's economy, which depends on oil exports for 80 percent of its foreign revenue. Some Israeli leaders have indicated a military attack is a possibility if they conclude the international community has failed to halt Iran's uranium enrichment. Iran insists it's not seeking atomic weapons and its reactors are for energy and medical use.
For Iran, however, there's a parallel fight: Trying to keep the oil flowing to its key Asian customers, possibly through deals to sell at below-market prices.
"China and India are not doing this as a favor to Iran. Quite the contrary," said Pennsylvania-based oil trader Stephen Schork. "I am sure they are extracting a very good deal out of the Iranians. ... I don't think it's fair to say Iran is unscathed. Certainly, they are under duress."
At the same time, the U.S. is applying relentless pressure on Iran's big oil markets to cut back on Iranian imports. Published and anecdotal data suggest some headway by Washington, which sweetened the offer by granting the big-four Asian buyers exemptions from possible penalties in return for curbing Iranian imports.
On Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the exemptions would be reviewed at the end of their six-month term. "What's important to us is ... that the net flow is continuing to decrease," she told reporters in Washington.
Still, it's clear the U.S. is unwilling to risk trade wars with key Asian trading partners, even over the showdown with Iran.
"The U.S. needs Asia. It needs to maintain good relations. It also needs Asia as a critical partner in its efforts to pressure Iran through sanctions," said Sami al-Faraj, director of the Kuwait Center for Strategic Studies. "It's a delicate process of diplomacy, incentives and alternatives."
Even fast-growing China — which counts on Iran for about 10 percent of its energy needs — has slightly scaled back on imports from Iran: 510,000 barrels a day in the second quarter this year, compared with 560,000 in the same period last year. But some analysts say this was more over a pricing dispute than U.S. pressure.
On Tuesday, South Korea said it would resume buying Iranian oil in September after a two-month break, but at reduced levels that comply with U.S. sanctions guidelines.
Cutting Iranian crude was just too big a price for South Korea, which has nearly 3,000 companies that sold $6 billion worth of goods to Iran in 2011. Iran was also the only country that supplied oil to South Korea during the 1973 oil crisis and, in return, a major downtown street in Seoul was named after the Iranian capital, Tehran.
"South Korea does not want its ties with Tehran to irk the U.S., so it made great efforts to persuade the Obama administration to give it an exemption. Iran is probably the most important Middle Eastern country for South Korea, and it is very difficult for South Korea to sever its ties with Iran because it offers cheaper oil," said Chang Byung-ock, an Iran expert at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul.
The 27-nation EU accounted for 18 percent of Iran's exports, or about 450,000 barrels a day. Add that to the reductions in Asia — more than half of Iran's oil exports before the EU sanctions — and Iran has lost a significant, but not yet crippling, portion of its oil revenue.
According to the International Energy Agency, a 28-nation group that monitors global energy trends, Iran's crude oil production has fallen steadily since May to 2.9 million barrels a day in July, dropping Iran to the No. 3 spot behind resurgent Iraq.
Meanwhile, imports of Iranian oil by major consumers plunged to 1 million barrels a day in July from 1.74 million barrels a day in June, according to an Aug. 10 report from the agency, which did not give a country-by-country breakdown.
In late July — about a month after the EU halted Iranian oil purchases — Iran's central bank chief, Mahmoud Bahmani, called Western sanctions akin to a "military war" that requires new economic countermeasures in return. These likely will include boosting sales of petrochemical products, such as motor oil, that are not covered by sanctions, as well as expansive diplomatic efforts to secure oil markets in China and India.
The latter is set to take center stage with the Indian prime minister's appearance at the Aug. 30-31 meeting in Tehran of the Non-Aligned Movement, a Cold War relic that Iran seeks to rebuild as a counterpoint to Western influence.
India has faced a full-scale press from both sides.
In May, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stopped in India and made repeated appeals for Iran's No. 2 oil customer to scale back on its purchases. India has curbed some of its Iranian imports — agreeing after Clinton's visit to an 11 percent drop in the coming year. But there are limits to how far India can go as it struggles with a widening deficit and weak rupee, which drives up the costs of oil imports.
India has joined Japan in offering government-backed insurance for ships carrying Iranian crude, to bypass European sanctions that prohibit EU companies from offering coverage. The move seeks to avoid interruptions in the Iranian oil supply, with the first shipment by a government-insured tanker scheduled to arrive in India this week.
Japan was the first country to devise a workaround to the EU sanctions, passing the emergency measure in late June to avoid a disruption in critical oil supplies due to actions against Iran.
Any potential economic lifelines for Iran are likely to feed into calls by Israelis favoring a military strike on Iran. At the same time, opponents of military action have become increasingly outspoken as signs point to a war footing, such as the opening of new gas mask distribution centers in the Jewish state.
"Iran tries to present an image of having some kind of network of relationships with outside countries, and say they are not as vulnerable," said Eldad Pardo, an Iranian affairs expert at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. "But the facts on the ground show they are under a lot of pressure."
Associated Press writers Pamela Sampson and Vijay Joshi in Bangkok, Erika Kinetz in New Delhi, Blake Sobczak in Jerusalem and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.


Lawyers for Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit on Tuesday asking a federal judge to block enforcement of a new Alabama law that critics say will force the closure of three of the state’s five abortion clinics on July 1.
The new measure, signed into law in April, requires all physicians in the state who perform abortions to have staff privileges at a local hospital.
Abortion clinic officials in Montgomery, Birmingham, and Mobile say they cannot comply with the requirement.
Lawyers say the new measure is a pretext to prevent abortions in Alabama. A similar provision that would have shut down the only abortion provider in Mississippi was recently blocked by a federal judge in that state.
“The purpose and effect of the requirement, which is wholly unnecessary and unreasonable, is to impose a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking abortion prior to viability,” the Alabama complaint says.
“It is an unreasonable health regulation, and it has the unlawful purpose and effect of imposing an undue burden on women’s right to choose abortion,” the lawsuit says.
But Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, a staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, calls it part of national strategy by antiabortion activists to exploit novel ways to shut down abortion clinics at the state level.
“We are in court to protect a woman’s ability to make her own personal, private health care decisions,” the president of Planned Parenthood Southeast, Staci Fox, said in a statement.
Hospital staff privileges can be difficult for an abortion provider to obtain, Ms. Kolbi-Molinas said, because they are generally reserved for physicians who regularly admit patients to the hospital. She said the designation requires that the doctor admit 12 to 48 patients a year.
Abortion is such a safe procedure, she said, that there is no way an abortion provider could come close to meeting such a requirement.
In the few cases that do require emergency treatment, the patient should be permitted to receive medical attention at the closest hospital to the patient without requiring the presence of the doctor who performed the abortion, the lawyer said.
The complaint says that some abortion providers might be denied staff privileges because of a hospital’s religious opposition to abortion. Some require the doctor to reside close enough to the hospital to be available on call, and university hospitals require physicians to obtain a faculty appointment prior to gaining staff privileges.
The 14-page complaint was filed in federal court in Montgomery, Ala. It says that if the law shut down abortion clinics in the state’s three major cities, only two other clinics would remain open in Alabama – in Huntsville and Tuscaloosa.
“If the staff privileges requirement takes effect, women in Montgomery, Birmingham, and all points south would be forced to travel at least 100 miles, and some more than 200 miles … to obtain an abortion in the state,” the suit says.
It adds that most women would have to make the trip twice, first for counseling, and second, at least 24 hours later, for the abortion.
Other similarly situated health-care providers are not required to have staff privileges at a local hospital, the suit says.
The lawsuit names Gov. Robert Bentley and Attorney General Luther Strange as defendants. Also named are the district attorneys in Montgomery County, Jefferson County, Mobile County, and four state health officials.
The case is Planned Parenthood v. Bentley.


Host T&T will go into its final match against Suriname in the Caribbean Womens Under-17 First Round Group B Qualification at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya from 7 pm tonight, needing only a draw to advance to the Concacaf Womens Under-17 Championship later this year.
This after, T&T led by four goals (4-0) to overcome a stubborn Grenada team on Saturday night, at the same venue in its second match to lead the four-team table with maximum six points from two matches after crushing St Kitts/Nevis 6-0 in its opener on Thursday.
Suriname, who battled to a 2-2 with Grenada in its first outing edged St Kitts/Nevis 2-1 in the first match on Saturday to keep its hope of qualification alive.
T&T ran all over the Grenadians with nearly the entire match being played in the Grenadian half of the field. The Young Soca Princesses scored once in the first half and three times in the second half much to the delight of the local supporters that braved inclement weather to cheer on the young ladies at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya.
T&T pressed forward from the opening whistle Grenada goal keeper, Blossom Mark, was kept very active as there was little respite between attacks. Tanieka Welchs right side shot went just wide of the left upright in the ninth minute, and Karyn Forbes blast from the top of the D was narrowly off the mark in the 13th. Buoyed by a loud cheering section, T&T poured forward. But overzealousness and poor shot selection kept the score sheets blank as the Grenadians soaked up the pressure.
In the 44th minute a deft pass from Elizabeth Ng Wai released Moriah Shade on the right side of the penalty area, Shade drew two defenders before squaring the ball to Afiyah Matthias on the left, Matthias collected the ball in space picked her spot and side footed home to make it 1-0. That was the score at the interval.
T&T came out intent on a knockout in the second half. Almost straight from the kickoff, Ng Wai and Shade set up camp on the edge of Grenadas 18 yard box. The duo weave through the defense and created two clear chances only to be snuffed out by madcap defending. Three minutes into the half Ng Wai again found Shade on the right side of the penalty area, this time Shade blasted her shot past the outstretched arms of Mark, 2-0 T&T.
T&T laid siege to the Grenada goal, in the 56th minute Ng Wai scored her second goal in as many matches. Ng Wai was picked out by Sharice Arthur on top the penalty area. Amid three defenders, the diminutive T&T striker beat the goal keeper with a fall away shot to make it 3-0.
Jonelle Warrick, substituted for Welch in the 65th minute, hit the side netting from a right side build up in the 71st minute. However she was on target 4 minutes later as she followed up on a left side blast from Shade. Blossom Mark could only parry the missile, Warrick pounced on the ball and poked it home to round out the scoring, 4-0 T&T.
In the evenings first match Suriname beat St Kitts/ Nevis 2-1. Cynthia Sital and Manouska Dompig scored for Suriname. Tanirah Browne pulled notched the lone item for St Kitts/Nevis in injury time.


