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These are the adventures of Barack Obama and Joe Biden bromancing the multiverse as they try and save us from ourselves. Moments after the inauguration of the forty-fifth President, Barack Obama and his best friend Joe Biden were escorted to a secret lab, run by a team of the world's greatest scientists and occasionally Elon Musk. Obama and Biden were asked to take off all of their clothes and hold very still in a fetal position until they felt a painful tingling sensation. They would awake to find themselves inside of their younger selves. Driven to find each other, and together, change history for the better. Their only guide on this journey is Neil deGrasse Tyson. A brilliant scientist from the present who appears in the form of an augmented reality that only they can see and hear. And so they find themselves leaping throughout their own lifetime. Looking for the best in people... Striving to right injustice wherever they find it. Forever hoping that their next jump in time will take them to a future that’s not scary and fucked up. A world which they can proudly call… home. Created by Adam Reid / Illustration by Lance Laspina The Darkest Timeline If you’re like me, you’re more than a bit concerned lately about the fate of our country, our planet, and humanity itself. And while we need new heroes to step in and stand up for what is right, I can’t help but intensely miss Barack Obama and Joe Biden. I dream about how the world might be different if we could go back in time and make better choices understanding what we know now. If only there was some way to set things right. What is this? An adult animated sci-fi sitcom. A parody of Quantum Leap and countless other 80's TV classics. Every episode will follow Barack and Joe as they leap into the past and change a part of history. You will never see Donald Trump's face. In this way, he is like our Doctor Claw from the original Inspector Gadget cartoon. A villain to be heard and felt but not seen. Except for his tiny hands, we'll see those. What needs kickstarting? This Kickstarter is to help us raise funds to fully produce the "prologue" show open & a mini-episode "pilot" as proof of concept for the series. This will cover the cost of storyboards, recording, animation and sound design. What's a "pilot"? The pilot is a first episode of a proposed series. Achieving our Kickstarter goal would allow us to produce a perfect short episode in all it's intended glory. Who is it for? People who miss Obama and Biden as much as we do. Connoisseurs of brilliantly cheesy 80’s television and science fiction. Anyone on the left side of the political spectrum who isn’t afraid to question everything they know about America. Anyone on the right side of the political spectrum who enjoys watching the left get all worked up and finds themselves engaged by the rich storyline and surprising depth. This could be your pledge reward! Replica Friendship Bracelets will look exactly like the original Joe gave to Barack on his 55th Birthday. Isn't this just leftist fan fiction meant to give solace to those who need some hope and healing? Yes. If I love Trump, will I want to watch this and then rant about it online? Probably. Will there be anything educational about it? Kinda! In fact, it’s our aim to recruit Neil deGrasse Tyson to play himself with the lure of genuine science, history and education. Not for kids, but for adults who understand the difference between science fiction and actual science when it’s explained to them. Our ideas are infused with the urgency for saving our actual world by spreading awareness of climate change science and an understanding of history and our place in it. Barry & Joe will interact with major events in history as well as lesser known footnotes. Neil will provide insight from the future on how they may have altered the course of history with their actions. Subjects like race, sexism and equality will be addressed with historical perspective, sensitivity and grace despite the absurdity of the episodic television-flavored plot. Things get weird. But the series wants to reflect and build on the feelings we’re having in the real world in 2017 where things are super fucked up stranger than fiction already. But isn't this just a meme flavored cash in? A way to market and appropriate public figures who deserve our respect and not some political cartoon that puts words in their mouths? Ouch. When you put it that way, yes. And now I have some palpable remorse about this entire enterprise. But then I think of Obama and Biden playing skee ball together and I feel much better about everything. I'd like to believe that there is room for more smart and delightfully weird takes on current events, politics and history. Isn't time travel played out? We have so many things with time travel right now. I love pizza. It would never occur to me to want fewer pizza places or less great pizza. I love time travel too. Especially when it comes out of a wood burning oven with a slightly burnt crunch and a chewy melty-ness. My point is, the art of time travel storytelling should be rich and ever-evolving. Where can we see it? When? If this Kickstarter is successful, I believe we can put out the first episode during the holiday season. You can expect updates throughout the process! Who will be in it? Do you have a dream cast? We know it's silly to dream about a cast this A-list. These people are in no way involved in our show and many casting possibilities could still become reality. But you know, crazier things have happened and we're just putting it out there. Are you one of these people? Reach out to us and say hello! Neil deGrasse Tyson as Himself Jordan Peele as Barack Obama (Obama the Grey / Barry) Chris Pratt as Joe Biden Can we have a taste of the series? Sure. In this scene, Barack Obama and Joe Biden are in the bodies of their younger selves in 1985. They walk and talk on the sidewalk in New York City. At this point in the timeline, they have also just learned that Obama no longer becomes President in the future. Joe is devastated. They walk and talk. Joe: It’s not healthy to hold it all in. Barry: Hold what in? Joe: The unbridled rage you are entitled to by having your entire legacy, everything you’ve worked for over the last three decades of your life, taken away! The crushing disappointment you must feel in having every achievement you unlocked re-locked, every barrier and ceiling you broke through repaired and reenforced, of having your historic footsteps in the sands of time permanently erased! Millions, billions of souls screaming out all at once and falling on deaf ears. If not for yourself, then for humanity! You must feel something!? Barry delights in discovering a pack of cigarettes in his pocket. Barry: Ha! He lights one and begins to take a deep drag. Joe throws the cigarette to the ground and smashes it with his foot. Joe: Barack Hussein Obama as your best friend and Vice President in a parallel universe we’ll converge with hopefully soon, I hereby COMMAND you to be full of righteous fury or extreme moping or anything other than cool. This instant! And that’s an order! How can I help? Do you have 5 dollars or more to spare? Please join the fight to help us save the future. Do you work in development at a network or streaming empire and want to help us fast track this timely material to the widest possible audience? I’d love to meet you. ||||| / Updated By Dorean K. Collins Missing the infamous bromance that is former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden? The justice fighting dynamic duo has joined forces in a new show titled “Barry & Joe: The Animated Series”, created by director and writer Adam Reid. In the trailer of the adult animated sci-fi sitcom, Obama and Biden travel back in time after the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, with the mission to alter the course of history and save the future. Barry and Joe, as they are affectionately called in the series, are guided through history's ups and downs by present day astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson appears in the form of an augmented reality that only they can see. RELATED: American Bromance: Obama and Biden Through the Years Their quests for a brighter future puts Barry and Joe up against some of their biggest fears, like President Trump, whose face is never shown, and the Russians. Reid launched a fundraising page to produce the sitcom on Kickstarter, with a goal of $100,000 to produce the prologue show open and a mini episode pilot. $26,000 has currently been pledged, and with 12 days left to donate, we can only hope to see history heroes Barry and Joe rekindle their bromance in the near future. Follow NBCBLK on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

– Remember Barack Obama and Joe Biden? Well, they're coming back—in cartoon form! Maybe. Probably not. But maybe! NBC News reports Adam Reid, a filmmaker and commercial director, has launched a Kickstarter to produce Barry & Joe: The Animated Series. The "adult animated sci-fi sitcom" features Obama and Biden traveling back in time into their younger bodies to team up against President Trump and the Russians and save the future. They're aided in their quest by astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, obviously. Reid, who admits Barry & Joe is "just leftist fan fiction meant to give solace to those who need some hope and healing," has a dream cast of Jordan Peele as Obama and Chris Pratt as Biden. He's trying to raise $100,000 by the end of August to produce a pilot. He's more than a quarter of the way there.

UPDATED: Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson's Google comedy "The Internship" opens to a disappointing $18.1 million, the lowest debut for a Shawn Levy film in a decade. Universal and Jason Blum's microbudgeted thriller The Purge had no trouble scaring off The Internship as it grossed a stunning $36.4 million -- double the opening of the Google comedy. The Purge, starring Ethan Hawke and Game of Thrones' Lena Headey, wasn't Universal's only victory of the weekend. Fast & Furious 6 claimed the No. 2 spot as it grossed $19.8 million in its third weekend to race past the $200 million mark domestically. Overseas, it all but tied for No. 1 with new entry After Earth, grossing $45.3 million from 62 markets in its third weekend for a worldwide total of $584.6 million. Directed by Shawn Levy, The Internship placed No. 4 behind Now You See Me as it opened to a muted $18.1 million, despite reuniting Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson for the first time since Wedding Crashers in 2005. STORY: Google Unveils Model to Predict Box Office Success That's slightly better than expected, but 20th Century Fox and New Regency, which split the $58 million budget, had hoped for much more when embarking on the comedy. Many reviewers have skewered The Internship -- starring Vaughn and Wilson as washed-up salesmen who become interns at Google -- for being an advertisement for the giant tech company. Audiences were more generous, giving the PG-13 entry a B+ CinemaScore. This marks Levy's worst opening in a decade (in 2003, Fox comedy Just Married debuted to $17.5 million). And it will come nowhere near to Wedding Crashers, which debuted to $33.9 million, ushering in a new era or prosperity for R-rated comedies. Levy and Vaughn, who produced and co-wrote The Internship, worked closely with Google throughout the process of making the film. Fox president of domestic distribution Chris Aronson countered that the comedy received great scores. "Well above-average ratings and definite recommends echo our test scores. This playability should ensure a great multiple as moviegoers continue to discover a gem of a comedy," he said. From writer-director James DeMonaco, The Purge -- costing a mere $3 million to produce and already making its budget back -- is set in a future where one night a year all crime is legal. The film received a C CinemaScore, not unusual for the genre. Heading into the weekend, The Purge -- Hawke's biggest opening in North America -- was tracking to open south of $20 million, but a strong turnout among younger female moviegoers and Hispanics led to the movie vastly overperforming. "We didn't expect anything near this result," Universal president of domestic distribution Nikki Rocco. "The social media campaign really paid off, as well as the traditional campaign." Hispanics -- the most avid moviegoers in the U.S. -- made up 33 percent of those buying tickets to The Purge, while those under the age of 25 made up 56 percent. The pic skewed female (56 percent). STORY: Google's Eric Schmidt's Cameo Cut from 'The Internship' The Purge is the first title to be released through Universal's partnership with Blum, the producer behind the Paranormal Activity franchise and Insidious. Blum produced the movie with Michael Bay, Sebastien K. LeMercier and Bay's colleagues at Platinum Dunes, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller. Fox's 3D animated family film Epic placed No. 5 in its third weekend, grossing $12.1 million for a domestic cume of $84.2 million. J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness, continuing to enjoy an enviable hold, also jumped the $200 million mark in North America, grossing $11.7 million in its fourth weekend for a total of $200.1 million. Overseas, the film grossed $17.6 million for the weekend for an international haul of $176.4 million -- 40 percent ahead of Abrams' first Star Trek film, released in 2009. Into Darkness' worldwide cume is $376.4 million. Sony's sci-fi epic After Earth, starring Will Smith and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, tumbled to No. 7 in its second week, grossing $11.2 million for a domestic cume of $46.6 million. The troubled pic debuted to $45.5 million overseas from 60 territories for an early foreign total of $48.6 million and worldwide cume of $95.2 million, well below what Smith is usually used to grossing. Internationally, After Earth opened roughly on par with Tom Cruise sci-fi pic Oblivion, which has earned a solid, but unspectacular, $191.2 million. After Earth did its biggest business in Russia ($8.6 million). Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing soared at the specialty box office, grossing $183,400 from five theaters in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco for a location average of $36,680, a victory for the filmmaker and Roadside Attractions. The black-and-white film, a festival darling, broke the house record at the Lincoln Center Film Society's theater on Saturday night with $15,027. Twitter: @PamelaDayM ||||| By Gary Susman June 9, 2013 WINNER OF THE WEEK: Universal. The studio claimed the top two movies, including surprise smash The Purge. The sci-fi thriller about a future when crime is permitted one night per year had been expected to debut on top of the chart and to sell modestly well, anywhere from $18 to $25 million, but no one expected it to earn an estimated $36.4 million. Credit the intriguing premise (which had the social media world buzzing for weeks in advance), the scares-on-a-shoestring ingenuity of producer Jason Blum (one of the masterminds behind the Paranormal Activity franchise and last fall's horror hit Sinister), and star Ethan Hawke (who also starred in Sinister). Made for an absurdly cheap $3 million, The Purge already looks like the best return-on-investment movie of the year. In second place, Universal's Fast & Furious 6 lost a modest 44 percent of last weekend's business to earn another estimated $19.8 million, for a three-weekend total of $202.9 million. Also holding up well was the Number Three movie, Summit's magician caper Now You See Me, which saw just 34 percent of last weekend's sales vanish, for a take this weekend estimated at $19.5 million and a two-week haul of $61.4 million. In fifth place, 20th Century Fox's cartoon Epic held on with an estimated $12.1 million, down just 27 percent from last week, for a three-week total of $84.2 million. And in sixth place, Star Trek Into Darkness earned an estimated $11.7 million, off just 30 percent from a week ago, and enough to cross the $200 million mark after 25 days. The Most Egregious Product Placements in Movie & TV History LOSER OF THE WEEK: Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. To be fair, their Fox comedy The Internship opened at the high end of expectations, with an estimated $18.2 million. (Pundits had predicted a debut in the mid-teens.) Still, that was good enough for just a fourth-place premiere. It's a far cry from the $33.9 million debut of the pair's Wedding Crashers eight years ago (and that was at 2005 ticket prices). It's certainly better than the $12.8 million opening of Vaughn's The Watch last year, but it's clear that neither he nor Wilson is the box office draw he used to be. 'NOTHING' DOING: At the art house, Joss Whedon's home-movie version of Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing opened on just five screens but averaged $36,680 on each of them, for an estimated total of $183,400. That's the highest per-screen average by far of any movie this week. (The Purge averaged $14,353 per venue.) Also opening strong, on four screens, was the documentary Dirty Wars, with $16,500 per screen, for a total estimated at $66,000. And romance Before Midnight, taking advantage of the mini-wave of Ethan Hawkemania, expanded from 31 to 52 screens and saw business rise 45 percent to an estimated $585,000, for a total of $1.5 million in three weeks.

– Well, this was unexpected: The highest grossing film at the box office this weekend was The Purge. The what? Exactly. The low-budget thriller starring Ethan Hawke raked in $36.4 million in its opening weekend. That's twice as much as Shawn Levy's new comedy The Internship, which debuted at No. 4 with just $18.1 million, despite its marquee names of Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, the Hollywood Reporter reports. Internship cost $58 million to make; Purge just $3 million. Rounding out the Top 5: Fast & Furious 6 kept speeding ahead in its third weekend, taking No. 2 with $19.8 million, bringing its total domestic earnings over $200 million. Now You See Me followed at No. 3 with $19.5 million, and kids' flick Epic at No. 5 with $12.1 million, reports Rolling Stone.

(Adds CDC will send 50 staff to West Africa, statement from Brantly's wife) By Rich McKay ATLANTA Aug 3 (Reuters) - An American doctor stricken with the deadly Ebola virus while in Liberia and brought to the United States for treatment in a special isolation ward is improving, the top U.S. health official said on Sunday. Dr Kent Brantly was able to walk, with help, from an ambulance after he was flown on Saturday to Atlanta, where he is being treated by infectious disease specialists at Emory University Hospital. "It's encouraging that he seems to be improving - that's really important - and we're hoping he'll continue to improve," said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Frieden told CBS's "Face the Nation" it was too soon to predict whether Brantly would survive, and a hospital spokesman said Emory did not expect to provide any updates on the doctor's condition on Sunday. Brantly is a 33-year-old father of two young children who works for the North Carolina-based Christian organization, Samaritan's Purse. He was in Liberia responding to the worst Ebola outbreak on record when he contracted the disease. Since February, more than 700 people in West Africa have died from Ebola, a hemorrhagic virus with a death rate of up to 90 percent of those infected. The fatality rate in the current epidemic is about 60 percent. Frieden told ABC's "This Week" that the CDC was "surging" its response, and that it will send 50 staff to West Africa "to help stop the outbreak in the next 30 days." Amber Brantly, Dr. Brantly's wife, said she was able to see her husband on Sunday and he was in good spirits, and that the family is confident he is receiving the very best care. "He thanked everyone for their prayers," she said in a statement. A second U.S. aid worker who contracted Ebola alongside Brantly, missionary Nancy Writebol, will be brought to the United States on a later flight as the medical aircraft is equipped to carry only one patient at a time. Standard treatment for the disease is to provide supportive care. In Atlanta, doctors will try to maintain blood pressure and support breathing, with a respirator if needed, or provide dialysis if patients experience kidney failure, as some Ebola sufferers do. SECOND MISSIONARY EXPECTED SOON Writebol, a 59-year-old mother of two who worked to decontaminate those entering and leaving an Ebola isolation unit in Liberia, was due to depart for the United States overnight on Monday, Liberia's information minister said. Writebol's husband, David, who had been living and working in Liberia with his wife, was expected to travel home separately in the next few days, their missionary organization, SIM USA, said in a statement. Despite public concern over bringing in Ebola patients, the CDC's Frieden said the United States may see a few isolated cases in people who have been traveling, but did not expect widespread Ebola in the country. The facility at Emory chosen to treat the two infected Americans was set up with CDC and is one of four in the country with the ability to handle such cases. The Americans will be treated primarily by four infectious disease physicians, and will be able to see relatives through a plate-glass window and speak to them by phone or intercom. Frieden said it was unlikely Brantly's wife and children, who left Liberia before he began showing symptoms, contracted the disease because people who are exposed to Ebola but not yet sick cannot infect others. The CDC has said it is not aware of any Ebola patient having been treated in the United States previously. Five people entered the country in the past decade with either Lassa Fever or Marburg, both hemorrhagic fevers similar to Ebola. President Barack Obama has said some participants at an Africa summit in Washington this week would be screened for Ebola exposure. Frieden said on Sunday there was no reason to cancel the event. "There are 50 million travelers from around the world that come to the U.S. each year ... We're not going to hermetically seal this country," he told Fox News Sunday. (Additional reporting by Emma Farge in Dakar; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Cynthia Johnston; Editing by Frances Kerry and Sandra Maler) ||||| This Video Player Requires JavaScript It has come to our attention that the browser you are using is either not running javascript or out of date. Please enable javascript and/or update your browser if possible. Dr. Kent Brantly, one of the two Americans who contracted Ebola in Liberia, received a dose of an experimental serum before he was flown to the United States for treatment, an aid organization that he works with said Sunday. The aid organization, a Christian group called Samaritan’s Purse, said it was grateful for news that Brantly’s condition is improving. Earlier, the group had said there was only enough serum for one dose and that it went to Nancy Writebol, the other American infected. Writebol is to be flown to Atlanta this week and treated at Emory University Hospital, where Brantly is also being treated. There is no known cure for Ebola. Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has said he does not know what treatment the group may be using. There are several in development. Brantly’s wife, Amber, said Sunday that Brantly is in good spirits. She said in a statement that the family was “rejoicing over Kent’s safe arrival” and confident that he is getting the best possible care. IN-DEPTH SOCIAL First published August 3 2014, 2:55 PM

– As the first Ebola patient to arrive in the US recovers in an Atlanta hospital, dozens of US experts are preparing to go to the other way. At least 50 public health experts are being sent to West Africa to help fight the deadliest-ever outbreak of the disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Thomas Frieden tells ABC. "The single most important thing we can do to protect Americans is to stop this disease at the source in Africa," he says, explaining that the outbreak can be stopped. "We do know how to stop Ebola," he says. "It's old-fashioned plain and simple public health: find the patients, make sure they get treated, find their contacts, track them, educate people, do infection control in hospitals." He says the US won't "hermetically seal" its borders against the disease. More: American doctor Kent Brantly, who is in an isolation ward at Emory University Hospital, appears to be improving, the Guardian reports. There is no cure for the disease, but doctors hope Brantly is healthy enough to pull through. The medical aircraft that brought Brantly to the US can only carry one patient at a time, so a second American infected with the disease won't arrive in the US until tomorrow. reports Reuters. Missionary Nancy Writebol, 59, was infected as she worked to decontaminate people in an isolation ward in Liberia. The aid organization Brantly works for now says he was treated with an experimental serum before he was sent to the US, NBC finds. The Christian group Samaritan's Purse had earlier said there was only one dose of the serum available, and Brantly asked for it to go to Writebol.

The new $100 gold coin featuring an African-American woman as the face of Lady Liberty for the first time in the history of U.S. currency, is shown in this photo in Washington, D.C., provided January 13, 2017. Courtesy of The United States Mint/Handout via REUTERS (Reuters) - The United States Mint has unveiled a $100 gold coin featuring an African-American woman as the face of Lady Liberty for the first time in the history of U.S. currency. The 24-karat gold coin, which marks the Mint’s 225th anniversary, was debuted on Thursday in the Department of the Treasury’s Cash Room in Washington, D.C. It is the first in a series of gold coins featuring Lady Liberty, which has been used on American coinage since the late 1790s, as an ethnic woman, Mint Principal Deputy Director Rhett Jeppson said in a statement. Other editions will use designs representing Asian, Hispanic Americans and others “to reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of the United States,” Jeppson said. “We boldly look to the future by casting Liberty in a new light... looking forward to ever brighter chapters in our nation’s history book,” Jeppson said. The coin’s heads-side design by artist Justin Kunz depicts the profile of Liberty wearing a crown of stars with the inscriptions “Liberty,” “1792,” “2017” and “In God we trust.” Depicted on the reverse side, which was designed by Chris Costello, is an image of an eagle in flight. The inscription on the tails side include the nation’s motto, “E pluribus unum,” which translates to English from Latin as “Out of many, one.” Phebe Hemphill and Michael Gaudioso, both based at the Mint’s Philadelphia facility, sculpted the coin. The Mint, which is the nation’s only manufacturer of official coinage, is set to release the initial coin design on April 6. It will be issued biennially.

– The US Mint has unveiled a commemorative $100 gold coin that features an image of Liberty as a black woman, the AP reports. The 2017 American Liberty 225th Anniversary Gold Coin shows the woman's head in profile with a crown of stars. It features the year of the mint's founding, 1792, as well as 2017. The mint says the other side of the coin will depict an eagle in flight. The coin will be released on April 6. The mint says it's the first in a series of 24-karat gold that will also depict Liberty in designs representing Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Indian-Americans. The mint says the goal of the coins is to reflect the "the cultural and ethnic diversity of the United States." Reuters notes it's the first time a US coin has featured Lady Liberty depicted as a black woman.

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch today released more than 35 pages of emails former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s top aide Huma Abedin revealing that Abedin advised Clinton aide and frequent companion Monica Hanley that it was “very important” to go over phone calls with Clinton because the former Secretary of State was “often confused.” The emails, from Abedin’s “[email protected]” address, also reveal repeated security breaches, with the Secretary’s schedule and movements being sent and received through Abedin’s non-governmental and unsecured Clinton server account. The emails document requests for special State Department treatment for a Clinton Foundation associate and Abedin’s mother, a controversial Islamist leader. The Abedin email material contains a January 26, 2013, email exchange with Clinton aide Monica Hanley regarding Clinton’s schedule in which Abedin says Clinton is “often confused:” Abedin: Have you been going over her calls with her? So she knows singh is at 8? [India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh] Hanley: She was in bed for a nap by the time I heard that she had an 8am call. Will go over with her Abedin: Very imp to do that. She’s often confused. The newly released Abedin emails included a lengthy exchange giving precise details of the Clinton schedule on the Secretary’s final full day in office, Wednesday, January 31, 2013. The email from Lona J. Valmoro, former Special Assistant to Secretary of State Clinton, to Abedin, other top State Department staff, and Clinton associates, reveals exact times (including driving times) and locations of all appointments throughout the day: 8:25 am DEPART Private Residence En route to State Department [drive time: 10 minutes] *** 1:40 pm DEPART State Department En route to Council on Foreign Relations [drive time: 15 minutes] *** 3:05 pm DEPART Council on Foreign Relations En route to State Department [drive time: 15 minutes] *** 6:00 pm DEPART State Department En route to Private Residence [drive time: 5 minutes] The detailed schedule provided in the Abedin email contains an annotation reading: “The information contained in this email is not to be shared, forwarded or duplicated.” Another Abedin email provides details about a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s leadership. The Abedin correspondence includes several instances in which the Clinton top aide attempted to obtain special treatment from the State Department for business associates and relatives. In the first instance, Abedin apparently worked with Teneo co-founder and Clinton Global Initiative official Doug Band to intercede on behalf of an individual seeking a visa. In the second instance, Huma Abedin received an email from her mother, Saleha Abedin (a controversial Islamist activist) who founded and serves as dean at Dar al-Hekma University in Saudi Arabia. In the December 11, 2011, email, Saleha Abedin seeks the assistance of her daughter to help the president of her college, Dr. Suhair al Qurashi, attend a State Department “Women in Public Service” ceremony, which included remarks by Hillary Clinton. (Mrs. Clinton spoke at Dar al-Hekma University in 2010. Dr. Qurashi and Saleha Abedin introduced Mrs. Clinton’s speech and moderated the subsequent discussion.) “Huma Abedin’s description of Hillary Clinton as ‘easily confused’ tells you all you need to know why it took a federal lawsuit to get these government emails from Clinton’s illegal email server ,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “These emails also show that Hillary Clinton’s and Huma Abedin’s decision to use the Clinton email server to conduct government business was dangerous and risky.” The documents were obtained by Judicial Watch on October 30, 2015, in response to a June 5 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed against the State Department, after it failed to respond to a March 18 FOIA request seeking: Emails of official State Department business received or sent by former Deputy Chief of Staff Huma Abedin from January 1, 2009 through February 1, 2013 using a non-“state.gov” email address. ### ||||| Via the Weekly Standard, this would explain her insane “Wall Street donates to me because of 9/11” remark at the debate on Saturday night. As well as the totality of America’s Libya policy between 2011 and 2012. In fairness to Hillary, she’s really, really old. The Abedin email material contains a January 26, 2013, email exchange with Clinton aide Monica Hanley regarding Clinton’s schedule in which Abedin says Clinton is “often confused:” Abedin: Have you been going over her calls with her? So she knows singh is at 8? [India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh] Hanley: She was in bed for a nap by the time I heard that she had an 8am call. Will go over with her Abedin: Very imp to do that. She’s often confused. … “Huma Abedin’s description of Hillary Clinton as ‘easily confused’ tells you all you need to know why it took a federal lawsuit to get these government emails from Clinton’s illegal email server ,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “These emails also show that Hillary Clinton’s and Huma Abedin’s decision to use the Clinton email server to conduct government business was dangerous and risky.” Why might Hillary have been confused in late January 2013? Easy: Because of her concussion the month before. Remember? Sometime on or around December 9, 2012, according to her spokesman, she fainted at home due to a stomach virus and hit her head, hard enough to knock her out of commission at State for several weeks. She was back on the job on January 7. On January 23, three days before Abedin’s e-mail was sent, she testified before a House committee about Benghazi. She wore special glasses that day too to help with blurred or double vision. That was the same hearing where she famously said in response to a question about whether the attack was planned terrorism or some sort of spontaneous mob, “What difference at this point does it make?” So you can look at Abedin’s e-mail two ways. One: Six weeks after suffering a brain injury, Hillary was still “often confused” about things. That’s quite a concussion. Bill Clinton noted last year that it took “six months of very serious work” for her to get over it, which seems newly credible now that you know how long the aftereffects lingered. Two: Even an “often confused” Hillary whose brain had been rattled a month earlier was capable of holding her own with Republican oversight members. If that’s not all the proof you need that GOP-run congressional hearings are mostly a waste of time, I don’t know what else to tell you. In lieu of an exit question I’ll leave you with this Hillary-related tweet, which damaged my own brain when I first saw it on Sunday morning.

– A newly released email about Hillary Clinton is making headlines, though it's not because of a security breach. In it, top aide Huma Abedin tells another aide that Clinton is "easily confused." The full exchange from 2013, as obtained by conservative group Judicial Watch: Abedin to staffer Monica Hanley: "Have you been going over calls with her for tomorrow? So she knows [Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh] is at 8?" Hanley: "She was in bed for a nap by the time I heard that she had an 8am call. Will go over with her." Abedin: "Very imp to do that. She's often confused." The Hill says the comment, which came from Abedin's email address on Clinton's private server, is likely to become campaign fodder. While it wasn't classified, Judicial Watch says it and others reveal too many details about Clinton's itinerary at the time and thus posed a security risk. But the site also seems pretty happy about the "confused" line. "Huma Abedin's description of Hillary Clinton as 'easily confused' tells you all you need to know why it took a federal lawsuit to get these government emails from Clinton's illegal email server," says group president Tom Fitton. The Hot Air blog notes that Clinton had suffered a concussion about a month before that January 2013 email.