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Korea Southern Power has built an independent power plant in Chile, the first by a Korean company, the company said Tuesday.
“The construction of the Kelar plant is meaningful in that it has provided the stepping stone to enter South America’s energy market,” said Yoon Jong-geun, president and CEO of Kospo.
According to Kospo, the construction on the Kelar plant in Chile is notable, as Chile’s energy market had previously been dominated by US-based companies.
The 517 megawatt Kelar plant has been built in the Mejillones region located in the port city of Antofagasta, northern Chile.
It will supply 25 percent of the energy for CDEC-SING, the operator of Chile’s northern grid.
According to Kospo, it expects the project to generate annual sales of $92 billion for the next 30 years.
The company touted the project as an exemplary collaboration of public and private businesses. Kospo provided the investment for the project in partnership with Samsung C&T, with a split of 65 percent and 35 percent, respectively.
Samsung Engineering took charge of the engineering, procurement and construction, while the Export-Import Bank of Korea provided project financing.


Boardman-Ellis Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6977 would like to thank all who participated in this year's Memorial Day parade and ceremonies at the First Parish Cemetery.
Special thanks to the York Trolley Co. for its generous donation of a trolley for the parade, allowing our veterans to ride in comfort; York Police Department and its color guard; American Legion Color Guard; the 157th Air Refueling Wing; and all the men and women who performed the laying of wreaths at the seven memorials along the parade route.
The York Middle School and York High School bands, under the directorship of Mr. Sovetsky, were participants in the both the parade and ceremonies, along with the marching of the VFW, American Legion, York Fire Department, York Police, Rotary, Knights of Columbus, Elks, veteran Charles Pratt and his antique vehicles, and dozens of marching Cub, Girl and Boy scouts.
Special acknowledgements to Grand Marshal and World War II veteran John Primerano; benediction offered by the VFW's Edward Benoit; opening prayer by the Rev. David Affleck; patriotic speaker Charles Andrews; the Marine Corps League rifle salute, Seacoast Detachment; the Memorial Day Parade Committee; and all those involved in the preparation of a delicious barbecue at VFW.


Athena Capital Research used a trading algorithm code-named "Gravy" to manipulate the closing prices of thousands of stocks on the Nasdaq market.
The Securities and Exchange Commission says Bank of America will pay $7.65 million to settle allegations that it overstated how much capital it had on its books.
The award is going to a whistleblower who provided key information that led to an enforcement action in a fraud case.
Federal regulators are scrutinizing a type of mutual fund that's potentially riskier than conventional funds and is growing in popularity, prompting concerns over possible harm to ordinary investors.
Morgan Stanley has agreed to pay $275 million to settle U.S. civil charges that it misled investors about risky mortgage bonds it sold ahead of the 2008 financial crisis.
State Sen. Lee Zeldin will now face off against Rep. Tim Bishop in November, while DA Kathleen Rice will take on Bruce Blakeman for Rep. Carolyn McCarthy's seat.
Former Agape World broker Bryan Arias pleaded guilty to fraud charges in federal court in Central Islip Friday afternoon.


National Journal magazine has a storied history, and if you live and breathe policy and politics, then you know why. Scrupulously nonpartisan, intellectually honest, genuinely serious about government and about ideas, National Journal has always been a publication that everyone in D.C. could trust.
Those are the essential values that we wanted to take forward into the new National Journal. But we also knew that a lot about the magazine had to change. So many of the things that National Journal's print magazine was long known for are now being done on our highly successful website — in greater volume and with greater speed than the magazine ever could have managed.
Yet we didn't, and don't, think the Internet has made print obsolete. It has simply challenged magazine editors to ask themselves: What is print still for?
(Harry Campbell)We've come up with a few answers to that question. A print magazine, we believe, is for narrative writing that is beautifully crafted and deeply reported. It's for journalism that takes big ideas seriously. It's for long pieces that feel short because they're truly fun to read. It's for telling stories that are complicated and nuanced — as almost all stories worth knowing are. It's for describing the characters, famous or unknown, who shape American democracy — and for understanding their agendas, their motivations, their flaws, their strengths. It's for publishing established, brilliant writers, and also for discovering the next generation of storytelling stars.
Finally, we believe that essential to the experience of reading a great print magazine is a beautiful design — elegant fonts, striking illustrations, excellent photography. Joseph Heroun brilliantly reconceived the magazine's overall look and created the stunning designs that fill the pages of our first issue. At the same time, we also wanted to reimagine how we present our magazine pieces online. Jenny Mazer did a fantastic job of devising an eye-catching new digital format for these pieces.
There are plenty of magazines that use the approach to journalism we are now emphasizing — that focus on long-form writing and great storytelling and outstanding art. But there are no magazines that use this approach to relentlessly focus on the world of policy and politics — and that are broadly trusted across the political spectrum. That is the kind of publication we aim to produce.
To produce a terrific magazine 32 times a year will be no easy task, but we are lucky to have some of the best magazine minds in the business steering the ship — especially our deputy editor, Andie Coller, and our managing editor, Amanda Cormier. All of us are looking forward to creating the new National Journal week after week for our members and subscribers. The magazine we are building is one that we think Washington needs. More than anything, we hope it's a magazine you enjoy.
Richard Just is the editor of National Journal magazine. He was formerly the editor of The New Republic, which he led to a National Magazine Award nomination for general excellence in the thought-leader magazine category in 2012"”TNR's first nomination for general excellence in 20 years. He subsequently worked at Newsweek, where he served as Washington editor and then editor of the magazine. His work has also appeared in The Washington Post, Slate, The Washington Monthly, and The American Prospect. He graduated in 2001 from Princeton University.


Twitter has announced a significant increase in its data security as it moves to protect users from attacks by the "apex predators" of the internet.
An internal team of security engineers have spent several months implementing "perfect forward secrecy", which adds an extra layer of security to widely used HTTPS encryption deployed by online banking, retailers and, increasingly, consumer web services.
Google, Facebook, Dropbox and Tumblr have all implemented forward secrecy already, and LinkedIn is understood to be introducing it in 2014.
Users may not immediately notice any difference, other than a barely perceptible time lag as they use the service across desktop, mobile and through third party services, but for Twitter the move asserts its credentials as a company fiercely protective of its users' data.
That data includes not only messages that users choose to publish publicly, but also direct, private messages, protected tweets and data on what users say, who they comment on and who else they read. Collectively, large datasets, such as those of Twitter's 218 million users, can be analysed to identify connections between people, locations and interests.
Announcing the new implementation, which has been running as a trial since 21 October, a detailed post on Twitter's engineering blog encouraged other sites to "defend and protect the users' voice" by implementing HTTPS and forward secrecy.
Documents released by Edward Snowden, a former contractor to the US National Security Agency, have shown that the agency and its affiliates are storing vast amounts of encrypted consumer data so that it can later attempt to decrypt it, either by accessing unencrypted data or by using specific court orders to force data owners to hand over the private SSL keys. But forward secrecy means that data would still be secure, even if the agency obtained the keys to the encrypted data.
First developed in 1992, perfect forward secrecy creates a new, disposable key for each exchange of information, which means the key for every individual session would have to be decrypted to access the data.
Twitter engineer Jacob Hoffman-Andrews said that implementation on Twitter was complex because of its scale, which meant that extra work was done to ensure the process did not slow the site. He wants to encourage smaller sites to introduce forward secrecy and said it could take as little as two weeks to implement. "We are trying to create a new norm for what it means to be a secure website," he said. "It makes it harder for anyone attempting a large-scale cryptographic attack, but this is not just about the NSA. There's more than one apex predator on the internet, including terrorists and groups outside of government – anyone well-funded could use the same techniques."
Fellow engineer Jeff Hodges said Twitter's policy of asserting its users' right to privacy marked it out from other services, and that the Snowden revelations had a big impact inside the company. "It was a big surprise, and it inspired a lot of work," he said. "There's a gap to be bridged between what developers know to be the correct thing to do next, and that becoming policy at companies so that they invest the time to make it happen. But that process is percolating up."
Chester Wisniewski, senior security advisor at software security firm Sophos, said that several mainstream consumer sites have moved to improve security of user data in the wake of the Snowden revelations, but doubted that the move was due to consumer demand.
"The people working on the next generation of web standards are considering making encryption of all web traffic the default," he said. "Most of the movement towards improved security and privacy is long overdue. For a couple of years now, Google redesigned parts of its networks to offer HTTPS encryption for all of its services, and Yahoo! announced it will begin using [the secure protocol] HTTPS everywhere they can from 2014. The public pressure is welcomed by those of us who are concerned about the privacy of the average individual. It is simply unfortunate that it took a leak like this for companies to do the right thing."


RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Upsets and wild finishes have altered the NCAA Tournament landscape for No. 1 seeds Virginia and North Carolina in their bids for the Final Four.
Ten of the top 16 seeds have reached the Sweet 16, and seven of those are with fellow top seeds Oregon in the West Region or Kansas in the South. But the Midwest and East have lost several expected roadblocks for the Cavaliers and Tar Heels, respectively.
No one talked much about Virginia thanks to the presence of second-seeded Michigan State, which had ousted the higher-seeded Cavaliers the past two years.
Now the Cavaliers (28-7) have a favorable draw after the Spartans lost to 15-seed Middle Tennessee in the tournament’s biggest upset.
That task-at-hand focus is one of the reasons the Cavaliers are here, along with an efficient offense and a defense that seems to tighten its grip as the games go on.
KenPom’s top-ranked team meets No. 4 seed Iowa State (23-11) in Chicago on Friday. Win that, and the Cavaliers will face a double-digit seed  either 10-seed and ACC leaguemate Syracuse (21-13) or 11-seed Gonzaga (28-7)  for their first Final Four since 1984.
Preseason No. 1-ranked North Carolina (30-6) did the expected by reaching Friday’s games in Philadelphia. The other top seeds  No. 2 Xavier, No. 3 West Virginia and No. 4 Kentucky  weren’t so lucky.
UNC faces No. 5 seed and Big Ten regular-season champion Indiana (27-7) in the first tournament meeting between the two since 1984, when the Hoosiers upset the Tar Heels to end Michael Jordan’s college career.
The bracket also features No. 6 Notre Dame (23-11) and No. 7 Wisconsin (22-12). And if the seeds hold, there would be an all-Atlantic Coast Conference final for a league with a tournament-record six Sweet 16 teams.
Kansas’ bracket largely went according to plan entering Thursday’s games in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Jayhawks (32-4) draw a dangerous team in No. 5 Maryland (27-8), a team ranked third in the preseason Top 25 and peaked at second in February.
No. 2 seed Villanova (31-5), a contender for its own 1-seed entering Selection Sunday, lurks in the other end of the bracket. The Wildcats meet No. 3 seed Miami (27-7) to give this region three of the top 11 teams in KenPom’s rankings, the toughest of the four fields.
So much for the Jayhawks getting a favorable draw as the tournament’s top overall seed, even as they’re savoring being back in the Sweet 16 after two opening-weekend exits.
This is the only bracket that went chalk with all four top seeds advancing, which has happened just 16 times since 1985, according to STATS.
Oregon (30-6) plays in Anaheim, California, on Thursday against 4-seed Duke (25-10), which is vulnerable to foul trouble or fatigue with largely a six-man rotation. But the Blue Devils can hit the 3, while high-scoring guard Grayson Allen (22.0 points) and likely one-and-done talent Brandon Ingram are scary matchups in a win-or-go-home setting.
The bottom of the bracket features national player of the year candidate Buddy Hield and No. 2 seed Oklahoma (27-7), one of six teams to hold the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 this year. The Sooners face 3-seed Texas A&M (28-8) fresh off the Aggies’ miracle comeback to beat Northern Iowa in double overtime.


Sunderland are reportedly among a host of clubs set to miss out on a deal for Aberdeen midfielder Graeme Shinnie.
The Scottish international sees his current contract at Pittodire expire in the summer and, with the 27-year-old yet to sign a new deal, a host of clubs were alerted to his potential availability.
Reports north of the border linked the Black Cats with a swoop for Shinnie during the January transfer window - but they were just one of a host of clubs linked with a move.
Rangers, Luton Town and Wigan Athletic were all credited with an interest in the Aberdeen skipper after his stellar performances in the Scottish Premier League.
But the BBC now claim that Shinnie is in talks with Derby County over a move to the Championship outfit.
Rams' boss Frank Lampard watched Shinnie in action against Motherwell recently, and the midfielder was at Pride Park for yesterday for talks over a move - with suspension ruling him out of his current club's clash with Celtic this weekend.
And while a move looks set to be a certainty come the summer, Aberdeen boss Derek McInness is holding out hope that Shinnie's love for Aberdeen could yet see him remain with the club.
"He's got a lot to think about, but there's no doubting his love for the club and his pride in being captain here," he said.
"We're hanging on to that really and hoping that can be a huge part in any decision he makes."


Trinity's Kyle Devico is tagged out by Stamford's Brandon Docimo as Trinity Catholic hosts Stamford High School in a boys baseball game Monday afternoon, May 10, 2010. Trinity won 5-4.
Trinity's Sammy Dominguez follows through as Trinity Catholic hosts Stamford High School in a boys baseball game Monday afternoon, May 10, 2010. Trinity won 5-4.
Stamford's Stevie Hagedus winds up as Trinity Catholic hosts Stamford High School in a boys baseball game Monday afternoon, May 10, 2010. Trinity won 5-4.
Trinity's Ryan Walsh throws as Trinity Catholic hosts Stamford High School in a boys baseball game Monday afternoon, May 10, 2010. Trinity won 5-4.
Stamford's Mike Summa gets a pat on the head after bringing in a run as Trinity Catholic hosts Stamford High School in a boys baseball game Monday afternoon, May 10, 2010. Trinity won 5-4.


ERIE, Penn., Dec. 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- Liberty Counsel has now settled a lawsuit on behalf of Lighthouse Christian Center (Lighthouse) against the city of Titusville, Pennsylvania. The settlement allows Lighthouse to move to a downtown facility where it can operate its outreach program, which is expected to include a Christian bookstore, television ministry, outreach to teens, and church services. Liberty Counsel sued the city on behalf of Lighthouse in July, alleging that the city's "church-free" zoning ordinance violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
After Liberty Counsel filed a federal lawsuit and following an emergency hearing, the city agreed to settle the case. The city agreed that Lighthouse can locate in the commercial space that it had previously been refused permission to occupy. Additionally, the city agreed to amend its zoning code to remove the distinction between secular and religious assemblies. The city also agreed to allow all public assemblies in the city's commercial areas and will pay attorney's fees and costs to Liberty Counsel.
Until this past summer, Lighthouse was located in a nearby town in a small building with no sewer or running water. The church outgrew the facility and then secured an opportunity to lease within Titusville's C-1 commercial zone. The local zoning code did not allow churches, but permitted theaters, clubs, lodges, bars and amusements in its commercial areas. Lighthouse was forced outside the city of Titusville, where they rented a temporary building that lacks heat and insulation. The settlement allows Lighthouse to move to more suitable facilities, where the church can grow and operate its many outreaches before more severe winter conditions set in.
David Corry, Senior Litigation Counsel of Liberty Counsel, stated: "We are pleased that the city of Titusville has agreed that Lighthouse Christian Center should be treated like other places of assembly in the downtown area. It is unfortunate that a church had to go to federal court to be treated like other groups in the city. Common sense dictates that if theaters or clubs are permitted in a zoning district, then churches cannot be banned."


Highland Ave / HWY 45 S Visibility, Renovated Showroom (6000 SqFt with Offices) w/ extensive parking. Large Lot with secure parking. Two 14' Roll Up Doors w/ Large Warehouse & Extensive Parking Secured by Gates. One of Jackson's iconic Historical Buildings. On Historic Register. Great Visibility and Large Lot. Call Chris at 731-616-9464 for viewing.


Current Malaysian citizenship laws were set by the Malaysian Constitution in 1964 in response to Malaysian independence from Britain in 1957. Because some of the requirements regarding the Malay language are inconsistently applied, expats looking to become naturalized citizens are often met with disappointment and delays when pursuing the citizenship process. If you wish to become a Malaysian citizen, study the requirements carefully and prepare to devote yourself to Malaysian allegiance in pursuit of the privilege of citizenship.
A child born in Malaysia or outside of Malaysia to Malaysian parents is a Malaysian citizen. If the child has one Malaysian parent and is born in Malaysia, the child is also a citizen. If a child is born outside of Malaysia to one Malaysian parent, he is not a citizen, but may become a permanent resident of Malaysia and later apply for citizenship. In all of these cases, citizenship is conferred by law, but the parents must still register the child at the Malaysian National Registration Office to officially obtain the child's Malaysian citizenship. An "elementary knowledge" of the Malay language is required to obtain citizenship by registration.
Naturalization is the method by which people with no Malay heritage may become citizens. This process requires would-be citizens to live in Malaysia for 10 of the 12 years prior to the application and speak the Malay language. The level of speech and comprehension of Malay is vaguely defined in the constitution, which states applicants should have "adequate knowledge." Besides providing one's own identity and residence documents and proving a knowledge of Malay, an applicant must submit the identity cards of two Malaysians who recommend the applicant for citizenship.
Malaysia does not recognize dual citizens. If a citizen of Malaysia takes on citizenship in another country, her citizenship is revoked by the Malaysian government. Citizenship could also be revoked for Malaysian expats living abroad who have not registered with the Malaysian Embassy, or citizens who work for a foreign government without permission of the Malaysian government.
Malaysian law requires that citizens wishing to voluntarily revoke Malaysian citizenship must complete Form K and submit it to the Malaysian Embassy, along with the person's Malaysian identity card, passport and birth certificate. The birth certificate is later returned when the revocation process is complete.
Manthei, Emily. "Malaysian Citizenship Requirements." Travel Tips - USA Today, https://traveltips.usatoday.com/malaysian-citizenship-requirements-63015.html. Accessed 24 April 2019.