Image caption Another video showed the bodies of those killed near Qusair laid out on the floor of a building Activists have released a video which they say shows another mass killing of civilians by a pro-government militia in Syria - the third in a week. Thirteen factory workers were forced off a bus and executed by shabiha members in a village near Qusair, in the west of the country, they said. Correspondents say the video shows a group of bodies with hideous injuries. The UN Human Rights Council has meanwhile begun an emergency session to discuss the violence in Syria. It is expected to blame pro-government forces for last week's massacre in Houla, in which more than 100 people died, including 49 children. On Thursday, a Syrian government investigation into the killings blamed armed rebel groups seeking to trigger foreign military intervention. The US permanent representative to the UN, Susan Rice, dismissed the finding as a "blatant lie", for which there was no factual evidence. UN verification On Thursday evening, activists posted on the internet two videos showing the bodies of the 13 men who they said had been killed in al-Buwaida al-Sharqiya, a village between Qusair and the city of Homs, earlier that day. Taldou, Houla region The region of Houla, in the west of Syria, comprises several villages and small towns The village of Taldou lies around 2km south-west of the main town, also called Houla The area is in the province of Homs, which has seen heavy fighting in recent months Houla's villages are predominantly Sunni Muslim, but the region is ringed by a number of Alawite villages - the sect of the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad Satellite clues to Houla massacre Houla: How a massacre unfolded Timeline: Syria's massacres One video showed a group of bodies sprawled on the ground, with hideous injuries consistent with their having been shot dead at close range in the head or stomach, reports the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut. Another video showed the bodies laid out on the floor of a building, with relatives grieving over them, our correspondent adds. Activists said the murdered men were workers from a fertiliser factory whose bus was intercepted by shabiha members. They first of all robbed the workers, then took them off the bus, forced them to chant pro-government slogans and executed them, the activists added. The account cannot be independently verified, but twice in the past week, UN ceasefire observers on the ground have corroborated similar claims from activists - most recently the killing of 13 men in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, and before that, the massacre in the Houla area of Homs province. Residents of the village of Taldou said the shabiha had been sent into their village early on Saturday after the Syrian army unleashed a barrage of heavy weapons late on Friday in response to a local anti-government protest. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said most of the 108 victims had been shot at close range or stabbed. No more than 20 had been killed by tank and artillery fire preceding the raid, it added. 'Wanton killings' The UN Human Rights Council, the world's top human rights body, is meeting in emergency session to discuss Syria and is expected to condemn the Houla massacre in the strongest possible terms. Image caption The Houla massacre has sparked international outrage and led many to demand intervention A draft resolution refers to "the wanton killings of civilians by shooting at close range and by severe physical abuse by pro-regime elements and a series of government artillery and tank shellings of a residential neighbourhood", and demands that Syria allow in human rights investigators and aid agencies immediately. But the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says the 47-member council has no real power. It cannot impose sanctions on Syria, neither can it order the UN Security Council to act. And, our correspondent adds, with continued disagreement within the UN - neither Russia nor China supported the council meeting - and continued fighting in Syria, the prospect of an end to human rights violations, let alone the prosecution of those responsible, seems a very long way off. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to face pressure over Syria from the leaders of Germany and France when he visits Berlin and Paris. Russia has blocked Security Council action against Syria's government. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague is meanwhile scheduled to meet representatives of the Syrian opposition in Turkey. Mr Hague told the BBC that the situation was so grave and deteriorating so rapidly that all options were still on the table. He warned that military intervention would have to be on a much bigger scale than in Libya and have to have "very broad international support". ||||| Media caption Syria's foreign ministry said the Houla massacre was carried out by armed gangs A Syrian investigation into the Houla massacre has blamed the atrocities on rebels trying to provoke international intervention. The official in charge of the inquiry categorically denied any government role in last week's killings. Activists say Syrian troops or pro-government militia were behind the deaths of more than 100 people - many of them children. The US ambassador to the UN called the Syrian account "a blatant lie". "There is no factual evidence, including that provided by the UN observers that would substantiate that rendition of events," Susan Rice said. UN observers have said government forces were active in the area at the time. General Qassem Jamal Suleiman, who headed the Syrian government's commission of inquiry into the massacre, said hundreds of rebel gunmen carried out the slaughter after launching a co-ordinated attack on five security checkpoints. He told a news conference that the aim had been to implicate the government and to ignite sectarian strife in Syria. "Government forces did not enter the area where the massacre occurred, not before the massacre and not after it," he said. He said the victims had been families "who refused to oppose the government and were at odds with the armed groups". "The aim of these armed groups is to bring foreign military intervention against the country in any form and way," he added. Emergency talks Image caption The killings in Houla continue to inspire anti-regime protests, like this one in Cairo The killings in Houla triggered worldwide condemnation and led many Western powers to expel Syrian diplomats. UN observers said some of the victims were killed by shell fire but most appeared to have been shot or stabbed at close range. The dead included 49 children and 34 women. The UN Human Rights Council - the world's leading human rights body - is due to hold an emergency meeting on Syria on Friday at which it is expected to condemn the violence in Houla. Syria has said special prayers for the victims will be held at mosques across the country on Friday. A draft resolution, backed by the EU, condemns what it calls "the wanton killings of civilians... by pro-regime elements", and demands that Syria allow human rights investigators and aid agencies into the country immediately. About 300 UN observers are currently in Syria as part of a six-point peace plan brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan. A key element of the plan is a ceasefire supposed to have gone into effect on 12 April. However, reports of violence and deaths have since continued daily. The BBC's Paul Wood, who was recently in Syria, says the ceasefire exists in name only. Media caption Hillary Clinton: "The Syrians are not going to listen to us. They will listen maybe to the Russians, so we have to keep pushing them" On Thursday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticised Russia's policy toward its ally Syria, saying it was contributing towards a potential civil war. Russia and China have both renewed their opposition to tougher UN Security Council action against Syria. Mrs Clinton said the case for military intervention was growing stronger every day. "[The Russians] are telling me they don't want to see a civil war. I have been telling them their policy is going to help to contribute to a civil war," she told an audience in Copenhagen. On Friday, Ms Rice also criticised Moscow over reports from human rights groups and Western diplomats that a Russian ship had recently delivered weapons to Syria. Activists say as many as 15,000 people have been killed since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011, although the government disputes the figures.

– Bashar al-Assad was framed, he tells ya, framed. Syrian investigators today concluded that the infamous Houla massacre was the work of rebels trying to drum up global outrage against the regime. "Government forces did not enter the area," the general heading up the inquiry said, according to the BBC. The US ambassador to the UN called the findings a "blatant lie," saying there was "no factual evidence … that would substantiate that rendition of events." The UN Human Rights Council is holding an emergency meeting today, and is expected to release a statement strongly condemning the "wanton killings of civilians" by "pro-regime elements" in Houla. Syrian activists, meanwhile, say they've found evidence of another mass-killing, the third this week. They released a video showing the bodies of 13 men, who they say were factory workers who were forced off a bus and executed by pro-regime thugs.

Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period. ||||| In an explosive interview with HLN’s "Nancy Grace" show, the ex-fiancee of "Making a Murderer" subject Steven Avery called him a "monster" behind closed doors and said the documentary series sweeping the nation is "all lies." "The first thing I’m going to ask you is, do you believe Steven Avery killed Teresa Halbach?" Nancy Grace’s senior producer Natisha Lance asked Avery's former fiancee, Jodi Stachowski. "Yes, I do," Stachowski said. "Why?" Lance asked. "He threatened to kill me, and my family and a friend of mine," Stachowski replied. Avery hurtled into the spotlight when the series debuted on Netflix last month. "Making a Murderer" chronicles Avery's 18 years in prison for a rape he didn't commit and his subsequent arrest on murder charges in a separate case. He was convicted in 2007 of killing Teresa Halbach, a 25-year-old photographer for "Auto Trader" magazine who vanished while taking photographs of a van at the Avery family's salvage yard in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Her charred remains were found in a burn pit in Avery's yard. The defense argued in court the bones had been moved and Avery framed. In her first interview since the series' release, Stachowski said the man portrayed in "Making a Murderer" is nothing like the reality she endured on a daily basis during their allegedly violent, volatile and abusive two-year relationship. "He’d beat me all the time, punch me, throw me against the wall," she told "Nancy Grace." Stachowski said the abuse got so bad, she purposely ingested rat poison on two occasions so she would be hospitalized to "get away from him." Avery's attorney, Kathleen Zellner, did not immediately return phone and email requests for comment Thursday. At one point in their relationship, Stachowski claimed, she was in a bathtub and Avery threatened to throw a blow-dryer into the water, allegedly telling her "he’d be able to get away with it." "He’s sick," Stachowski reasoned. On the occasions when she tried to leave Avery, Stachowski said he would do things like smash the windshield of her car so she couldn’t drive. She said Avery was jealous and controlling, to the point of following her to work and spying on her through the windows on a regular basis. If he saw something he didn’t like, she told "Nancy Grace," he would hit her hard enough to leave red marks on her body. Stachowski said there were only a total of "maybe two" times when Avery was not abusive toward her. After one particularly violent night when Stachowski says she was hit and choked, she finally called the police, but Avery "dragged her out the door" so they could get out before the cops arrived. Stachowski hasn’t seen the hit Netflix documentary, she says, and doesn’t want to. Stachowski said in the interview she went as far as asking the filmmakers not to include her in the series "because it’s all lies." The documentary's creators were never made aware of the issues that allegedly consumed their relationship when the camera crews weren't around, according to Stachowski. Many who watched the gripping 10-part series saw Avery's then-fiancee passionately stand by Avery’s innocence, even supplying her phone records to prove the couple had "normal" conversations during the time when Avery allegedly killed Teresa Halbach. Recalling those phone calls now, Stachowski says, "he did sound funny … like he was lying or hiding something." Stachowski claimed during the one-on-one she was strong-armed into "saying nice things" about Avery and that Avery had told her how to act, what to say about him and to "smile and be happy," otherwise she "would pay." "I didn’t know what to do," she said in the interview. "I didn’t want to get hurt ... He told me once if I did leave him he’d burn my mom’s house with them and my daughter in it." Talk of Halbach's brutal murder is only time during the interview when Stachowski is overcome by emotion, saying she went through months of intense counseling because of the guilt she carries over being in jail on the day of Halbach's death. "They tell me, 'It’s not your fault,'" she cried. "But if I would have been there, she still would have been alive." Stachowski said she asked Avery multiple times if he killed Halbach, and each time he adamantly denied it — a denial she says she doesn’t believe. "He told me once … 'All b---- owe him' because of the one that sent him to prison the first time," Stachowski said. Stachowski told "Nancy Grace" she believes Avery's young nephew Brendan Dassey is innocent, but was likely scared for his life and felt threatened by his uncle. Dassey was 16 at the time of the crime and is also serving a prison sentence on a murder conviction. When asked if she had seen Avery physically hurt others before, Stachowski said, "No, but Steven’s one person I don’t trust." "He’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," Stachowski said, describing Avery as a sometimes "semi-nice person, and then behind closed doors he’s a monster." Nancy Grace has been outspoken in her personal belief that Avery is guilty of Halbach’s murder, even claiming that Avery once "told her to her face" he was in the burn pit where prosecutors say bones from her remains were recovered. On Monday, Avery filed an official appeal of his conviction. ||||| Jodi Stachowski, the former fiancée of Steven Avery who appeared in Making a Murderer as one of Avery's biggest supporters, is speaking out against Avery for the first time. In a damning new interview on Nancy Grace, which aired Wednesday night, Stachowski claims Avery is guilty of murdering Teresa Halbach: "[I want people to know] the truth," she says. "What a monster he is. He's not innocent." She claims Avery physically abused her for the majority of their two-year relationship and once threatened to kill her and her family. Stachowski says she has always believed Avery killed Halbach and lied on Making a Murderer out of fear Avery would "make me pay." At the time Avery allegedly committed the murder, Stachowski was in prison for a DUI, and their conversations on the day of the murder were explored as a potential alibi for him. Now she says that, despite how their relationship looked on the show, she never loved him. "I ate two boxes of rat poison just so I could go the hospital ... and get away from him, and ask them to get the police to help me," she says, noting his history of his domestic abuse against her, which Nancy Grace producer Natisha Lance says is proven in police records. Stachowski says that phone records should show that Avery threatened her from jail and told her to "make him look good," and that she's unsure if the show's directors were aware of this. She tells Nancy Grace that, when the directors contacted her for a follow-up interview last year, she declined and asked to be removed from the series entirely, telling them her previous statements were "all lies." She says she did not tell authorities of her belief that Avery was guilty until she moved out of Manitowoc county, and that prosecutors had planned to use her to testify against Avery. On Tuesday, Avery filed a new appeal to have his conviction overturned. Watch Stachowski's full interview above.

– One of Steven Avery's biggest defenders in the Netflix documentary series Making a Murderer—his former fiancée Jodi Stachowski—now says everything she told the directors was a lie and that Avery is guilty, Vulture reports. Stachowski gave an interview Wednesday on HLN, her first since the hit show was released. Not only did Avery kill Teresa Halbach—a crime he's currently in prison for—but Stachowski says he was physically abusive to her throughout their relationship, according to Vulture. "He’d beat me all the time, punch me, throw me against the wall," NBC Chicago quotes her as saying. Avery was wrongfully convicted of sexual assault and spent 18 years in prison. He was later convicted of murdering Halbech. Making a Murderer questions whether he was set up by police. In the interview, Stachowski says she wants the world to know "what a monster" Avery is, Vulture reports. She says Avery threatened her from jail and told her to "make him look good" for the documentary. She denies she ever loved him. According to NBC, Stachowski says Avery would follow her to work, smash her windshield to keep her from leaving the house, and once threatened to kill her by throwing a blow-dryer into the bathtub with her. She says she went as far as to eat rat poison twice in order to be hospitalized and get away from him, HLN reports. According to NBC, Stachowski says Avery thinks all women "owe him" because of the woman who misidentified him as the suspect in the sexual assault case. Avery filed a new appeal over his murder conviction this week.

Kevin Collins case: SFPD looking at man Kevin Collins 1982 mug shot of Dan Therrien, identified by San Francisco police on Feb. 6, 2013, as a "person of interest" in the disappearance of 10-year-old Kevin Collins. The boy vanished in February 1984. 1982 mug shot of Dan Therrien, identified by San Francisco police on Feb. 6, 2013, as a "person of interest" in the disappearance of 10-year-old Kevin Collins. The boy vanished in February 1984. Photo: Photo From San Francisco Police, San Francisco Police Photo: Photo From San Francisco Police, San Francisco Police Image 1 of / 7 Caption Close Kevin Collins case: SFPD looking at man 1 / 7 Back to Gallery (02-07) 09:16 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco police probing the 1984 disappearance of a 10-year-old boy sought the public's help Wednesday in providing information about a man with a history of kidnapping and molestation in Canada and San Francisco who died five years ago. "This is a case that haunts the San Francisco Police Department and the city of San Francisco," Chief Greg Suhr said at a press conference at which investigators identified a person of interest in the long-cold case of Kevin Collins' disappearance. "We carry it with us every day." The man on whom police are focused was last known as Dan Leonard Therrien, but also used at least four other names in his life. He was living in a Masonic Avenue home in 1984 not far from where Kevin was last seen near the Panhandle. Police working the renewed investigation into the boy's disappearance searched the home last week, but found only what are believed to be dog bones. Therrien matched the description of a 6-foot-tall man who was sitting on steps when he was talking to Kevin shortly before the boy was last seen Feb. 10, 1984, at Masonic and Oak Street, police said. Kevin was waiting for a bus after leaving basketball practice at nearby St. Agnes School. The man had a large, black dog, witnesses said. Therrien had such a dog, but two witnesses who were shown pictures of Therrien could not identify him as the person they had seen talking to Kevin, police said. "They saw him just in passing, so they might not remember his face well enough," homicide Inspector Joe Toomey said. Therrien allowed police to search the Masonic Avenue home in 1984, but authorities found nothing, Suhr said. Authorities knew then that Therrien had been arrested in San Francisco under the name of Wayne D. Jackson in April 1981 in connection with an incident in which a 7-year-old boy had been kidnapped at Fisherman's Wharf and molested, police said. Therrien jumped bail but was caught in March 1982 at the home on Masonic, where he was living under the name Kelly Sean Stewart. Therrien was sentenced under the name of Jackson to six months in jail and three years' probation for felony lewd acts on a child, court records show. Although investigators looking into Kevin's disappearance were aware of that case, they did not know that Therrien had also been accused of kidnapping and molesting two 13-year-old boys in 1973 in Canada, because he had been arrested under the name Raymond William Stewart. Therrien fled to the United States after being released on bail. He was never prosecuted for the crime, "in part because of the multiple identities he used," homicide Lt. Tim Plyer said at the press conference. He died under the name of Therrien in February 2008 in San Francisco. He was listed as 51 under that name, but ages he gave with other aliases would have made him 61. In addition to searching the home where he once lived, police showed a photo of Therrien to Kevin's mother, Ann Collins of Concord, Suhr said. She could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Suhr said Therrien's multiple aliases had contributed to the "rather winding road getting to this guy." "What we're looking for now is anybody that saw this guy back in 1984, anybody who talked to this guy back in 1984, anybody who talked to somebody who talked to this guy back in 1984," the chief said. "We would love to find out the whereabouts of that little boy." ||||| A man known as Dan Leonard Therrien (top), and Wayne Jackson (bottom) is seen in these photographs released by the San Francisco Police Department February 6, 2013. Dan Leonard Therrien, also known as Wayne Jackson and three other names, is seen in this California drivers license photograph taken April 26, 1999 and released by the San Francisco Police Department February 6, 2013. Wayne Jackson, who was known to go by four other names, is seen in this police booking photograph taken June 18, 1982 and released by the San Francisco Police Department February 6, 2013. SAN FRANCISCO Police using cadaver dogs and jack hammers have renewed their probe into the fate of a young San Francisco boy who became a national symbol for abducted children three decades ago, and they publicly identified their prime suspect for the first time on Wednesday. San Francisco police held a news conference to enlist the public's help in learning more about a man investigators had questioned in the disappearance of 10-year-old Kevin Collins just days after he vanished in 1984. The suspect, Wayne Jackson, who was known to go by four other names, lived across the street from the Catholic grammar school that Kevin attended in the Haight-Ashbury District. He had a history of sex crimes against children and died in 2008, police said. The American public came to know Kevin after he was among the first missing children to have his picture printed on milk cartons distributed throughout the nation. Newsweek magazine ran his photograph on its cover under the headline "Stolen Children." "This is a case that haunts the San Francisco Police Department and the city of San Francisco," police Chief Greg Suhr said. Kevin was last seen at a bus stop following a school basketball practice on February 10, 1984. Normally, Kevin traveled to and from school with his brother, but his sibling was home sick that day. The last two people known to have seen Kevin alive said the boy with the gap-toothed smile had been talking to a blond, 6-foot-tall man with a large dog. Jackson, who listed his birth date as between 1947 and 1956, fit the description and had a dog like the one the witnesses described. Police also learned then that he had been arrested in 1981 for kidnapping a 7-year-old boy and attempting a sex act with the child. After skipping bail, Jackson was re-arrested and ended up serving six months in jail, police said. After Kevin's disappearance, police searched Jackson's home but found nothing. The two witnesses who reported seeing Kevin talking with a tall blond man failed to identify Jackson in a photo lineup, and the lead seemed to die there -- until last month. A new group of cold-case detectives decided in recent days to try turning up fresh clues with cadaver dogs, and two dogs were brought in for a first-ever search of the basement and garage of Jackson's old home last week. Both dogs independently responded to the same spot in the garage, and a city crew jack-hammered through the concrete and unearthed fragmentary skeletal remains last Tuesday. So far, however, the bones appear to be from an animal. Additional tests are continuing in a state crime lab. Meanwhile, investigators recently learned that Jackson had been arrested in 1973 in Canada on charges he kidnapped two 13 year olds but fled Canada before that case could be resolved, police said. Kevin's disappearance tore up his family. His parents divorced, and his father dedicated himself to finding his son and other missing children by starting the Kevin Collins Foundation for Missing Children. On the 10th anniversary of Kevin's disappearance, when the boy on the milk carton would have been 20, his parents and his eight brothers and sisters held a private memorial service at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, south of San Francisco. There they dedicated a bench to him inscribed with his name, a cross and the words, "Forever in our hearts." (Reporting and writing by Ronnie Cohen; Editing by Steve Gorman and Lisa Shumaker)

– San Francisco police have reopened a 29-year-old abduction case, renewing the search for the body of Kevin Collins, who disappeared in 1984 when he was 10 years old, and publicly naming a suspect for the first time. That suspect, who was last known as Dan Leonard Therrien but has gone by at least four names, died in 2008, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Therrien had a history of pedophilia, and matched the description of a 6-foot-tall man seen with Kevin shortly before his disappearance. Investigators searched Therrien's home back in 1984 and found nothing. But in recent days, police used cadaver dogs and jackhammers to search his property, Reuters reports. They quickly found bones buried in the garage, but initial testing seems to indicate that they're from an animal. Kevin was one of the first missing children ever put on a milk carton. "This is a case that haunts the San Francisco Police Department," the police chief said. "We carry it with us every day."

A U.S. airstrike has killed the Taliban militants who shot down a helicopter, killing 38 American and Afghan soldiers, but a Taliban leader got away, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday. As Marine Gen. John Allen spoke, the U.S.-led command issued a news release saying the airstrike on Monday by an F-16 jet had killed Taliban leader Mullah Mohibullah, along with the man who fired the rocket-propelled grenade that brought down the CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Saturday and several other fighters. Text Size - + reset POLITICO 44 Allen confirmed that Mohibullah had not been the target of the mission in which the troops were killed. He would not reveal the name of the other Taliban leader, who escaped both Saturday’s raid and the subsequent airstrike. “We’re going to continue to pursue that network,” Allen said. Among the dead in the helicopter crash were 22 Navy SEALs, from the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, commonly known as SEAL Team 6, three Air Force special operators and the five-man crew of the Army helicopter. Also killed were seven Afghan commandos and a civilian interpreter. The SEALs were from the same unit that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May. Defense officials reportedly have said that none of those who died participated in that raid, but Afghan officials have indicated otherwise, saying the Taliban laid a trap for the helicopter as revenge. Allen said the incident — the largest single loss of life in the 10-year conflict — was tragic but not a strategic setback. “This was a tragic incident in a very difficult military campaign. However, this was a singular incident,” he said. “We are on progress to achieving our goals in Afghanistan.” ||||| WASHINGTON/KABUL NATO-led forces killed the Taliban militants responsible for shooting down a U.S. helicopter last weekend but not the insurgent leader targeted in the doomed mission, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said on Wednesday. The disclosure by General John Allen came during a briefing on the crash that killed 30 U.S. forces -- most of them elite Navy SEALs -- in the single deadliest incident for the U.S. military in the Afghan war. Eight Afghans were also killed in the crash in a remote valley southwest of Kabul. Allen acknowledged that the main Taliban leader sought in the August 6 operation was still at large. "Did we get the leader that we were going after in the initial operation? No, we did not," Allen said. "And we're going to continue to pursue that network." The deaths of so many Americans have resonated in a way at home that other battlefield incidents have not, with relatives, pastors and friends of the fallen appearing in U.S. media, praising troops fighting an unpopular war that usually takes a backseat to concerns like the economy. U.S. President Barack Obama flew to Dover Air Force Base on Tuesday to watch the arrival of the remains of those killed and the military has launched an investigation into the attack. Allen defended the decision to send in the elite team, saying it was necessary to chase militants who were escaping an ongoing operation that targeted an important Taliban leader. "We committed a force to contain that element from getting out. And, of course, in the process of that, the aircraft was struck by an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) and crashed," Allen told Pentagon reporters via video-conference from Kabul. Allen said a subsequent air strike around midnight on August 8 killed other Taliban insurgents believed to be behind the attack -- an assertion the Taliban immediately challenged. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said those killed were Taliban leader Mullah Mohibullah and the insurgent who it said fired the shot that downed the CH-47 helicopter. It said the two men were trying to flee the country -- presumably to safe havens in neighboring Pakistan. The Pentagon said they were in a compound when they were hit by F-16 aircraft. In Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, denied that the person responsible for shooting down the helicopter was killed. "The person who shot down the helicopter is alive and he is in another province operating against (foreign forces)," he told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location. FAILED MISSION? The elite team of U.S. forces was sent in to help complete an operation started late on Friday by an ISAF Special Operations Command team that included at least some U.S. Rangers in central Maidan Wardak province. Allen was asked why the elite team was traveling in a slow-moving CH-47 Chinook. "We've run more than a couple of thousand of these night operations over the last year, and this is the only occasion where this has occurred," he said. "It's not uncommon at all to use this aircraft on our special missions." Sources familiar with special operations told Reuters the team could have traveled in a MH-47 helicopter, which is specially equipped for such missions. The investigation by NATO will also focus on the barrage of fire the U.S. force encountered as it headed into the fight. Allen said he believed an RPG was at least partly to blame, but acknowledged small arms fire may also have played a role. "We don't know with any certainty what hit (it)," he said. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has decided to release the names, ranks and hometowns of the special operations forces killed in the crash, despite objections by the Special Operations Command, Pentagon spokesman Colonel David Lapan said. The commanders were concerned about the safety of special forces families, Reuters has reported. Lapan said he expected the names to be published by the Pentagon by Thursday morning. (Additional reporting by Mirwais Harooni and Michelle Nichols in Kabul,David Alexander in Washingon;Editing by Doina Chiacu)

– A NATO strike on Monday took out the Taliban forces responsible for downing a Chinook helicopter, reports Reuters, in a tragedy that killed all 38 Afghan and American soldiers aboard last weekend. "The strike killed Taliban leader Mullah Mohibullah and the insurgent who fired the shot associated with the August 6 downing of the CH-47 helicopter, which resulted in the deaths of 38 Afghan and coalition service members," said a NATO statement. However, another Taliban leader targeted in the airstrike got away, military sources tell Politico.

Getty Images Uma Thurman joined the cast of "Savages" last April, at the same time as Blake Lively and John Travolta. She was set to play Lively's onscreen mother in the adaptation of Don Winslow's drug-fueled piece of pulp fiction, a new-age Southern Californian woman known to her daughter as Paqu -- Passive Aggressive Queen of the Universe. Unfortunately for Thurman, when "Savages" hits theaters on July 6, her character won't be a part of the fun: She was cut out of the film completely. "It was so intense, in fact, that we ended up cutting characters from the book, like the mother," director Oliver Stone told HuffPost Entertainment. "She was a good character -- Uma Thurman played her beautifully -- and the scenes were good, but you don’t have time, you know? We have one goal in the movie, and you go out that gate and it's like a horse race." Stone said that Thurman "understood" the decision, and that she wasn't alone. Emile Hirsch had his "Savages" character significantly trimmed back, too. This isn't a phenomenon limited to "Savages"; actors have been cut from films for decades. To mix famed quotations, the play's the thing and performers are little more than highly paid cattle. Ahead, 10 notable stars left on the cutting room floor. ||||| Ryan Gosling too fat for film role? Actor sets record straight about part that slipped away It's usually actresses who come under fire for piling on pounds. Now Ryan Gosling, 30, says he can relate, after losing a role he desperately wanted because he was too fat. The Canadian heartthrob made the shocking claim while promoting his new movie Blue Valentine. Back to his old self: A slimmed down Ryan Gosling attends The Governor's Awards with his mother in Hollywood on November 13 Three years ago director Peter Jackson signed Gosling to play the lead role in The Lovely Bones, but Jackson changed his mind and gave Gosling the sack, after the actor put on too much weight. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor said: 'I was 150 lbs when he hired me and I showed up on set 210 lbs, ' adding: 'We had a different idea of how the character should look.' Gosling was replaced by Mark Wahlberg, who took over the role of Jack Salmon, a distraught father whose life falls apart after his young daughter is raped and murdered. Nice comeback: Ryan has been getting great reviews for his work in Blue Valentine Gosling said he intentionally bulked up, because he envisioned the character as being overweight: 'I really believed he should be 210 lbs.' He says he succeeded in gaining weight by eating ice cream: 'I was melting Haagen Dazs and drinking it when I was thirsty. I really believed in it, I was excited about it and I showed up and they said, "You look terrible." ' At the time, the actor who received an Oscar nomination for his role in the gritty drama Half Nelson, believed he could have easily lost the weight. But admits he and Jackson disagreed so much about the direction of the film, that it was better to leave the project. 'It was a sign of much deeper things, the way I saw the character vs how Peter saw the character,' he continued. 'It was a huge movie and there were so many things to deal with and he couldn't deal with the actors individually.' Gosling said it was a bad time in his life: 'I was fat and unemployed.' Now, thankfully, he's neither. Then and now: Gosling today compared to how he looked in 2007 at the premiere of Lars and the Real Girl in New York City Lately, he's been getting rave reviews for Blue Valentine, a sexually charged independent drama co-starring Michelle Williams. The film, which centres on a contemporary married couple, is said to be so racy that the Motion Picture Association of America slapped it with an NC-17 rating. That means no children under 17 will be admitted to the film and it often adds up to lower box office receipts. Still, Gosling has been getting good reviews. According to Moving Pictures magazine, he is 'so emotionally vulnerable his heart virtually beats from an open wound in his chest.' Although the magazine offers a word of caution about the bleak film: 'It’s exquisitely painful to watch.'

– Bloated running times, terrible performances, a 60-pound weight gain—there are a host of reasons why even the most well-known actors are sometimes cut from films. The Huffington Post takes a look at 11 notable instances of big names getting axed from big movies: Ryan Gosling, The Lovely Bones: Gosling thought his character should be big, so he gained a lot of weight and showed up to filming weighing 210 pounds. Unfortunately, the filmmakers, who cast him at 150 pounds, disagreed and fired him. James Gandolfini, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: Gandolfini was supposed to be a love interest for Sandra Bullock's character, but test audiences hated his scenes. Mickey Rourke, Billy Bob Thornton, Gary Oldman, Viggo Mortensen, and Martin Sheen, The Thin Red Line: That's a whole lot of star power to get left on the editing room floor, but that's what happened with this Terrence Malick film. At least Rourke ended up in the Blu-ray's deleted scenes. Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler, Anchorman: The rambling Will Ferrell classic simply had too much footage, so Rudolph's and Poehler's scenes were edited out. Don't feel too badly for them, though, as director Adam McKay was able to put them in a second film with the leftovers, Wake Up, Ron Burgundy. Click for the full list, including one film the Huffington Post calls "a hilarious Hollywood mess."