Wakefield Trinity's Bill Tupou was named the Betfred Super League's top metre maker at the 2018 Man of Steel Awards on Monday evening.
The 28-year-old New Zealander racked up 4114 metres in 30 appearances during a stellar season as he helped Wakefield to a second-consecutive fifth-placed finish.
His total of 4114 metres was 265 more than Wigan's Tom Davies who has made the second most metres in Super League this year with 3849.
Wakefield's Reece Lyne was fourth on the metres made chart with 3491, St Helens' Luke Thompson was third with 3633.
Tupou also received a raft of nominations for the Man of Steel award from Huddersfield Giants, Warrington Wolves and Hull FC.
Five Huddersfield players voted for the star centre as their 2018 Steve Prescott Man of Steel while four players from the Black and Whites had the 28-year-old as their number one pick.
England and Warrington prop Chris Hill had the Trinity centre as his number one choice, while two of his teammates also voted for Tupou as their first pick.
All Super League players are given a first, second and third choice in the Man of Steel vote.
Tupou received a total of 69 nominations from his peers with 17 players selecting him as their first choice.
The full breakdown of how each player voted can be viewed on the Super League website.


Who is playing well heading into the final weeks of the regular season?
Now that we’re about 10 games removed from the NHL trade deadline, we are getting a feel for how teams are playing heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
We will run through all of the numbers in this space in the annual playoff preview on a rolling 25-game basis, but consider this a checkpoint of sorts for that type of analysis. The general caveats apply: in smaller samples of games, teams have disparate strength of schedules and may be uniquely impacted by shorter-term injuries and the like. I have isolated to the 19 teams that are fighting for 16 spots.
Let’s start by just isolating for even strength play first. Here, you have each team’s performance by three measures – the percentage of goals in their favour (x axis), the percentage of shots in their favour (y axis), and the points they have accumulated per-game (size of the bubble).
A few of the Canadian teams stand out here for some obvious reasons.
Toronto is also noteworthy because for all of the guffawing about how bad this team is playing right now, everything is graded on a relative basis.
Let’s be clear: there should be little pride in comeback wins against the Flyers, let alone getting throttled by the 31st-place Ottawa Senators. But even their roughest stretch of hockey sees them breaking even in shots and goals at 5-on-5, and it sounds like, absent Jake Gardiner, they’re going to get some injury relief here in short order. So no, Toronto isn’t playing well relative to most contenders. They are playing well enough to sustain the conversation about chasing the two seed in the Atlantic Division, though even that appears fleeting.
Lastly, there’s Calgary. The Flames have been terrifying all season long and have routinely skated most teams out of the rink, be it at the Scotiabank Saddledome or elsewhere. We can still use this as a weekly reminder about how critical it is for the Flames to win the Pacific.
There are only a couple of other teams who appear comparably dominant in the most critical game state, and one just so happens to be that gigantic bubble over to the right in the form of the Vegas Golden Knights. Since the trade deadline, the Knights have doubled up their opponents in goals, are more than 100 shots in the black over a span of eight games, and have just one loss on the ledger. That loss came against Calgary on a back-to-back with a backup goaltender. So, yeah. Win the Pacific, Calgary!
Now, let’s run through the same performance measures but including all situations data. This will be a bit choppier due to disparities in special-teams opportunities but it does well descriptively to explain why teams are moving up and down in the standings.
I mentioned Montreal’s power play earlier. Their position on the graph really didn’t change, but I would be remiss to point out that there is an underlying theme here about the Canadiens and their power play. Montreal’s reality is that their power play, by and large, will be the reason they miss the postseason if it comes to that.
Since the deadline Montreal has one power-play goal in nearly 50 minutes of hockey, which is 30th in the NHL over that span. It’s something this team has dealt with all season long, and it’s rearing its ugly head at the most critical point of the regular season.
An average power play this season is scoring a little over seven goals per 60 minutes of hockey, or converting on about 20 per cent of their power-play opportunities. Montreal season-to-date: 4.2 goals per 60 minutes of hockey and converting on fewer than 12 per cent of their power play opportunities. Just maintaining an average man advantage in Montreal would have seen them gain 18 goals in the standings, which is worth approximately three wins.
How critical is three wins? On Sunday, the Canadiens were four and three points back of the two wild-card slots, respectively. I’ll let you do the rest of the math.


Three men found guilty of being accessories to crimes against copyright law for their part in running The Pirate Bay have lost their appeal, while a fourth man still awaits trial.The three, Fredrik Neij, Peter Sunde, and Carl Lundström, were originally each sentenced to a year in prison, but the Svea Court of Appeals reduced their sentences on Friday: Neij must now serve 10 months, Sunde eight months and Lundström four.
However, the court raised the damages they must collectively pay, from 30 million Swedish kronor (US$3.6 million) to 46 million kronor.
The Pirate Bay is one of the most widely used torrent trackers for online sharers of music, movies and software. The defendants have stated that The Pirate Bay is a legal site containing a collection of Internet links, but the entertainment industry sees it differently.
A tracker doesn't host the files for download itself, but instead carries "torrent" files that point file-sharing applications such as BitTorrent to other computers that contain parts of the file to be downloaded.The original verdict against the three was handed down in April last year, and sentenced Neij, Sunde, Lundström and a fourth defendant, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg to one year in prison.
Also, the court has found that some acts that the prosecutor has claimed to be part of an illegal activity have not been proved. Others are not punishable, according to the court. For example, the court has found that Sunde's role as The Pirate Bay's spokesman doesn't constitute a criminal offense. Sweden's freedom of press protection also includes a freedom to make statements to the press, it said.
Lundström's sentence was reduced because there wasn't enough proof for the allegation that he was a party of a contract according to which an external host owner was guaranteed a certain share of the profits.
Still, the entertainment industry seems to be content with the verdict.
The most important thing is that the defendants have been found guilty in the Court of Appeals as well, said Peter Danowsky, the lawyer who has represented the music industry. The verdict comes as relief, he said.
The defendants are understandably not as happy, and they are ready for another round.
"There will be an appeal to the supreme court, don't worry," Sunde said in a Twitter message.
The appeals trial took place in September and October, but Svartholm Warg was unable to take part due to illness, and will get a separate trial for which the dates will now be decided, according to judge Kristina Boutz.Since the original verdict, the entertainment industry's lawyers have done their best to shut down the site, asking courts around the world to force Internet service providers to block access to the site for their customers.
The tactic has seen some success: users in Denmark can't access the site.
The defendants say they are no longer involved with The Pirate Bay, but it's still seen as the place to go to find the latest TV shows, movies and music. On Friday morning, the site had about 4.8 million registered users and 3.2 million torrents. The eighth episode from the seventh season of House was the most popular TV show and Inception was the most popular movie.


Most of the top scorers in the TEC graduated a year ago -- but that doesn't mean there's not plenty of talent to watch around the area.
RICHMOND, Ind. – Thirteen of last year’s top 15 scorers in the Tri-Eastern Conference have graduated, and just one returning player averaged double-figures.
Suddenly, Richmond has talent, and experience that makes them an interesting story line, but the unknowns from around the area make the TEC an interesting one to follow, as well. Five of the top players returning were freshmen a year ago.
Here are 18 players to watch entering the 2018-19 boys basketball season, listed in alphabetical order by last name.
One of two seniors that started as freshmen, Brenneke averaged 8.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the Cardinals.
The Tri-Village senior averaged about 13 points per game off the bench.
Frye didn't start playing basketball until he was 14 years old, but he credits Rick Wedlow for instilling in him the passion for the game. Head coach Shabaz Khaliq appreciates Frye's desire to get better, and as a senior, Frye will have his biggest role yet. Frye's 3.6 rebounds per game are the most among returning Red Devils, and he only averaged 2.1 points. But again, stats aren't his biggest contribution to the team.
Harrison averaged 15.6 points per game and was named to the All-Cross County Conference team, as National Trail went 15-9 for their first winning season since 2005. Harrison had a school-record 69 3-pointers, shooting 43 percent from the 3-point line, 54 percent from the field and 82 percent from the free-throw line.
Hillard was part of a very successful run at Northeastern, including averaging 9.8 points, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a junior. He transferred to Richmond when his father, Shane, took over as Richmond’s girls basketball coach following the death of former head coach Casey Pohlenz.
Kroft showed some of what he can do when he threw down a dunk during the scrimmage on Saturday, and like his brother, has the makeup to one day be a Division I basketball player.
Kroft instantly makes Richmond better. Just days after transferring to Richmond, he announced his verbal commitment to Ball State University and has since signed. Kroft averaged 12 points per game during his junior season at Fort Wayne North, and led Richmond with 29 points during Saturday’s scrimmage against Franklin Central.
Lumpkin played in all 26 games as a freshman, averaging 8.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game as a freshman for the Knights, one of the most consistent programs in the past decade.
Moynihan averaged a near double-double as a freshman, as Seton advanced to the regional championship game for the first time in school history.
Moynihan chipped in 9.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 3.4 blocked shots per game, had 10 double doubles and a triple double.
The other three-year starter, Reichley averaged 9.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game. He and Moynihan tied for team-highs with 31 made 3-pointers.
The 6-foot-7 Sparks played in 17 games as a freshman, averaging 5.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
Swimm averaged 11.5 points per game a year ago, the most among returning players. A three-sport standout, Swimm enters the season as a leading contender for the TEC Player of the Year honors. He also averaged 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists just under a steal per game for the 15-8 Tigers.
Torres averaged 7.6 points, 2.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game for the Wayne County champions.
Vanlandingham was another freshman that played in all 26 games for the Knights, and his career-high 20 points against Centerville helped the Knights advance to the sectional championship game.
Wissel averaged 10.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game for the Rebels.