Ready Player One is a beautifully, expensively realized vision of hell. The year is 2045, and the world is an overpopulated wasteland; in Columbus, Ohio, the fastest-growing city on Earth, people live in shipping containers stacked on top of each other. The American dream is a rotting corpse, and instead of hoping for a better life, people while away their days in the OASIS: a virtual-reality realm filled with cartoon avatars of logged-on gamers, where you can do whatever you want as long as you have enough coins (a currency, it seems, that’s largely earned by blowing up other gamers). Steven Spielberg’s new film is set in two different dystopias, but it’s only intermittently interested in acknowledging that. The first is our real world, which has become far more polluted and overcrowded—both a typical and believable near-future prediction. The second is the OASIS, a dazzling land bound only by the limits of one’s imagination that has somehow ossified around late 20th-century pop-culture artifacts as if they’re religious icons. This is a film that treats an Atari 2600 like it’s the Ark of the Covenant, that turns The Shining’s Overlook Hotel into an inviolate temple, and where lines like “a fanboy can always tell a hater” are barked with sincere zeal. Related Story Steven Spielberg's Netflix Fears In Ready Player One, nostalgia has been transmuted from an easy crutch into a codified way of existence, where people talk about decades-old video games and movies like they’re the building blocks of contemporary life. And within the game, they are, since the OASIS was built by James Halliday (Mark Rylance), a bushy-haired, extra-dimensionally awkward coder who designed the VR world around his own interests and obsessions. The allure of this plot setup (based on a novel by Ernest Cline) for Spielberg seems obvious: Here’s a universe inspired by the kind of pop-culture legendaria he had a hand in creating, so why not have fun examining how his legacy has been perverted over the generations? Though the director occasionally explores this idea, Spielberg too often swerves into the easier territory of serving up genre references and lobbing them into centerfield for a cheering crowd. Godzilla! Akira! The Iron Giant! It’s all part of the phantasmagorical CGI gumbo that Ready Player One throws its heroes Parzival (Tye Sheridan), Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), and Aech (Lena Waithe) into. Those are the characters’ virtual identities within the game, but I might as well use them since 90 percent of the movie is spent in the OASIS, which is rendered in gloriously absurd anime-style graphics. Like many a video game, at the heart of Ready Player One is a heroic quest, a series of mysteries programmed by Halliday to pop up on the occasion of his death (the film opens five years after he dies, though his virtual self lives on). The first to solve the cryptic puzzles and find the “Easter Egg” gets to inherit the company, which is worth about a half-trillion dollars: a totally logical succession plan for a program that seems to dominate most of public life on Earth. Competing against hardcore fans like Parzival and Art3mis is an evil corporation called IOI, which is run by a fun-hating capitalist stooge named Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn, doing his usual sneering-villain thing). His aim is to turn the OASIS into a malware-ridden netherworld of popup ads and tiered memberships. It’s clear, from the glimpses of the America that Spielberg offers the audience, that the country is beyond saving. So Ready Player One’s heroes instead concentrate on fixing their virtual home, battling IOI to keep it from inheriting the game. The horrible company’s business strategy is utterly Dickensian: IOI forces people into indentured servitude by buying up their cyber-debt and imprisoning them in VR booths until they can work it off. Viewers see these faceless avatars doing grunt work around the OASIS, keeping the cartoon trains running on time for their corporate masters. In one shot, during an action-packed online battle, Spielberg turns his camera onto a real-world sidewalk filled with people running around with their headsets and battling imaginary foes. ||||| The gamer kid in Steven Spielberg lets his VR freak flag fly in Ready Player One, a mindbending joyride that jacks you into a fantasia bursting with CGI wonders, dazzling cyperscapes mixed with live action, hidden Easter eggs and infinite pop-culture shoutouts to the 1980s. (Better brush up on everything from Alien to Zemeckis if you don’t want to be left behind.) The legendary director's aim in this go-for-broke adaptation of Ernest Cline’s 2011 sci-fi novel, a geek touchstone, is to get you in the game, and it's a blockbuster that aches to be interactive, Forget about headsets, however: Spielberg is in control. And why not? He's the maestro at this kind of stuff. But first, some harsh reality: It's 2045. The world has gone to hell. Orphaned Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) is stuck in the shithole that time has made of Columbus, Ohio, where people live in trailers piled on top of each other. The populace chase dreams in OASIS, a virtual-reality platform created by mad genius James Halliday (the great Mark Rylance) and his business partner Ogden Morrow (a sly, surprising Simon Pegg). The dying legacy of Halliday's whacked-out Willy Wonka, seen via numerous flashbacks, is one last, kill-or-be-killed game for his followers to play. The winner who finds the three hidden keys, which will lead the lucky champ to the ultimate Easter egg, will inherit the late creator's fortune – and total control over OASIS. And we're off! When Wade puts on his digital visor, he morphs into Parzival, the perfect cool-kid avatar. His best-friend-forever Aech (Lena Waithe, absolutely terrific – every movie should have her) is a tech whiz whose avatar is proud to show up the competition. Both Wade and Aech have their eye on Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), a pink-haired speed diva and a real competitor in the film's first challenge – a car chase to end all car chases. Obstacles for Wade, traveling in a DeLorean time machine (hello, Back to the Future!), include King Kong, a hungry T. rex and a host of other reference points too sweet to spoil. Wade passes his first test, along with Aech, Art3mis and the Japanese duo of Daito (Win Morisaki) and Shoto (Philip Zhao) – gunters, a.k.a. Easter egg hunters, that he knows only in the OASIS. But there's a villain lurking out there: Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn), a corporate white dude who's determined to beat the kids at their own game. He relies on a monster named i-R0k (riotously voiced by T.J. Miller as if he never left Silicon Valley), who is, of course, no match for one boy against the world, a Spielberg staple since the glory days of E.T. In a trivia challenge based on John Hughes movies, Wade will give Nolan the dusting of a lifetime, and working from a script by author Cline and Zak Penn, Spielberg concocts enough battles and showdowns to fill a dozen movies – though look out for a sequence on The Shining that is alone worth the price of admission. Is it overkill? You bet. But Spielberg's visual inventiveness is unflagging. He stumbles only when trying to warm up the tech gadgetry with a personal touch, as when Wade and his friends, known as the High 5, finally connect in a reality that brings fantasy crashing down to earth. Sheridan and Cooke bring genuine romantic longing to their few scenes together. But the live-action segments of the movie are more buzz kill than bracing. For those looking for Ready Player One to condemn the digi-verse as a destructive force against human connection, find another movie. The script is too shallow for that anyway, and don't look to the filmmaker – a child of divorce who found escape (and an eventual career) by getting happily lost in television, movies and early vid-games – for a lecture. The head-spinning spectacle won't quit even when the sensory overload gets too much; if he has a chance to show the Iron Giant battling Mechagodzilla, he'll take it. At 71, this iconic director barely pays lip service to constructing a cautionary tale against anything that might help an alienated kid build an oasis of his or her own imagining. As ever, Spileberg is ready to play. Are you? Game on. ||||| Do you know the name of the high school the characters attended in John Hughes’ movies? Did you play “Pitfall!” on the Atari 2600 when you were a kid? And are you aware of what lurks behind the door of Room 237? You may be able to answer “yes” to all three of these questions (as I was), and yet still not be able to register much more than a chuckle of recognition in response to the vast majority of voluminous pop-culture references scattered throughout “Ready Player One.” The action is breathless and non-stop, both in the virtual reality and the reality reality, but wallowing in ‘80s nostalgia is only so much fun for so long—even if you’re a child of the era (as I am)—and it only really works when it serves to further the narrative. So much of what constitutes the humor in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Ernest Cline’s best-selling novel is along the lines of: “Here’s a thing you know from your youth.” And: “Here’s another thing.” And: “Here’s an obscure thing that only an elite few of you will get, which will make you feel super-smart.” Advertisement Chucky from the “Child’s Play” movies shares the screen with The Iron Giant and the DeLorean from “Back to the Future.” A thrilling auto race through the virtual streets of New York finds the characters daring to outrun the T. Rex from “Jurassic Park” as well as King Kong. There’s no way to catch it all in one sitting. This is a movie that has a literal Easter egg—and it is indeed a “movie,” not a film, as Spielberg himself pointed out earlier this month during its South by Southwest premiere. Spielberg would seem to be the ideal director for such a thorough (and overlong) trip down memory lane. This is, after all, the decade he helped define, asserting himself as one of our greatest and most influential filmmakers. “Ready Player One” may have sprung from someone else’s brain originally, but it’s a Spielbergian hero’s journey at its core, complete with lens flares early and often. The young man at its center is an obsessed gamer named Wade Watts who goes by the moniker Parzival in the massive virtual reality everyone inhabits in the movie’s dystopian future. But he’s very much a figure in the same driven, single-minded vein as Henry Thomas in “E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial,” Harrison Ford in the “Indiana Jones” films, Tom Cruise in “Minority Report” or Tom Hanks in “Catch Me If You Can.” The actor who plays Wade Watts, Tye Sheridan (“Mud,” “X-Men: Apocalypse”), even resembles a “Close Encounters”-era Richard Dreyfuss. “Ready Player One” is at once familiar in its fabric and forward-thinking in its technology, with a combination of gritty live action and glossy CGI. It’s an ambitious mix that can be thrilling while it lasts, and yet it fails to linger for long afterward, leaving you wondering what its point is beyond validating the insularity of ravenous fandom. The movie’s copious needle drops drag us deeper into the decade, from Van Halen’s “Jump” and Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” to George Michael’s “Faith” and Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” At times, the selections can be painfully on the nose; the use of New Order’s “Blue Monday” to set the tone as we enter a large, laser-filled dance club is absolutely perfect, however. Somewhere in the middle of all this retro mayhem (which Cline himself co-scripted with Zak Penn) is an actual story—which itself is a throwback to something that’s never specifically named. This is essentially “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” complete with a scrappy, crafty underdog attempting to solve a series of challenges posed by a whimsical, mystical genius in hopes of winning a grand prize at the end. The year is 2045 and the place is Columbus, Ohio. Wade lives, as so many others do, in “The Stacks,” a densely populated cluster of cruddy trailers piled high atop each other and tied together by scaffolding. To escape their dreary lives, Wade and his neighbors strap on their headgear and enter the Oasis, a sprawling virtual reality where everyone spends the bulk of their time. Yes, they’re doing VR in their RVs. Advertisement You can be whoever you want to be, go wherever you want to go, do whatever you want to do. You can be a fearsome warrior or a sexy anime vixen. You can gamble in a casino the size of a planet or climb Mount Everest with Batman. Or you can just hang out with your friends—people you’ve never actually met, but you feel like you intimately know—as Wade does when he’s in the Oasis as the chicly rebellious, “Final Fantasy”-styled Parzival. His best buddy is a hulking orc with a heart of gold named Aech (Lena Waithe), and he’s smitten with a motorcycle-riding, punk rock badass named Art3mis (Olivia Cooke). “Ready Player One” would have been a far more compelling film with either of these characters at its center, but we’re stuck with Parzival as our bland yet brave conduit. Waithe has a swagger that’s hugely compelling; Cooke doesn’t get nearly as much of a character to work with here as she did in the gripping dark comedy “Thoroughbreds,” but at least Art3mis is Parzival’s equal in terms of her smarts and abilities, and she and isn’t simply relegated to being “the girl.” They (and everyone else) are searching for the three hidden keys left behind by the late creator of the Oasis: the socially awkward, Steve Jobs-esque James Halliday (Mark Rylance, a much-needed source of quiet and humanity in this noisy, overwhelming world). These are literally the keys to the kingdom. Whoever finds them becomes the heir to his empire and the ruler of the Oasis. No one has ever gotten close—not even Parzival, despite his encyclopedic knowledge of the minutiae of Halliday’s life and inspiration. Meanwhile, the greedy corporate villain Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn, chilling as always) has built a massive army of mercenaries to scour the Oasis for the keys so that he can exploit this realm for commercial gain. Which is totally evil, according to this behemoth studio blockbuster. So much of “Ready Player One” consists of following these characters around as they jump from one challenge to the next, solving one problem before moving on to the next problem, with clues from the movies, music and video games Halliday loved. But this instinct leads to the film’s strongest sequence of all, which finds the characters’ avatars landing right smack in the middle of “The Shining.” I wouldn’t dream of giving away which elements of Stanley Kubrick’s film they explore—or which rooms of The Overlook Hotel. But I will say it is the cleverest use of CGI within a live-action setting, and it upends our expectations of a pop-culture phenomenon rather than simply regurgitating something we know and love back to us. It comments on why “The Shining” matters while also giving us the opportunity to see it unexpectedly from a fresh perspective. More of that kind of multi-layered approach could have elevated “Ready Player One” from a rollicking, name-dropping romp to a substantive tale with something to say about the influences that shape us during our youth and stick with us well into adulthood. Oh, and the answer to that John Hughes question? It’s Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois, 60062. ||||| Gamer adventure chronicles 40 years of pop culture and stands among the classics it mentions Tye Sheridan stars as Wade Owen Watts/Parzival in "Ready Player One". (Photo: Warner Bros.) A gloriously geeky ode to the last 40 years of pop culture wrapped up in a thrilling old-school adventure tale, “Ready Player One” is tremendous fun, a just reward for spending way too much of your life camped out in front of your television. Steven Speilberg directs this exuberant celebration of the movies, video games and hobbies several generations have grown up on, with a Gen-X sweet spot that hits squarely on ’70s kids raised on first-gen Atari games. Know the Easter Egg hidden in “Adventure?” Congratulations, this movie is exactly for you. But for those who just want to romp through an index of pop culture references from A (A-ha) to Z (Robert Zemeckis), “Ready Player One” is for you, as well. “Ready Player One” — based on the 2011 novel of the same name — rattles off big picture references to “Back to the Future,” “The Iron Giant,” “King Kong,” “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension,” “Batman,” “Alien,” “Child’s Play” and the works of John Hughes, along with one extended homage to a horror classic that is simply too good to give away. There are musical nods to Tears for Fears, Duran Duran, Blondie, Rush, Van Halen and Michael Jackson, for starters. Look closer and you’ll spot winks to He-Man, “Minecraft,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Star Trek,” Simon (the electronic game), “Knight Rider,” “Goldeneye” (the N64 game), “Friday the 13th,” “There’s Something About Mary,” “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” “Beetlejuice,” “Cocktail,” Garbage Pail Kids, “Mortal Kombat,” “Battletoads,” Madballs and many, many, many more. Since Spielberg is in on the game, he tosses in references to his own “Jurassic Park,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Minority Report,” since they’re part of the tapestry of the movie’s universe. No doubt, scholars will compile lists of “Ready Player One’s” glossary of references for years to come. (Notably absent from the mix: “Star Wars” and Nintendo characters, although there’s always “Ready Player Two.”) There is a way to be cynical or too cool for school when openly chronicling this many influences, but when has Speilberg ever been cynical or too cool for school? He creates a convivial, everybody’s-invited atmosphere of inclusion, not exclusion. He wants everyone to have a good time. That makes the movie a throwback, as well. Although it takes place in a dystopian 2045, after the “corn syrup droughts” and the “bandwidth riots” have altered the landscape of our society, its vibe is pure ’80s, and its across-the-board, crowd-pleasing nature recalls all-timers like “Back to the Future” and the “Indiana Jones” series. Tye Sheridan of “Mud” and “X-Men: Apocalypse” (he played Cyclops) is Wade Watts, a teenager living in “The Stacks” — basically an ungainly pile of trailer homes — in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus, surely much to the chagrin of U of M fans, is the fastest growing city in America, since it was home to James Halliday (Mark Rylance, an Oscar winner for Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies”), the founder of an expansive virtual reality universe known as the Oasis. The Oasis is where pretty much everybody spends all of their free time, living a virtual existence where they can do anything and be anyone they want. Imagine society’s current addiction to Facebook and multiply it by the possibilities of a VR landscape, and you have the Oasis. Before his death, Halliday hid a series of keys (or “Easter Eggs”) inside the Oasis, much like Spielberg has riddled “Ready Player One” with his own cache of Easter Eggs. If found, they will unlock his massive fortune, estimated at half a trillion dollars. These keys are so hard to come by, buried inside clues from Halliday’s own life, that after years of searching, the worldwide pursuit of them has yielded no returns. But Watts, in his gamer guise as Parzival, has a few ideas of his own. There’s of course a corporate bad guy, played by Ben Mendelsohn (“Bloodline”) in yet another smarmy, villainous turn, and a love interest, played by “Thoroughbreds’” stunner Olivia Cooke. Cooke’s Samantha has a spunky in-game alter ego (known as “Art3mis”), who’s as brash and tough as Samantha wants to be in real life. Much of “Ready Player One” unfolds inside the Oasis, and it understands the movement and mechanics of video games the way many gaming movies do not, “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” excluded. (Looking at you, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”) So while a good chunk of the movie is handed over to digital avatars — Sheridan might have less screen time as Wade than he does as Parzival — Spielberg never loses the heart or emotion of the story, nor does he get lost in a dull digital hellscape the way movies like “Final Fantasy” or “Warcraft” did. Instead, “Ready Player One” is a blast of pure childlike amusement. Beyond its encyclopedic citations of pop culture past, it has a kinetic energy and big picture feel all its own. It feels like a new classic, one worthy of mention on its own accord. The next time a filmmaker goes deep in paying tribute to the greats, expect to see “Ready Player One” on that list. ‘Ready Player One’ GRADE: A Rated PG-13: for sequences of sci-fi action violence, bloody images, some suggestive material, partial nudity and language Running time: 140 minutes Ready Player One (PG-13) Steven Spielberg’s joyous, buoyant ode to the last 40 years of pop culture has a dazzling kinetic energy all its own. (140 minutes) GRADE: A [email protected] (313) 222-2284 @grahamorama Read or Share this story: https://detne.ws/2E30Dkd

– Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, adapted from Ernest Cline's 2011 novel of the same name, is set in 2045, but it's clearly homesick for the 1980s. Packed with nostalgic references, it follows gamer Wade Watts on a quest to take control of a virtual-reality world in which people now spend most of their time. Here's what critics are saying: David Sims calls it "a decent meal with tantalizing hints of something more complex." Given that Ready Player One's virtual-reality world is built around "pop-culture artifacts," Spielberg could've done a lot more than simply lob nostalgia at the audience, Sims writes at the Atlantic. He also says Tye Sheridan is "an inescapably dull hero." Then again, "there are far worse worlds one could get lost in, and far worse filmmakers to get stuck on a quest with." Christy Lemire liked Ready Player One, but found it didn't leave a lasting impression. The movie is "forward-thinking in its technology, with a combination of gritty live action and glossy CGI." One particular scene boasts "the cleverest use of CGI within a live-action setting," she writes at RogerEbert.com. But "wallowing in '80s nostalgia is only so much fun for so long." And the film leaves "you wondering what its point is beyond validating the insularity of ravenous fandom." Adam Graham is more effusive. Ready Player One is "a gloriously geeky ode to the last 40 years of pop culture wrapped up in a thrilling old-school adventure tale" and "a blast of pure childlike amusement," he writes at Detroit News. "Beyond its encyclopedic citations of pop culture past, it has a kinetic energy and big picture feel all its own" and "feels like a new classic," Graham adds. Consider it "a just reward for spending way too much of your life camped out in front of your television." Peter Travers had fun, too. The film is "a mindbending joyride that jacks you into a fantasia bursting with CGI wonders." There are a host of 1980s references "too sweet to spoil" and "enough battles and showdowns to fill a dozen movies," he writes at Rolling Stone. "Is it overkill? You bet. But Spielberg's visual inventiveness is unflagging." Plus, Lena Waithe, playing Watts' best bud, is "absolutely terrific—every movie should have her."

Improving the way opioids are prescribed through clinical practice guidelines can ensure patients have access to safer, more effective chronic pain treatment while reducing the number of people who misuse, abuse, or overdose from these drugs. CDC developed and published the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain to provide recommendations for the prescribing of opioid pain medication for patients 18 and older in primary care settings. Recommendations focus on the use of opioids in treating chronic pain (pain lasting longer than 3 months or past the time of normal tissue healing) outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care. ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. SUBSCRIBE A news organization that set up a database to track prescribing habits of doctors found out some people were using it to shop around for doctors more likely to give them addictive painkillers. ProPublica, which specializes in investigative reporting, said it was immediately making the startling discovery public, and would add extra warnings about the dangers of misusing the drugs. Prescription pills in a yellow bottle. Roberto Machado Noa / LightRocket via Getty Images “This is not a new problem for journalists, or others whose business is providing or sharing information. In another era, burglars would read the obituary pages so they could target the homes of people who had just died,” Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica’s editor-in-chief, wrote in a statement. “As a news organization dedicated to pursuing stories with ‘moral force,’ we feel we also have an obligation to look hard at possible misuses of our journalism,” he added. The database was set up in 2013 to track what types of drugs were being prescribed by Medicare doctors. Related: Opioid Abuse Costs Employers “The data showed doctors often prescribed narcotic painkillers and antipsychotic drugs in quantities that could be dangerous for their patients, many of whom were elderly,” Engelberg added. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the overuse of opioid painkillers is driving a worsening addiction crisis. Journalists used it to write stories, ProPublica said. Others have used it, too — including doctors trying to see how they stack up against colleagues, said Engelberg. “Law enforcement officials searched the database for leads on fraud and illicit trafficking in pain medications,” he added. "Many readers also arrived at Prescriber Checkup after web searches like 'doctors who prescribe narcotics easily' or 'doctors that will prescribe anything'." "Many readers also arrived at Prescriber Checkup after web searches like 'doctors who prescribe narcotics easily' or 'doctors that will prescribe anything'." “Recently, though, we picked up clear signs that some readers are using the data for another purpose: To search for doctors likely to prescribe them some widely abused drugs, many of them opioids.” For instance, a suspicious number of people were using a formula, meant for journalists, that would bring up the names of physicians who most frequently prescribed narcotics. "According to our web data, many readers also arrived at Prescriber Checkup after web searches like 'doctors who prescribe narcotics easily' or 'doctors that will prescribe anything,'" Engelberg said. The practice of doctor-shopping is nothing new. The CDC says it’s one way people who shouldn’t be taking prescription narcotics are getting them. Some patients get prescriptions from multiple doctors. Engelberg pointed out that the federal government at first resisted providing the information used on the site, but now has its own, similar web database. Related: New CDC Painkiller Guidelines Say to Use Less “We continue to believe that Prescriber Checkup provides significant and beneficial insights into prescribing patterns — insights that can help patients, practitioners, regulators and a variety of other users,” he said. Adding a warning about the dangers of narcotics on any pages mentioning them may help, Engelberg said. NBC News will also link to advice on their use by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and have written a story on the growing public health crisis arising from the abuse prescription pain medication. We will continue to report on this issue, as we’ve done previously. ||||| Prescriber Checkup Medicare’s popular prescription-drug program serves more than 42 million people and pays for more than one of every four prescriptions written nationwide. Use this tool to find and compare doctors and other providers in Part D in 2015. Related Story » Interested in downloading the data? Go to the ProPublica Data Store. ||||| A Closer Look Examining the News In 2013, ProPublica released Prescriber Checkup, a database that detailed the prescribing habits of hundreds of thousands of doctors across the country. ProPublica reporters used the data — which reflected prescriptions covered by Medicare’s massive drug program, known as part D — to uncover several important findings. The data showed doctors often prescribed narcotic painkillers and antipsychotic drugs in quantities that could be dangerous for their patients, many of whom were elderly. The reporters also found evidence that some doctors wrote far, far more prescriptions than their peers for expensive brand-name drugs for which there were cheaper generic alternatives. And we found instances of probable fraud that had gone undetected by the government. The data proved equally useful for others: Doctors themselves turned to Prescriber Checkup to assess how they compared to their peers. Medical plan administrators and hospitals checked it to see whether their doctors were following best practices in treating patients. Law enforcement officials searched the database for leads on fraud and illicit trafficking in pain medications. Patients turned to the data to vet their doctors’ drug choices and compare them with others in their specialties. Recently, though, we picked up clear signs that some readers are using the data for another purpose: To search for doctors likely to prescribe them some widely abused drugs, many of them opioids. Like nearly everyone on the web, we use Google Analytics to collect data on our site. So far this year, it appears that perhaps as many as 25 percent of Prescriber Checkup’s page views involve narcotic painkillers, anti-anxiety medications, and amphetamines. Thousands of the people visiting those pages initially viewed the “reporting recipe” we wrote to help local journalists identify doctors who ranked among the top prescribers of narcotics. The readership for this recipe far exceeds any reasonable estimate of local or regional journalists researching stories. According to our web data, many readers also arrived at Prescriber Checkup after web searches like “doctors who prescribe narcotics easily’’ or “doctors that will prescribe anything.’’ It’s not possible to draw definitive conclusions about the motives of these people. Some, no doubt, legitimately have chronic pain or anxiety and are simply looking for doctors who will help them. Two of the more frequently searched drugs are Suboxone and methadone, medicines used to treat opioid addiction. (As the depth of the opiod epidemic has become clear, some doctors have become reluctant to prescribe these drugs out of fears that they, too, can be abused.) Still, it seems probable that some of the readers who visit Prescriber Checkup are looking for doctors who will prescribe narcotics and other powerful stimulants with few or no questions asked. This is not a new problem for journalists, or others whose business is providing or sharing information. In another era, burglars would read the obituary pages so they could target the homes of people who had just died. More recently, terrorists have used search engines to find recipes for bomb-making or encrypted communications. Con artists have found new ways to perpetrate schemes through Facebook and other social media. The Internet’s leading platforms have struggled with this issue. Just this week, Google announced that it would not accept ads for payday lenders. Both Facebook and Google bar advertising for guns, explosives and recreational drugs. We impose comparable limits on the advertising we are willing to accept on our site. But as a news organization dedicated to pursuing stories with “moral force,’’ we feel we also have an obligation to look hard at possible misuses of our journalism. We have long been advocates for transparency and have repeatedly pushed government agencies to release more data on everything from dialysis clinics to complications in surgical procedures performed under Medicare. In almost every one of these instances, some government officials argued against making the information public, warning that the information would be misused. Initially, when we published Prescriber Checkup, we had to request the data under the Freedom of Information Act. The government has come around to see the value of releasing prescribing information. Now, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services puts the data freely on its own site. It even has a tool that allows people to compare doctors based on their opioid prescribing, just as our site does. Prescriber Checkup The doctors and drugs in Medicare Part D. Explore the data. Using Prescriber Checkup: A Quick Guide We've made it easy to search for doctors and other health providers who are active in Medicare's drug program. See our tips. We continue to believe that Prescriber Checkup provides significant and beneficial insights into prescribing patterns — insights that can help patients, practitioners, regulators and a variety of other users. Doctors, the vast majority of whom want to do the right thing, have told us that this is the only place where they can measure their prescribing against colleagues in their specialty and state. And we regularly hear from law enforcement and medical board regulators across the country who say our tool helped them focus their efforts in ways that previously were not available. Still, we recognize that it’s important not to ignore the not-so-beneficial uses of Prescriber Checkup. As one way of doing this, we are adding a warning to the pages of all narcotic drugs that reminds readers of the serious health risks posed by taking opioids for pain relief. We will also link to advice on their use by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and have written a story on the growing public health crisis arising from the abuse prescription pain medication. We will continue to report on this issue, as we’ve done previously. Data journalism gives readers access to a stunning array of information on everything from healthcare to election results. As data sets grow ever larger, they also introduce ethical questions that journalists will be weighing for many years to come. We hope the actions we’ve taken contribute to that conversation

– Looks like a freely available online database that reveals which doctors are prescribing what pills has partly backfired. Stephen Engelberg, editor-in-chief at ProPublica—which unveiled Prescriber Checkup in 2013—admits as much. "Thousands of the people ... viewed the 'reporting recipe' we wrote to help local journalists identify doctors who ranked among the top prescribers of narcotics," he writes at ProPublica. "The readership for this recipe far exceeds any reasonable estimate of local or regional journalists researching stories." He also concedes that "many readers" are looking up searches like "doctors who prescribe narcotics easily" or "doctors that will prescribe anything." The database has had many positive uses as well, Engelberg says. ProPublica reporters have used it to uncover questionable prescriptions of antipsychotics and painkillers; doctors have used it to compare themselves with peers; law enforcement has used it to investigate illicit pain-medication trafficking and fraud; and patients have used it to wisely compare doctors. But Engelberg is seeing the dark side at a time when the CDC says opioid painkillers are creating an addiction crisis, NBC News reports. ProPublica's solution? For now, it's warning surfers of the database about addiction crisis and linking to CDC advice on using opioids to relieve pain.