NEW PHILADELPHIA As close as the battle between the Dover and New Philadelphia boys’ basketball teams was Friday night, it just had to come down to a final shot – with a sprinkle of controversy thrown in to spice things up even more, too.
New Phila senior Brandon Weekley scooped up a loose-ball rebound and fired up and nailed a shot from the 3-point area on the right side that just beat the buzzer, but was ruled a two-point basket, allowing the visiting Tornadoes to escape the Quaker gym with a thrilling 35-34 victory.
Just like the first game between the two schools – a 43-40 win by the Quakers last month – the leads by either team never were very big all night and the teams played tremendous defense on every possession.
The win gives the Tornadoes (17-2 overall) a record of 11-1 in the East Central Ohio League and a one-game lead on the Quakers (15-2, 10-2) with two league games left for each.
Dover also snapped New Phila’s 14-game winning streak, picked up its eighth straight win and gave Von Kaenel – already the winningest high school coach in Tuscarawas County history – another milestone win.
Von Kaenel now has won 500 games at Dover.
And he and everyone else in the gym won’t soon forget this one, either.
Both teams seemed to respond time and again on Friday. Dover took the early lead and was up 11-8 after the first quarter on the strength of seven points from senior Ethan Snyder, but the Quakers tied it up by halftime at 18-18 with junior Jent Joseph scoring nine of New Phila’s points in the half.
New Phila actually had an opportunity to have a nice lead at the break, but made only two of seven free throws in the first and second quarters, and finished a tough 12 of 22 from the line for the game.
Dover appeared ready to take over the game in the third quarter, as Snyder drained a 3-pointer and junior Kade Ruegsegger added two free throws to put the Tornadoes up 23-20. But after a basket by New Phila’s Nate Voll pulled the Quakers to within 23-20, a Dover player lost his composure, was whistled for a foul and a quick technical foul, and the Quakers ended up making four of six free throws on the possession to take a 24-23 lead into the fourth quarter.
Dover’s Jules Freeman promptly gave the Tornadoes the lead back on a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter and the fight to the finish was on from there.
New Phila’s Noah Begue gave the Quakers a 30-29 lead with 3:55 left on two free throws before Ruegsegger got loose for a layup out of an inbounds play and Dover’s Ian Sexton canned two free throws to put the Tornadoes up 33-30 with 1:24 remaining. Joseph made two free throws to make it 33-32 with 36.2 seconds left and Ruegsegger added a free throw for a 34-32 Dover lead with 13.8 seconds left.
After a New Phila turnover on a charge call, Folkert made one free throw for the 35-32 Dover lead.
The Quakers came right up the floor and got a good 3-point shot attempt that bounced away from the crowd around the basket and out toward Weekley just above the right corner. He stepped right into the ball and let the shot fly and when it went in the gym went absolutely bonkers until the officials ruled it was a two-point basket and ran off the floor.
“These are two such evenly matched teams – it was just a battle right from the start,” Von Kaenel said.
The teams both struggled shooting the ball due to the intense defense, as Dover made only 12 of 41 (29.2 percent) and New Phila made 10 of 27 (37 percent).
Snyder led Dover with 12 points and Ruegsegger had 10. Joseph was the only Quaker in double figures with 15 points, while Begue (4 points before fouling out) and Voll (3 points) combined for seven.
The Tornadoes also had a big 33-20 rebounding advantage, including grabbing 14 offensive rebounds.


When Winnipeg Animal Services decided to hold a day of fun on Christmas Day for people to play with dogs, they expected only a “handful” of people to show. Instead they saw hundreds come through the doors.
How many drinks is too many under new impaired driving rules?


A charity discovered one of their Doncaster volunteers' secret art talent - and now he is spearheading a campaign to improve children's teeth.
Ben Bonser signed up as a volunteer at the Hill Top Centre in Edlngton three years ago, as he recovered from some health problems.
But officials who run the centre discovered he had been a keen amateur artist as a child, and have now used his skills to create a comic which will be used to encourage youngsters to visit their dentist.
And the creation he came up with has even been turned into a life-sized mascot costume that will be used to promote dental health.
The organisation is one of a number of groups including the NHS and public health officials who have put together a comic about a character called Mole R, which is being used in the comic.
Volunteer Ben was asked to create the character, which has now been printed and will be distributed all across the borough.
Former Don Valley High School pupil Ben, aged 35, is delighted to have had his talent put to use and says he would to make a career out of it.
He said: "I've been doing art since the aged of six, and it's something that I've always gone back to. I used to draw cartoon characters as a teenager. I used to be a fan of Teddy Ruxpin and used to re-design him a lot.
"I used to just draw on paper, and then I discovered graphics tablets, and I'd be lost without one now."
"My colleagues here saw some of my old cartoons, and just said 'we're looking for a mascot'. They gave me the name and the idea of a mole, and just left me to design it. It normally takes me a couple of hours to do a picture.
"It was great for me to focus on a project. I had the backgrounds to draw as well. I've even done caricatures of some the people who work in the dentists in Edlington to make it more realistic for the kids who read it. But one of them left, so I had to draw a new one with the replacement.
"I'd love it if it went nationwide."
Ben says he now would like to get into drawing for graphic novels. "This has ignited a need to tell a story," he said.


Synchronized, city-wide flushing will keep waste from accumulating and creating blocked sewers when the towns go without water.
A city in Zimbabwe has ordered citywide toilet flushing once every three days as they face a drought, complete with water shortages and dams that have been drying up. They're currently on strict water rations, but when the water's turned on, residents' first order of business is to flush their toilets. In unison.
The first synchronized flush took place on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The reasoning behind this--and subsequent flushes which will take place every three days--is to keep waste from accumulating and creating blocked sewers when the towns go without water. The city council has asked its over 1 million residents to literally flush out their systems.
Notwithstanding the humor of a city-wide toilet flush, it is an important measure for public health reasons as well. If the sewage systems or not functioning properly, septic waste can seep into the streets, causing disease and infection. The solution seems reasonable, but is the problem only drought-related? According to Bulawayo South MP Eddie Cross, it also stems from lack of sufficient infrastructure. "We've been saying that Bulawayo's water pipes need attention for 30 years," he told the Guardian. "We haven't built a new dam since independence. There's no short-term solution and no miracle in sight."


AYMERIC LAPORTE has signed a new deal with Athletic Bilbao.
Laporte has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City.
The Premier League club were reportedly ready to offer the defender a huge wage hike to lure him to the Etihad.
And he was told to make his mind up over his future by the end of the month.
But it seems the 22-year-old has decided to remain in Spain, putting pen-to-paper on a fresh contract that ties him to the La Liga outfit until 2020.
Bilbao confirmed the news via their official Twitter account, also revealing Laporte’s release clause is set to rise from €65m (£51m) to €70 (£55m).
It will come as a blow to City, with new boss Pep Guardiola understood to be a huge fan of the France Under-21 star.
Although Sky Sports claim they are relaxed about the apparent snub due to the player’s recent injury struggles.
Laporte missed the end of last season after suffering a serious ankle injury on international duty in March.
Everton and England starlet John Stones is also understood to be on the Spaniard’s radar.


Homeland will soon come to an end, according to star Claire Danes.
Danes has portrayed CIA officer Carrie Mathison in the US spy thriller since 2011. The show is currently in its seventh season, with an eighth season already confirmed.
Appearing on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM show on Wednesday (April 18), Danes claimed “that’s it” when asked about rumours that season 8 would be the final outing of the series.
Despite Danes’ comments, a Showtime representative has told The Hollywood Reporter that a decision has not yet been made beyond season 8.
The season 7 finale is set to air later this month on April 29, with season 8 expected to premiere in 2019.
In February, showrunner Alex Gansa said that season 8 is “definitely going to be my last year” and “will be designed to be the end of an eight-season story”.
Gansa added: “If Showtime, Fox, Claire and Mandy want to take the show further, that’s their decision, and we would leave some room for that to happen – if there’s an appetite”.


East Palo Alto police officials are seeking the publics help in locating a teen who was last seen in the evening on Thursday, October 26 around the Menlo Park Cal train station.
According to officials, Jonathan Bedolla left Junipero Serra High School at approximately 3 p.m. and went to work at the Stanford Shopping Center and left at 5 p.m.
Bedolla's mother has made multiple attempts to contact him and he has yet to respond. Officials say Bedolla's whereabouts are unknown but he is not considered a risk.
Officials are urging anyone with information on Bedolla's whereabouts to contact the East Palo Alto Police Department through their anonymous e-mail at epa@tipnow.org, text line or phone call at 650-409-6792.


18-year-old Sawyer Dow had been reported missing Saturday morning.
Jefferson County sheriff's deputies have found the body of a missing teen in Clear Creek County.
A sheriff's office spokesperson says the family of 18-year-old Sawyer Dow reported him missing at around 10:40 a.m. Saturday. They had last spoken with him at around 6 p.m. Friday.
In a Tweet late Saturday night, Mullen High School announced that Dow was a senior at the school.
Deputies searched near mile marker 265 on Highway 6, west of tunnel 1, after his car was found in that area. Dow's body was found some time between 1 and 1:30 p.m., according to the spokeswoman.
The cause of Dow's death will be determined by the coroner.


(India Today) A student stabbed a college professor to death in eastern Pakistan on Wednesday, apparently because he felt that a planned party that women were going to be involved with would be un-Islamic.
“Apparently, the accused has no link to any religious group but we are investigating about his past and the reasons behind his mindset,” local police official Farhan Hussain said. He added that the motive given by the alleged attacker was Hameed’s decision to hold the party.


The topics covered ranged from the economic status of china to the militarization of outer space — which, according to Zhou, is something China will never take part in. The topic that generated the most questions and concerns, however, was the issue of Taiwanese independence.
Despite this firm stance, some students believed that he handled the question gently.
“I thought he handled [the Taiwan question] well, he didn’t seem too aggressive about it, he just said ‘this is what our stance is’,” Shannon Men ’07 said.
Other students thought that his response warranted suspicion of his motives regarding the statements.
“He seemed like he needed to pretend he was someone he was not in order to promote good relations between the two countries. Especially with the Taiwan issue, his response was ‘nice’, but you could tell from his reasoning that if a country were to go against China’s interests, they would become an enemy of China. It’s not completely apparent, it seems hidden, but that’s what I think,” said Yuan Li Ren ’10.
Regardless of interpretation, Zhou made a direct request to the United States to respect China’s wishes concerning the matter, and to cease all aid to Taiwan.
The speech initially tended to steer clear of any dangerous waters, choosing to focus instead upon the improving relations between the two countries, as well as the peaceful development and evolution of China itself.
In correlation to this desire for world peace, Zhou brought up the Darfur crisis as an example of how China and the U.S. are working together towards this common goal.
“China and the U.S. are also in close consultation and cooperation with each other matters regarding the Middle East and Darfur,” Zhou said.
Concerns regarding the economic relationship between the U.S. and China arose during the question and answer segment of the address. Zhou attempted to calm the concerns, citing several positive figures indicating the expansion of the trade between the two countries.
Because of the broad range of the topic’s discussion, the reasons for each listener’s presence varied widely.
Chen Jian, the director of China and Asia-Pacific Studies asked the ambassador what he thought caused the major change in China-U.S. relations over the years.
“[The expansion of common interests] has made it possible for our two countries to resolve differences through consultations, not confrontation,” Zhou said.


We have this really intriguing role (Term Time) for a school (independent), in Cambridgeshire– This person might have worked within a school OR probably has worked in the ‘white heat’ of the corporate world but who now wants a ….quieter life….nearer to home. The role would suit someone who has worn one or more of the following ‘hats’ : PA – Administrator – Manager – Office Manager- HR.
Someone who has excellent IT Skills- an ability to juggle workloads and prioritize theirs and other diaries . First class attention to detail – so the ability to think through the planning of a school day – An ambassador with exemplary front of house skills– Is this you ?!?


One News Page > News Videos > Who Ate My Flip-Flop?
Occurred on January 25, 2019 / Vilhena, Rondônia, Brazil Info from Licensor: "I found my slipper all chewed up and impossible to wear.
The two dogs, a mother, and daughter were in the room when I surprised with the question while I was filming.
Mel had a clean conscience and didn't move.
Nevinha (Mel's daughter) already stopped what she was doing and ran away to hide under my mother who protects and takes care of her since birth.
She gave away what she had done."


With the Celtics' loss to the Nets, the Pacers could've made up lost ground but had no answers for Aaron Gordon or Terrence Ross.
INDIANAPOLIS – An off day can't come soon enough. Five games are left in the Indiana Pacers' regular season, and they can't continue to kick the can down the road.
More performances such as Saturday's 121-116 loss to the Orlando Magic -- their third defeat in a row -- and that's where the Pacers will be opening the playoffs.
With the Boston Celtics losing to the Brooklyn Nets, the Pacers had a chance to reclaim the No. 4 seed that they'd lost 24 hours earlier for home-court advantage in the first round the playoffs.
"We need to mentally and physically get some rest and regroup," said Pacers coach Nate McMillan, whose team lost 114-112 in Boston on Friday night. "We need to get ourselves ready for Monday."
The Pacers (45-32) have consecutive games ahead vs. the Detroit Pistons at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and on the road against them on Wednesday.
Similar to the Magic (38-39), the Pistons have to win to remain in the playoff picture. The Magic won the season series with the Pacers 3-1. The Pacers trail the Celtics in head-to-head (2-1 with a game here Friday) and conference record (31-16 vs. 30-17), the first two tiebreakers.
It wasn't scoring but the Pacers' inability to get stops that cost them.
Darren Collison (24 points, nine assists) came alive to lead seven players in double figures. Bojan Bogdanovic (22 points), their leading scorer since the loss of Victor Oladipo to a knee injury, missed 4 of 5 shots in the fourth.
Orlando (38-39) shot 47-for-92, 51 percent, with 37 assists. Aaron Gordon (23 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) led six players in double figures. Terrence Ross (16 points) was lethal off the bench.
"It's unacceptable," Collison said. "We can't lose a game like that, especially at home, when everything is going our way most of the game. The coaching staff did everything they could to put us in position to succeed. As players, we have to take this one on the chin. This is a game we can't drop."
The Pacers appeared to take control with a 9-2 run late in the third quarter for a 78-71 lead. Then it was 82-73.
Then Ross happened. And Michael Carter-Williams, a castaway picked up late in the season by Orlando, too.
In about a three-minute span, Ross (16 points) scored nine and Carter-Williams (10 points) tallied eight.
Instead of putting away the Magic, one of the league's elite defensive teams allowed Khem Birch (10 points) uncontested dunks because of blown assignments late in the fourth as the visitors went ahead by nine.
"This was a big loss and a pretty disappointing game for us," said Bogdanovic, who only scored two points after the third quarter. "We showed two completely different faces last night and tonight. Playing at home and letting them score 120 points makes it impossible to win the game. ... We didn't have our defense like we did last night."
Myles Turner (16 points, 12 rebounds) battled Nic Vucevic (19 points) for post position, forcing him to take difficult shots to help Indiana extend a 57-56 halftime lead.
Ross then got hot, much like he did in scoring 30 and 23 in previous wins vs. Indiana, with four 3s though he only made 5 of 14 shots overall.
Tyreke Evans (seven points) was the opposite off the bench for the Pacers. He routinely took the ball into traffic and missed Doug McDermott (10 points) spotting up wide open in transition during a pivotal stretch of the fourth with his team in desperate need of a bucket.
Thaddeus Young (10 points) and Wesley Matthews (13 points) were called for fouls on what appeared to be a clean steal and block late in the fourth to compound the Pacers' woes.
The hole they'd put themselves in, however, meant it probably wouldn't have mattered.
Allowing this many points in regulation isn't how they've gotten this far.
"In the second half, teams are able to get to another level and raise their energy and intensity," McMillan said. "We are not able to do that."
It's a good time to decompress.


pink for approximately 5-7 minutes. Make sure to turn shrimp repeatedly during the cooking process. Remove kabobs and keep them warm while preparing the next step.
Place the bacon in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp. Using tongs, transfer to a large paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the avocado oil to the fat in the pan and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Add the okra and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the okra to the plate with the bacon and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, jalapeño, thyme, and cayenne to the remaining oil and fat in the pan, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Next, add the corn, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is crisp-tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the cream, stir to combine, and cook until the cream is almost completely absorbed. Remove the pan from heat and add the scallions and the reserved bacon and okra. Stir to combine and serve immediately with the Cajun shrimp kabobs.


CBS Films, Lionsgate and eOne have opened the first door into Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, the latest horror offering from Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro (a producer here) that will hit theaters August 9. André Øvredal is directing the pic, which Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman penned based on a screen story by del Toro and Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunstan.
Based on the book series by Alvin Schwartz, the pic is set in 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley, where for generations, the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time—stories that have a way of becoming all too real for a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying home. Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint, Austin Zajur and Natalie Ganzhorn star.
Del Toro produced with Sean Daniel, Jason F. Brown, J. Miles Dale and Elizabeth Grave.


A 16-year-old boy was attacked and robbed in North Riverdale at 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, according to police. The victim was walking in front of 5550 Riverdale Ave. when two assailants approached him from behind and tackled him. The victim said both perpetrators had knives pointed at him and took his phone before fleeing the scene. The first suspect was described as a 15-year-old black male, and the second as a Hispanic male with no age description but about 5 feet 9 inches tall. Police say there were no cameras in the area, but that the case is still open to investigation.
A deliveryman was attacked while working on Saturday at 9:25 p.m, according to police. The man, 40, was walking at the corner of West 197th Street and Sedgwick Avenue when two suspects, described as 14 and 15 years old, attacked the victim and hit him over the head with a stick. Police arrested the two suspects and they have been charged with felony assault in the second degree.
A blue 2013 Subaru Outback was stolen on Mar. 15, sometime between 12:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m, police said. The victim, 46, told police that he parked his car opposite of 3811 Cannon Place and when he returned it was gone. The car is valued at $15,000. A canvas of the area produced no results and this grand larceny auto case is closed to detectives.
Police said they observed a driver in a 2015 Lexus SUV speeding and swerving between lanes near West 233rd Street and the Major Deegan Expressway around midnight on Monday. When officers pulled over the driver, a 47-year-old man, they reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and that suspect was displaying combative behavior. When submitted to a Breathalyzer test, the man scored 0.0914, above the legal limit. This driving while intoxicated case is closed due to arrest.
92 Van Cortlandt Park W.
Police said sometime between 4:30 p.m. on March 14 and 5 p.m. the next day, an unknown perpetrator broke into a 2014 Porsche Cayenne in front of 92 Van Cortlandt Park W. The victim, a 30-year-old woman, said when she returned to her car she found a total of $1,837 of her belongings had been stolen. Cameras were present at the scene and police said they did not observe any visible signs of damage or forced entry to the car. This grand larceny auto case is open to the detective squad.


Investors in Asia were scrambling back into technology shares after an overnight report from IBM that its profits were on target. Further inspiration came from Nasdaq's strong performance, which has raised hopes in Asian markets that the worst is over for high-tech stocks.
Foreign funds provided much of the drive as they went bargain-hunting among the region's chipmakers, sparking rises of up to 5% among the region's technology leaders. Tokyo enjoyed its fifth day of gains, powered by a weakening yen, which hoisted stocks of exporters, and expectations that a government market support strategy is about to be unveiled.
The Nikkei 225 Average climbed more than 1.5%, adding 187.63 points to 13,855.26, led by chips giant NEC and electronic consumer goods group Sony. Bank stocks were also being snapped up on expectations that a government share support scheme would take the pressure off their balance sheets, which are stuffed with stocks.
Hong Kong stocks accelerated and the Hang Seng climbed 218.64 to 15,480.12. Technology stocks were lifted by Nasdaq's performance but buyers were also snapping up interest-rate sensitive counters such as banks and property developers on the belief that the recent economic indicators from the US had cleared the way for further rate cuts.
The hammering of telecommunications carrier Pacific Century Cyberworks ended, removing some of the negative pressure on the Hang Seng. Heavy buying of South Korean chipmakers, led by foreign institutions, boosted prices in Seoul almost 2%.
Samsung Electronics, which counts IBM as a major customer, jumped more than 5%, and as the New Year rally continued to spread into other sectors the Kospi gained 11.04 points to 606.87, taking it past the critical 600 support level.
An early sprint by bank and financial stocks in Taiwan slowed to a jog by midday when the Weighted index closed the session up 34.95 points at 5804.90.
Trading was subdued by the coming 10-day Chinese New Year holiday, but buyers snapped up bank stocks on the conviction that the shake-out in the sector had been overdone.
A rush from blue-chips into technology stocks left Singapore's Straits Times index down 14.44 points at 1892.74. IBM's bullish report sparked the technology rally, but concerns over the trade figures and the longer-term economic outlook proved the bigger influence.
A mild adjustment to Malaysia's Cabinet by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had no economic implications, and as investors held back in expectation of the heavyweight offering of stock in Time dot com, the Kuala Lumpur Composite edged down 0.79 to 678.86.
Continued buying of bank stocks, and a sharp rally in technology counters combined to push Thailand's SET index up by 3.75 points to 318.73.
With the smell of teargas still strong after student rioting continued in Jakarta, the Composite index drifted down 0.07 points to 414.59.
Strong overnight buying of News Corp's ADRs in New York followed through in Sydney, pushing the stock up 1.2%, and helping the All Ordinaries index up 44.7 points to 3243.1.


Earnings season continues its rapid pace this week, when a third of Dow and S&P 500 components announce quarterly results.
The reporters vary heavily, with names like Exxon Mobil, Netflix, A pple, and Boeing all set to announce. Investors will be looking to 2012 guidance to gauge if low earnings estimates set before the season began hold any weight.
Companies are listed in the general order that they will report (before-the-bell announcements are first, with after-the-bell announcements towards the middle-to-end). Consensus estimates provided by Bloomberg.


Accurate, efficient vibration testing is vital for effective helicopter maintenance operations.
EuroTec Canada, located outside Toronto, Ontario, provides sales and service for trusted MicroVib II vibration analysis products from Dynamic Solutions Systems, Inc. (DSS) and is DSS’ appointed representative for Canada.
DSS and Eurotec Canada have been working together since 2014, and EuroTec staff will be available to discuss MicroVib II products during the upcoming Helicopter Association of Canada annual trade show in Vancouver, British Columbia.
DSS’ MicroBase Professional Vibration Data Management Software is bundled with the MicroVib II Helicopter Vibration Control System and incorporates powerful data storage with precise analysis and smooth output.
The system allows operators to save time and engine starts with accurate results for quick and easy component adjustments.
EuroTec also reports other exciting developments in aviation products, as Vertical Flight Solutions by EuroTec is in the final design and development phase of integrating high-capacity True Blue Power TB17 for the AS350 series of helicopters and the latest TB44 (46 amp-hour) Advanced Lithium-ion Batteries into the Airbus H135 series helicopters as well as other commercial helicopter models.
The company recently achieved approval for a main ship TB17 Battery Kit for the EC130/H130 series helicopters as well.


Cleveland, OH and Rochester, MN, May 1, 2013 – Bravo Wellness and Mayo Clinic announced today their collaborative effort to provide a seamless, turnkey solution that will help mitigate employers’ health care costs while rewarding employees for healthier lifestyles.
Through this new relationship, Bravo Wellness clients will now have access to Mayo Clinic’s suite of population health solutions. In turn, Mayo Clinic will be able to offer clients robust, outcomes-based incentive options. Recognized for their industry-leading expertise and involvement in the field of outcomes-based incentive programs, Bravo provides clients with seamless administration, creative plan designs, and compliant programs that meet an organization’s culture and needs. Bravo brings expertise and state-of-the-art technology to manage the appeals and “reasonable alternatives” process. Bravo’s unique ability to track progress toward personalized goals, established for each individual, offers a fair approach embraced by employees and employers alike. In addition, Bravo’s strong history of demonstrated return on investment provides the funding employers may need to engage enhanced intervention tools, such as those offered by Mayo Clinic.
For nearly 150 years, people from all walks of life have found answers at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic’s commitment to health extends beyond the hospital and clinic doors into the cubicles and conference rooms of businesses through Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions. Drawing upon Mayo Clinic’s expertise in the medical, behavioral and online interactive arenas, this team developed the Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth portal, addressing the full spectrum of health management goals from health risk identification, to preventive education and self-care. From health assessments, newsletters and books, to their telephonic coaching and nurse line, Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth is an extensive wellness resource that encourages participants to adopt healthier lifestyles.
This collaboration between Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions and Bravo Wellness allows clients from both companies to benefit from additional offerings; an opportunity for healthier bottom lines, healthier employees, and health care savings to both the client and its employees.
Bravo Wellness is the industry leader in designing outcomes-based wellness incentive programs. Together with its subsidiary, IncentiSoft Solutions, they provide compliance, technology and administrative support for wellness programs. For more information, visit www.bravowell.com.
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit populationhealth.mayoclinic.com, MayoClinic.com or MayoClinic.org/news.


We are excited to report that Farm to Fork and Garden to Glass raised more than $200,000 for local conservation. That’s nearly twice as much as in 2017. Thanks to everyone who attended, our corporate partners and table sponsors for making it all possible.
The event was held on Thursday, Aug. 16, at Creamery Ranch in the heart of the Lake Creek Valley’s beauty. Several properties permanently conserved by the Land Trust were visible from the event, including Creamery Ranch and Homestead conservation easements.
Because of such a great show of support, Eagle Valley Land Trust will be able to conserve more land in the coming years while fulfilling our annual duty to protect the lands already conserved.
Special thanks goes to the Creamery Ranch Homeowners Association for hosting the event and to the Precourt family for sponsoring Garden to Glass. The Land Trust must still raise more than $175,000 between now and the end of the year to meet our budget. With the help of our supporters, we can reach that goal.


Mitchell Plumbing & Heating In is located at the address 118 2nd Ave in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15122. They can be contacted via phone at (412) 653-1855 for pricing, hours and directions. Mitchell Plumbing & Heating In specializes in Coolers, Smoke Damage, Ballasts.
Mitchell Plumbing & Heating In has an annual sales volume of 501K - 999,999. .
Posted on July 18, 2015. Brought to you by chamberofcommerce.
The last thing any Pittsburgh area homeowner wants, a major plumbing problem can cause sewage leaks and even structural damage to your home. Thats where we come in.At Mitchell Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, we offer a full range of general plumbing, heating and air conditioning services. From installation of new fixtures to radiant heating to air conditioning repairs, we do it all. Our commitment is to providing honest, professional and affordable service on every job we take, big or small, residential or commercial, and we want to do the same for you.Dont mess around with doityourself plumbing techniques our licensed, professional, courteous plumbing and HVAC experts can provide solutions for all of your home comfort needs.
Mitchell Plumbing & Heating In provides Plumbing services in Pittsburgh, PA. Call them at 412-653-1855 for more details.


Last August, McDonald's decided to create a group of bloggers, which now has 400 members, to give them access to information on food, nutrition, and more.
Last August, McDonald's decided to create a group of bloggers, which now has 400 members, to give them access to information on food, nutrition, and more. It isn't the fast-food giant's first blogger campaign, but the company is receiving criticism for giving online writers free gifts and parties.
McDonald's PR consultant Josh Ainsfeld said the initiative was created as a way to “teach” people how to become brand ambassadors through social media. However, one reason the firm is seeing a backlash is because most of the bloggers chosen for the program were already McDonald's fans.
In 2010, McDonald's held a campaign for 15 bloggers, inviting all of them and their families to the company's headquarters in Illinois and paying for everything from food to car rides to the hotel stay. Some critics said the trip was a way of getting the bloggers to write positive stories about the company, but Rick Wion, director of social media for McDonald's USA, told The New York Times that bloggers “are key influencers” for the brand.
“We need to make sure we're working with them,” he said.
Many companies take bloggers on trips or send them gifts, so McDonald's shouldn't be the only brand in the spotlight for these activities. In October 2011, CGPR helped Agron, Adidas' exclusive distributor of its outdoor sports division, select 12 bloggers for a trip to Adidas' global headquarters and testing facilities in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Pampers has also interacted with bloggers and other consumers by helping them throw in-home baby shower-themed parties with its products.
While bloggers are often viewed as members of the media, they don't have to follow the same rules that many journalists do, so they can accept as many gifts and trips as they want.
It seems like McDonald's is just joining the bandwagon on blogger events and campaigns. As long as the company remains transparent about the initiatives and what they entail, criticism will most likely taper out.
Correction: An earlier version of the story described McDonald's blogger initiative incorrectly. The blogger program is US-focused.


Some of those seeking to scrub their histories from the Web under Europe’s “right to be forgotten” rule are being economical with the truth when making their requests, Google said Thursday.
Part of the problem is that Google must often rely on information submitted by the requester in granting or rejecting a request.
For example, it said, someone might want to remove an old article about crimes they committed when they were a teenager—without revealing they’d been convicted of similar crimes as an adult.
As a result, Google might not be aware of information that would support leaving the search result intact.
Google has criticized the ruling in the past but said it’s working to comply with it nonetheless. Its letter Thursday was in response to a questionnaire from regulators seeking more details about how it handles the requests.
As of July 18, Google had received more than 91,000 requests involving more than 328,000 URLs. On Thursday it said it had removed around 53 percent, or just over half, of those URLs. It declined to remove about a third of them, and requested more information in 15 percent of cases. It said those percentages could shift over time.
Reasons it might not grant a request include if removing the link would not be in the public interest, or if the contents of a link involve political speech, it said.
People in France and Germany submitted the most requests, at 17,500 and 16,500, respectively, Google said, followed by the U.K. with 12,000 requests, Spain with 8,000, Italy with 7,500 and Holland with 5,500.
Some webmasters have complained to Google about the removal of links to their sites, it said.
Others besides Google have criticized the ruling. This week, a U.K. House of Lords subcommittee said the ruling was unworkable and misguided. It said it could be particularly damaging for smaller search engines that don’t have the resources to handle the requests.
Google provides a form online for the removal requests. So does Microsoft’s Bing.
“We continue to work out the details of the process we’ll use to evaluate the requests,” a Microsoft spokeswoman said.


Saudis Impatient For King's Promised 'Reforms' Months ago, Saudi King Abdullah promised changes in what analysts say was a bid to quiet growing frustrations in the desert kingdom. But now, much of the king's words are ringing hollow, with many Saudis saying they see little change.
: Saudi Arabia. A couple of months ago, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah unveiled a multi-billion dollar package of economic reforms. The package focused attention on problems the kingdom rarely talks about, unemployment, a housing shortage, and corruption. Many Saudis believe the decrees were meant to quiet dissent that's been stirred up by the popular uprisings taking place across the Middle East. Saudi critics dismiss the package as a payoff. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson recently traveled to Saudi Arabia and filed this report.
SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON: Here at Kingdom Mall in Riyadh, shoppers asked about King Abdullah's decrees voiced their approval - like 30-year-old Noura Ataybi.
NOURA ATAYBI: This is good, but you know, he's thinking for the future, for the new generations. This is the most important thing.
SARHADDI NELSON: Fellow shopper, Delaal, who is 50 and would only give her first name, says she too, believes the king will take care of them. She points to his decrees, which included an extra month's pay for government workers, unemployment benefits, money for a half-million new homes and new jobs. But Delaal's trust for King Abdullah doesn't extend to those in his government.
DELAAL: Unidentified Woman (Translator): The reform.
SARHADDI NELSON: Reform is something people talk a lot about these days in the kingdom. It's a ripple effect from the Arab Spring that is toppling regimes in nearby countries.
SARHADDI NELSON: Delaal's sister, Eptisam, says what she wants is for Saudi government agencies to be accountable to the people. That's not usually how it is now, says Al Hayat newspaper Executive Editor Ahmad Soliman al Fheed.
SARHADDI NELSON: As part of his March decrees, he established a commission to combat government corruption. But critics predict the commission won't get far, given that Saudi officials have more or less operated with impunity since the kingdom was founded less than a century ago.
MOHAMMED FAHAD AL QAHTANI: This is like a Soviet-style economy, that things are run in hierarchy and it's prone to corruption, so corruption is really intrinsic.
SARHADDI NELSON: Mohammed Fahad al Qahtani heads the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association based in Riyadh.
FAHAD AL QAHTANI: So it's not really a normal, you know, administrative or financial corruption that you may see in other countries. This is a political corruption and the solution requires a political solution, political reform. And they are not willing to do it.
SARHADDI NELSON: There were no measures changing the power structure in the March decrees from King Abdullah. The Saudi government also chose to ignore demands from domestic and international human rights groups for the release of political prisoners. Qahtani believes that's a mistake. His organization has called on the king to create a constitutional monarchy in Saudi Arabia, with parliamentary elections and ministries run by commoners.
FAHAD AL QAHTANI: We are not really calling for toppling the royal family, but they must reform. I mean this kind of absolute monarchy is really out of time, this like medieval political structure is really out of time. That we live in this day and age where revolution is roaring throughout the Middle East and you want to hold and maintain the status quo? It's not going to survive.
SARHADDI NELSON: Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News.
: This is NPR News.


There was bound to be new figures enroute with X-Files briefly returning to TV in January. But it’s hard to get excited about Diamond Select Toys’ Mulder and Scully figures which bear only a passing resemblance to the characters we’re so happy to have back.
It’s important to remember that these figures are based on the older versions of Mulder and Scully that we’ll all have to get used to next month, which explains Dana’s blonde hair. Mulder’s figure mostly looks the part with an exaggerated five o’clock shadow, but the sculpt on Scully’s face completely misses the mark. Without Fox standing next to her, she’s mostly unrecognizable.


Kung-fu football: Patrick Wleh challenging Kedah goalkeeper Mohd Ifwat Akmal Chek Kassim during the Malaysia Cup final at the Shah Alam Stadium on Oct 30.
GEORGE TOWN: Liberian striker Patrick Wleh has been warned not to put self interest ahead of the team when he rejoins PKNS FC.
The flamboyant 25-year-old had featured for the Red Ants from 2013-15 before engineering a loan move to Super League side Selangor last season.
He scored nine league goals as the Red Giants finished fifth in the top flight and was on target six times to help them reach the Malaysia Cup final.
For 2017, Wleh will return to PKNS, who were promoted to the top flight after finishing runners-up in the Premier League.
And coach E. Elavarasan wants Wleh to toe the line when he joins the rest of the team for pre-season next week.
“I expect nothing less than full commitment from Patrick in the coming season. No more self-marketing or using PKNS as a stepping stone for better offers. The team’s needs must come first at all times,” warned Elavarasan.
The Liberian international is one of three players offered new contracts by the Selangor-based club side. The other two are Argentine defender Gonzalo Soto and the Chile-born Palestinian forward Matias Jadue.
Argentine midfielder Gabriel Guerra, who played a pivotal role in helping PKNS secure promotion, has joined reigning Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).
The Red Ants are sizing up his compatriot Lucas Espindola, a 22-year-old who has featured for the CA All Boys team in the Argentine Primera B league, as a replacement.
“It is a blow to lose a quality player like Gabby (Guerra), but we need to move on and find a capable replacement,” added Elavarasan.
The 2016 FA Cup finalists have roped in eight new local players – Zamir Selamat (Perak), Azmi Muslim (Selangor), Fauzan Dzulkifli (Penang), S. Sivanesan and Bobby Gonzales (Felda United), Affize Faizal Mamat (Terengganu), K. Gurusamy (Sarawak) and Sabre Mat Abu (Kedah).
“It is a tough job to get them to perform smoothly when there are many new faces in the squad.