FILE - In this March 20, 2017, file photo, Rachel Dolezal poses for a photo with her son, Langston, at the bureau of The Associated Press in Spokane, Wash. Dolezal, a former NAACP leader in Washington... (Associated Press) FILE - In this March 20, 2017, file photo, Rachel Dolezal poses for a photo with her son, Langston, at the bureau of The Associated Press in Spokane, Wash. Dolezal, a former NAACP leader in Washington... (Associated Press) SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A former NAACP leader in Washington state whose life unraveled after she was exposed as a white woman pretending to be black has been charged with welfare fraud. Rachel Dolezal, who legally changed her name to Nkechi Diallo in 2016, was charged this week with theft by welfare fraud, perjury and false verification for public assistance, Spokane news station KHQ-TV reported Thursday. She illegally received $8,747 in food assistance and $100 in child care assistance from August 2015 through November 2017, court documents said. An investigation started in March 2017 when a Washington state investigator received information that Diallo had written a book. The investigator reviewed Diallo's records and found that she had been reporting her income as usually less than $500 per month, court documents said. A subpoena for her self-employment records, which included copies of her bank statements, showed Diallo had deposited nearly $84,000 into her bank account between August 2015 and September 2017, without reporting the majority of it to the Department of Social and Health Services. The money came from authoring her memoir, "In Full Color," speaking engagements, soap making, doll making, and the sale of her art, according to the case file. Diallo did report a "change of circumstance" to the state agency, saying she did a one-time job in October 2017 worth $20,000, court documents said. The former civil rights activist told investigators she "fully disclosed her information" and declined to answer further questions, the documents said. She has said previously that she grew up near Troy, Montana, with religious parents and that she began to change her perspective as a teenager, after her parents adopted four black children. She decided to become publicly black years later, after a divorce. The ruse worked for years until 2015, when her parents, with whom she has long feuded, told reporters that their daughter was white but was presenting herself as a black activist in the Spokane region. The story became an international sensation, and she was fired as head of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP and kicked off a police ombudsman commission. She also lost her job teaching African studies at Eastern Washington University. ___ Information from: KHQ-TV, http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3082888/ ||||| Former Spokane Chapter NAACP President Rachel Dolezal is now facing legal trouble that could land her behind bars. KHQ has confirmed that Dolezal, who legally changed her name to Nkechi Diallo in 2016, is accused of 1st Degree Theft by Welfare Fraud, Perjury in the 2nd Degree, and False Verification for Public Assistance. Her potential punishment under RCW 74.08.331 could include up to 15 years in prison. Because Dolezal changed her name, we'll be referring to her as Nkechi Diallo. According to court documents, Diallo illegally received $8,747 in food assistance, and illegally received $100 in childcare assistance. Total restitution, according to the documents, is $8,847, allegedly stolen from August 2015 through November 2017. READ IT: Newly released court documents in Nkechi A. Diallo theft case The investigation into Diallo's alleged theft started in March 2017 when a DSHS Office of Fraud and Accountability investigator received information that Diallo had written a book that got published. The investigator said he'd heard Diallo say she was getting public assistance, but also knew that a typical publishing contract included payments of $10,000 to $20,000. Previous Coverage: Parents of Spokane NAACP President Rachel Dolezal claim she's not black The investigator conducted a review of Diallo's records and found she'd been reporting her income was usually less than $500 per month, in child support payments. At one point when asked as to how she was paying her bills, she reported, "Barely! With help from friends and gifts." However, a subpoena for her self-employment records, which included copies of her bank statements from 2015 to present, tells a different story. The bank records, court documents say, showed Diallo had deposited about $83,924 into her bank account in several monthly installments between August 2015 and September 2017, without reporting the income to the Department of Social and Health Services. The money, according to the case file, had come from authoring her book, 'In Full Color,' speaking engagements, soap making, doll making, and the sale of her art. RELATED: Rachel Dolezal steps down as President of Spokane NAACP During the course of the investigation, Diallo did report a "change of circumstance" to the Department of Social and Health Services, saying she did a one-time job in October of 2017 worth $20,000, and Diallo voluntarily came in for an interview with fraud investigators last month. But when questioned about possible discrepancies in her income reporting, Diallo stated she "fully disclosed her information and asked, 'what discrepancies?". Diallo then told the investigator that she "did not have to answer" any more questions, since she had not waived her Miranda rights, which ended the interview. RELATED: Baltimore Book Festival boots Rachel Dolezal after backlash According to the court documents, "The state of Washington seeks prosecution and restitution in this matter. In addition, the Department requests Nkechi Diallo be disqualified from receiving Food Assistance for at least a 12 month period for breaking a Food Assistance rule on purpose. This is known as an Intentional Program Violation." KHQ's Peter Maxwell went to Diallo's house to ask her about these charges on Thursday. Hear her response tonight at 5. Related coverage: http://www.khq.com/story/35550953/baltimore-book-festival-boots-rachel-dolezal-after-backlash http://www.khq.com/story/29327720/former-student-reflects-on-rachel-dolezals-past http://www.khq.com/story/33332407/former-naacp-leader-rachel-dolezal-tapped-for-mlk-day-event http://www.khq.com/story/29317969/rachel-dolezals-brother-speaks-out http://www.khq.com/story/29348284/rachel-dolezal-i-will-not-resign http://www.khq.com/story/29337584/rachel-dolezal-and-the-word-transracial http://www.khq.com/story/29311298/rachel-dolezal-releases-statement-to-naacp-members http://www.khq.com/story/29356286/city-council-votes-rachel-dolezal-off-ombudsman-commission http://www.khq.com/story/29344766/investigation-finds-misconduct-among-three-ombudsman-commissioners-including-rachel-dolezal http://www.khq.com/story/29322279/rachel-dolezal-steps-down-as-president-of-spokane-naacp http://www.khq.com/story/29310398/spokane-city-council-evaluating-facts-in-rachel-dolezal-investigation http://www.khq.com/story/29308121/timeline-rachel-dolezal-in-the-news-over-the-years http://www.khq.com/story/29309472/spokane-police-investigation-into-rachel-dolezal-hate-mail-now-closed http://www.khq.com/story/29331458/rachel-dolezal-tells-matt-lauer-she-has-identified-as-black-since-the-age-of-5 http://www.khq.com/story/29325564/rachel-dolezal-sued-howard-university-in-2002-claimed-african-americans-were-favored ||||| Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.

– Rachel Dolezal has been misrepresenting her income, according to investigators in Washington state. The former NAACP chapter leader—who was born a white woman but describes herself as "unapologetically black"—has been charged with welfare fraud and could get up to 15 years in prison if convicted, the New York Daily News reports. Dolezal, who changed her name to Nkechi Diallo in 2016, is also accused of perjury and false verification for public assistance, reports the AP. Authorities say she illegally received $8,747 in food assistance and $100 in child care assistance between 2015 and 2017. Dolezal came to the attention of investigators in 2017 when they learned that she had published a memoir but was still reporting income of only $500 a month, reports KHQ. According to court documents, investigators discovered that she had deposited $83,924 into her bank account between 2015 and 2017 without declaring it to state authorities. The documents state that the money came from memoir In Full Color, speaking engagements, soap and doll making, and the sale of art. Dolezal—who stepped down from the Spokane chapter of the NAACP and lost her job teaching African studies after her background was exposed in 2015—is due in court next month, the Washington Post reports.

Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. / Updated By Leigh Ann Caldwell and Vaughn Hillyard WASHINGTON — With Vice President Mike Pence casting a tie-breaking vote, Republicans moved forward on health care reform Tuesday as the Senate successfully opened debate on the issue. But just six hours later, Republicans faced their first defeat in that process, failing to pass a measure that they've been working on that would have partially repealed and replaced Obamacare. The vote earlier in the day was a major victory for Republicans, who have struggled to find 50 votes to get this far, but the final product is likely to fall far short of the Republicans' seven-year promise to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. It took the likelihood of a slimmed-down final bill in order to get enough "yes" votes to just open debate. President Donald Trump celebrated the Senate's vote Tuesday night in Youngstown, Ohio, saying at a rally that America is now "one step closer to liberating our citizens from this Obamacare nightmare." "Finally," he said to a crowd of thousands of supporters at the campaign-style event. "You think that's easy? That's not easy." While the president told his fans that he hoped that "obstructionists, meaning Democrats" would "finally do what's right" and join efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, Trump predicted that Republicans will likely have to go it alone — as they did Tuesday. "Today we won 51 to 50 and didn't get a single Democrat vote," he said. "Think of that." But later in the evening, the Senate took its first substantive vote on a beefed-up version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act, a measure that would partially repeal and replace Obamacare. That vote failed to garner the requisite 60 votes necessary and put an end for the time being of a large comprehensive health care bill. Earlier in Washington, momentum built over the course of the day as several previously skeptical members announced their support after Senate GOP leaders began detailing plans for more votes over the next days to shape the specifics of the legislation. In a dramatic moment that allowed for the vote's passage, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, returned to the Senate from Arizona to cast a key vote. Pence broke the tie after two Republicans — Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska — and all the Democrats voted against it. But first more than a dozen protesters in the gallery interrupted the Senate's proceedings, chanting, "Kill the bill; don't kill us." Speaking at the White House just minutes after the vote, President Donald Trump thanked Senate Republicans, saying, "now we move forward with truly great health care for the American people, we look forward to that. This was a big step." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said before the vote that it was "a critical first step." "We can’t let this moment slip by. We’ve talked about this too long," McConnell added. Now that the the Senate has opened up debate, the next few days will consist of debate and votes on perhaps dozens of amendments. The final product is unknown but is likely to end up as what's being called a “skinny” repeal that disposes of just a few components of Obamacare. The first vote was on the Better Care Reconciliation Act, with an amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that would provide for the sale of catastrophic insurance plans that are less expensive and provide less protection than allowed under Obamacare. The bill also included an amendment by Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, that would add $100 billion in additional spending to help low-income people pay for premiums and co-pays, especially those who might lose Medicaid coverage due to cuts to the program. But the BCRA amendment needed 60 votes because neither the Cruz nor the Portman provisions have been scored by the Congressional Budget Office, leaving no clear indication of how much they would cost or how many people they would affect. That means it cannot pass under special reconciliation rules allowing a simple majority approval. It fell far short with nine Republicans and all Democrats voting against it. One of the next votes, likely Wednesday, will be on a version of the Obamacare repeal bill that passed the Senate and the House in 2015 but was vetoed by President Barack Obama. The plan after those two votes is for senators to proceed to votes on a series of amendments to create the “skinny” repeal, which is a watered-down version of repeal with nothing to replace it. The goal would be to eliminate Obamacare's individual mandate penalty, the employer mandate penalty, and the tax on medical devices —items that Senate leaders think might be able to get 50 votes. A broader repeal would also have ended Medicaid's expansion, get rid of or replace the Obamacare subsidies that help people purchase insurance and repeal more — or all — of Obamacare's taxes. The Senate would then go to conference with the House of Representatives, where conferees would work out a final bill. Both chambers would then have to vote on the reconciled bill. "The proposal Leader McConnell made is nothing more than a ruse," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. "We’re going to do everything we can in this chamber, and the so many groups outside the chamber, to make sure that this does not pass the Senate at the end of the day." While the plan is is unlikely to result in a full repeal or replace, the scaled-down ambition was enough for senators who have been critical throughout the process to vote "yes" on today's motion to open up debate. "It's just time to have debate," said Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., who had earlier said he would not vote to debate the Senate bill. "So let's have the debate. Move forward. Let's get it out of the backrooms. Let's get it out on the Senate floor. And let's move forward." He did not indicate how he'd vote on the various measures that will come up in the days to come. The dramatic return of McCain — who received a standing ovation on the Senate floor — helped give GOP leaders not only a crucial vote but a morale boost for the GOP conference. While passage of the motion to proceed had been in doubt for weeks, the momentum began to shift Tuesday morning. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced in a series of tweets that he supports this plan and would vote "yes" on the motion, saying he was satisfied after being promised a vote on a near-full repeal and that the repeal-and-replace plan will likely fail. A handful of other GOP senators who had also been skeptical of the Senate bill came on board to move ahead, including Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Jerry Moran, R-Kan. But there was some last-minute drama that led people to question if the vote would really pass, provided by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., who has been highly critical of the process and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Nearly 25 minutes after the vote began, Johnson walked onto the floor, didn't vote, and proceeded to get into a heated discussion with McConnell that lasted five minutes. Johnson and McCain had not yet voted when the Arizona senator walked on the floor and cast his vote. Then Johnson voted "yes," giving Republicans their 50th vote. Over the last two days, Trump finally engaged fully on health care, using his bully pulpit and his Twitter account to pressure — and shame — Republicans into voting for the bill. Democrats are working to defeat the bill, holding rallies, including one on the Capitol steps after Tuesday's vote. They are also meeting and hosting people, including children who depend on coverage they've received under Obamacare, to lobby against repeal. Ali Vitali reported from Youngstown, Ohio. ||||| Sen. John McCain (R. Ariz.) was welcomed back to the Senate with a standing ovation after his brain cancer diagnosis before casting his crucial vote for the motion to proceed on the health-care vote. McCain called on senators to work across party lines to come up with a new health-care bill. Photo: Fox WASHINGTON—Senate Republicans overcame a range of internal fissures in narrowly voting on Tuesday to begin debate on their health-care overhaul, but the party suffered a setback hours later when a proposal replacing major portions of the Affordable Care Act failed to attract enough votes to pass. In a dramatic day at the Capitol, Vice President Mike Pence broke a 50-50 tie, allowing Senate Republicans to clear a procedural hurdle and... ||||| CLOSE Senator John McCain thanked his fellow senators for their support after he was diagnosed with cancer, and says he plans to return after treating his illness. Sen. John McCain returns to the U.S. Senate, accompanied by his wife, Cindy, on July 25, 2017. (Photo: Win McNamee, Getty Images) WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain returned to the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday afternoon to cast a critical vote in favor of health care legislation less than a week after undergoing surgery and revealing he has brain cancer. And then, in typical McCain fashion, he took to the floor and blasted both the Senate's draft health care bill and the process that produced it. "All we’ve managed to do is make more popular a policy that wasn’t very popular when we started trying to get rid of it," he said of Obamacare. McCain’s vote was pivotal as Republicans, who hold a 52-seat majority, scrambled to round up 50 votes on a motion to advance legislation to repeal Obamacare. McCain did not announce in advance whether he would support Tuesday’s “motion to proceed,” but he marched onto the floor to a standing ovation from his colleagues and voted "aye." Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted no, requiring Vice President Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor. But that was only a vote to begin debate. "I will not vote for this bill as it is today," McCain said, and if it fails, "which seems likely," the Senate should go back to the drawing board, with hearings, markups and consultation with Democrats — all things that have thus far been lacking. Standing in the well of the Senate with the surgical scar over his left eyebrow clearly visible, McCain urged his colleagues to "stop listening to the bombastic loudmouths" on radio, television and the Internet who rail against compromise. "To hell with them!" McCain said. Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, were seen smiling during McCain's speech as he railed against Republicans crafting legislation behind closed doors and trying to convince skeptical members that it's better than nothing. “Let’s trust each other," McCain said. "We’ve been spinning our wheels on too many important issues because we keep trying to find a way to win without help from across the aisle." Sen. John McCain leaves with his wife, Cindy McCain, after a procedural vote on health care on Capitol Hill on July 25, 2017. (Photo: Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Images) McCain left the Capitol with his wife, Cindy, after his speech, canceling a scheduled news conference. His announcement Monday that he would return for the vote added momentum to Republican efforts in the Senate following House Republicans’ passage of their bill in May. “We all know Sen. McCain is a fighter,” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky during a Senate floor speech Tuesday. “That’s evidenced by his remarkable life of public service, just as it’s again evidenced by his quick return to the Senate this afternoon.” Read more: McCain, 80, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and six-term senator, is battling glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer that is difficult to treat. The cancer was discovered during surgery to treat a blood clot above his eye. He is reviewing treatment options, which may include chemotherapy and radiation, with his care team at the Mayo Clinic. On the Senate floor, he hugged his colleagues and joked about his well-wishers. "I’ve had so many people say such nice things about me recently that I think some of you must have me confused with someone else," he said. President Trump, who has criticized McCain in the past, tweeted his thanks early Tuesday morning and then again after the vote. ".@SenJohnMcCain-Thank you for coming to D.C. for such a vital vote. Congrats to all Rep. We can now deliver grt healthcare to all Americans!" he wrote. .@SenJohnMcCain-Thank you for coming to D.C. for such a vital vote. Congrats to all Rep. We can now deliver grt healthcare to all Americans! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2017 Others blasted McCain on Twitter for leaving taxpayer-supported treatment to help pass legislation that —according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis — would lead to more than 20 million fewer people having insurance by 2026. “After brain surgery paid for by taxpayers,@SenJohnMcCain will vote to take away healthcare from 22 million Americans,” tweeted Jon Cooper, chairman of the Democratic Coalition, which describes itself as an anti-Trump organization. After brain surgery paid for by taxpayers,@SenJohnMcCain will vote to take away healthcare from 22 million Americans https://t.co/jtCLSWkvpJ — Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) July 25, 2017 McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he will stay in D.C. "for a few days" and plans to return to work on the National Defense Authorization Act, among other issues. “After that, I’m going home for a while to treat my illness," he said. "I have every intention of returning here and giving many of you cause to regret all the nice things you said about me." Contributing: Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, and Eliza Collins, USA TODAY. Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2vYgOMj ||||| The Hill will be providing live updates as Senate Republicans seek to start their ObamaCare repeal effort on Tuesday. Corker: I couldn't support a bill without a CBO score 11:00 p.m. "I have no idea how it would play out and affect people across our country. I just don't know those things," he said. The CBO couldn't score both the Portman and Cruz amendments in time for the Tuesday night vote. Cruz says his amendment will end up in final version of healthcare bill 10:25 p.m. "I believe we will see the Consumer Freedom Amendment in the legislation that is ultimately enacted," he said. The amendment would essentially allow insurers to sell plans that don't comply with ObamaCare regulations, as long as it also sold plans that did. The amendment was added to BCRA, which failed on the floor Tuesday night, but it could potentially be added to a bill when the House and Senate go to conference. Portman touts stability funds amendment 9:07 p.m. Sen. Rob Portman Robert (Rob) Jones PortmanSenate panel spars with Trump administration over treatment of unaccompanied immigrant children Senate study: Trump hasn’t provided adequate support to detained migrant children Senators introduce bill to change process to levy national security tariffs MORE (R-Ohio) touted his new amendment to the GOP's health bill on the Senate floor Tuesday night, though it is unlikely to get the 60 votes needed to pass. The amendment, just added to the bill Tuesday night, would add $100 billion to the bill's state stability fund to help people who might lose the coverage they got under ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion. These funds could help cover out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and copays. Portman said he "worked with the president, vice president and administrative officials" to "improve this bill further to help out low-income Ohioans." Portman was a holdout on the GOP's replacement bill, but indicated that his amendment moved him to "yes" on a crucial procedural vote on healthcare Tuesday afternoon. The GOP's proposal repealing and replacing ObamaCare – being offered as an amendment to a bill currently being debated by the Senate – will likely need 60 votes, meaning it is unlikely to pass. That's because the proposal includes two amendments, including Portman's, that have not yet been analyzed by the Congressional Budget Office, a requirement for the budgetary process Republicans are using to try to pass their healthcare bill. Senate ObamaCare repeal, replace plan expected to need 60 votes 6:34 p.m. A proposal repealing and replacing ObamaCare—being offered as an amendment to a bill currently being debate by the Senate—will likely need 60 votes, almost guaranteeing that it won't be able to pass. Senate Republicans brought up their their repeal and replace proposal, known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), after voting early Tuesday to proceed to the House-passed healthcare bill. The amendment will also include Sen. Ted Cruz's (Texas) proposal to give insurance companies more flexibility on what kinds of health insurance plans it offers, and a Medicaid proposal from Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio). Because the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has analyzed neither the Cruz nor Portman proposals, the entire repeal-and-replace amendment may be required to meet a 60-vote threshold, according to guidance from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOvernight Defense: Trump nixes Pompeo's North Korea trip | McCain gets outpouring of support | Erik Prince pushes Afghanistan plan Lawmakers offer support for McCain after he discontinues cancer treatment McCain ending brain cancer treatment MORE's (R-Ky.) office. Dems force GOP to read entire repeal amendment 5:12 p.m. Democrats forced the Senate clerk to read the entirety of an amendment that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wanted to bring up on the healthcare bill. Normally senators agree to waive the requirement that the entire text of a bill or amendment be read. But Sen. Patty Murray Patricia (Patty) Lynn MurrayGOP leader criticizes Republican senators for not showing up to work Senate Dems press Sessions for records on racial discrimination complaints Dem senators introduce resolution calling on Trump to stop attacking the press MORE (D-Wash.) objected to the routine request from McConnell on Tuesday afternoon — the latest sign that Democrats are willing to slow walk the Senate over the healthcare fight. McConnell called up the first amendment to the bill, which was the 2015 repeal bill. He's expected to attach the Senate's repeal and replacement bill, along with amendments from GOP Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio) and Ted Cruz (Texas) to that as a second-degree amendment. Under Senate procedure, the chamber will vote first on the repeal and replace bill, before turning to repeal-only. Heller: Leadership wants to pass healthcare bill by Friday 3:57 p.m. Sen. Dean Heller Dean Arthur HellerGOP senators introduce bill to preserve ObamaCare's pre-existing conditions protections Lawmakers offer support for McCain after he discontinues cancer treatment Biden’s midterm strategy has a presidential feel MORE (R-Nev.) tells NBC News that GOP leaders want to vote on a healthcare bill by Friday. JUST IN: Sen. Heller tells @NBCNightlyNews that GOP leadership told him that they want to have a health care bill voted on by Friday. — NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) July 25, 2017 HELLER says leadership told him that their goal is to pass healthcare by Friday. "Let's put this behind us," he said. — Marianna Sotomayor (@MariannaNBCNews) July 25, 2017 Trump thanks McCain 3:25 p.m. President Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBrennan accuses Trump of dividing US: 'This could spill over into the streets' Trump knocks Dem in Ohio governor's race: He was groomed by 'Pocahontas' Trump congratulates new Australian leader: ‘No greater’ friend than Australia MORE thanked to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) shortly after the motion was agreed to, commenting on the Senate action at the start of Rose Garden remarks with the Lebanese prime minister. "This was a big step. I want to thank Senator John McCain. Very brave man. He made a tough trip to get here and vote. So we want to thank Senator McCain and all of the Republicans," Trump said. " We passed it without one Democrat vote. And that's a shame, but that's the way it is. And it's very unfortunate. But I want to congratulate American people, because we're going give you great health care. And we're going to get rid of Obamacare, which should have been, frankly, terminated long ago. It's been a disaster for the American people." Trump's Twitter account sent out a similar message, and the White House also released a statement from the president. "I applaud the Senate for taking a giant step to end the Obamacare nightmare," the statement said. "As this vote shows, inaction is not an option, and now the legislative process can move forward as intended to produce a bill that lowers costs and increases options for all Americans." .@SenJohnMcCain-Thank you for coming to D.C. for such a vital vote. Congrats to all Rep. We can now deliver grt healthcare to all Americans! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2017 McCain: ‘I will not vote for this bill as it is today’ 3:18 p.m. Taking the Senate floor after the vote, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he won’t vote for the bill as is, calling it “a shell of a bill” and urging a return to regular order in the Senate. .@SenJohnMcCain: "I will not vote for this bill as it is today. It's a shell of a bill right now." https://t.co/9FuTeMAdu2 pic.twitter.com/J9tcNg9b84 — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 25, 2017 Pence breaks tie 3:09 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence Michael (Mike) Richard PenceSelling Space Force to the American electorate Trump risks leading the world into a space arms race Omarosa: Pence is 'dangerous' because he doesn't push back on Trump MORE cast the tiebreaking vote, clearing the procedural motion and allowing the Senate to begin debating an ObamaCare repeal bill. JUST IN: Vice Pres. Mike Pence casts tie-breaking vote to advance Senate health care bill https://t.co/JDVWCzNtXP pic.twitter.com/T4JwF12GbU — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 25, 2017 McCain, Johnson vote yes 3 p.m. Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainBrennan accuses Trump of dividing US: 'This could spill over into the streets' Overnight Defense: Trump nixes Pompeo's North Korea trip | McCain gets outpouring of support | Erik Prince pushes Afghanistan plan Palin responds to McCain news: 'May my friend sense appreciation for his inspiration' MORE (R-Ariz.) received a standing ovation as he took the Senate floor and voted yes on the motion to proceed. He was joined by Sen. Ron Johnson Ronald (Ron) Harold JohnsonGOP on heels after Cohen plea, Manafort conviction Graham: Pardoning Manafort would be ‘bridge too far’ Dems to challenge Kavanaugh for White House records MORE (R-Wis.), getting the measure to 50. Democrats are now casting "no" votes. Sen. John McCain receives rousing ovation as he returns to Senate following announcement last week he has brain cancer. pic.twitter.com/7LwhCIJ30W — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 25, 2017 Protesters chant from Senate gallery 2:50 p.m. Some people watching the vote from the Senate gallery are protesting, shouting "Kill the bill" to senators gathered on the floor. Shouts of "Kill the bill!" erupt as Senate prepares to vote on motion to proceed on health care bill https://t.co/9FuTeMAdu2 pic.twitter.com/8z5y2XUbY9 — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 25, 2017 Senate voting on motion to proceed 2:42 p.m. Republican Sens. Susan Collins Susan Margaret CollinsWhite House aides think Trump will pardon Manafort: report McCain ending brain cancer treatment Overnight Health Care: Senate approves massive bill including health spending | Bill includes drug pricing measure | Move to block Planned Parenthood funding fails MORE (Maine) and Lisa Murkoswki (Alaska) voted against the motion to proceed. If all other Republicans vote yes, Vice President Mike Pence will cast the deciding vote to break the tie. So far, no Democrats have cast a vote. Senate D's currently not voting. Want to make Republicans to do this, either way. — Jordain Carney (@jordainc) July 25, 2017 Schumer makes final plea to GOP: 'Turn back' 2:36 p.m. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerPutting Pearce back on labor board would be a blow to small business New Jersey to tell prosecutors they can drop some marijuana charges: report Overnight Health Care: Dem Senate candidate opposes Medicare for All | HHS official compared abortion to Holocaust as a student | Sessions moves to block two doctors from prescribing opioids MORE (D-N.Y.) made a final pitch for Republicans to vote against starting debate on the healthcare bill. "I will plead one last time with my friends on the other side of the aisle — and I know you have sincerely tried to modify and change things. Turn back," he said. His comments come as Republicans appear to have the votes to proceed to the House-passed healthcare legislation. Schumer added that if Republicans vote against the bill, Democrats would work with them on legislation. GOP senators head to the floor 2:30 p.m. Senate Republicans emerged from a closed-door lunch, many remaining tight-lipped as they headed to the Senate floor for a vote to begin debate on ObamaCare repeal legislation. Capito will back motion to proceed 2:26 p.m. Another key GOP senator said she wold vote with the party on the procedural motion to would begin debate on ObamaCare repeal legislation. “Today, I will vote to begin debate to repeal and replace Obamacare,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito Shelley Wellons Moore CapitoSenate GOP battles for leverage with House on spending Lawmakers, media team up for charity tennis event The Hill's Morning Report — Trump picks new fight with law enforcement, intelligence community MORE (W.Va.) said in a Tuesday afternoon statement. “As this process advances on the Senate floor, I will continue to make decisions that are in the best interest of West Virginians. I remain committed to reforming our health care system while also addressing the concerns I have voiced for months. I will continue to push for policies that result in affordable health care coverage for West Virginians, including those who are in the Medicaid population and those struggling with drug addiction.” Heller to vote yes to begin healthcare debate 2:15 p.m. Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) on Tuesday will vote to begin the healthcare debate. Heller, who is seen as the most vulnerable Senate Republican incumbent in 2018, announced in a statement that he will vote to advance healthcare legislation, even though he warned last month that he opposed a motion to proceed to the Senate version of the healthcare bill because it would leave tens of millions more people uninsured. Heller argued that blocking a debate would leave the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, as the status quo. He was one of a handful of Republican senators considered most likely to block a debate on healthcare legislation and send Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) back to the drawing board. Paul: Clean repeal up for consideration first 2:08 p.m. Sen. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulOvernight Health Care: Senate approves massive bill including health spending | Bill includes drug pricing measure | Move to block Planned Parenthood funding fails Overnight Defense: Senate passes massive defense, domestic spending bill | Duncan Hunter to step down from committees | Pompeo names North Korea envoy Senate approves sweeping bill on defense, domestic spending MORE (R-Ky.) told reporters that he believes Republican leaders would move to a vote on a clean repeal of ObamaCare after passing a motion to proceed. Up next would be a vote to repeal and replace ObamaCare, he said. "Then it's going to be open to see what happens. I think people are predicting we may be able to get a more 'skinny' repeal that involves some things we can find consensus." Paul has been staunchly opposed to the Senate's repeal-and-replace bill. The bulk of the Senate GOP conference is still at lunch. Portman to back motion to proceed 2:01 p.m. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) will vote in favor of the key procedural motion to effectively start debate in the Senate on ObamaCare legislation, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The Dispatch quoted a source close to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican who has opposed various Senate ObamaCare repeal-and-replace measures. The source said Portman had called Kasich to tell him the news. Portman has long been seen as a key swing vote, and his support for the measure will make it more difficult for other centrists on the fence to vote "no." Collins: 'Skinny' GOP health plan not adequate 1:35 p.m. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a key moderate, voiced concern over the slimmed-down Senate GOP plan going into the GOP policy lunch. Collins said she had not heard about the so-called skinny ObamaCare repeal plan until a reporter asked about. “I would look forward to hearing more details about that at lunch,” she said, as Senate Republicans gathered to discuss healthcare strategy ahead of this afternoon’s vote. Schumer knocks Rand Paul over support for key procedural vote 1:35 p.m. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) knocked Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican signaled he would vote to start the healthcare debate. "It’s true that he will likely get a vote on an amendment to do repeal without replace — but surely he knows that vote will fail. Why, then, would the junior Senator from Kentucky ... vote on the motion to proceed knowing that he won’t get what he wants?" Schumer asked. Schumer added that he thinks Paul is going along with GOP leadership because if the Senate goes to conference with the House to merge their proposals, "the likeliest compromise in conference is full repeal of the Affordable Care Act or something close to it." Paul said on Twitter earlier on Tuesday that the Senate will take up the 2015 ObamaCare repeal bill if they can get the 50 votes needed to start debate on the House-passed healthcare measure. GOP senator: 'Skinny' repeal 'rather unsatisfying' 1:22 p.m. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said a proposed "skinny repeal" of ObamaCare would be "rather unsatisfying from my standpoint." Johnson said that GOP leaders haven't yet told him what such a repeal would look like. The conservative senator has been a frequent critic of the hurried process used to try to pass ObamaCare repeal and the limited info from leaders. "You have to start with information. In this alternate universe, information is the last step in the process, including, I guess, right now, what we’re actually going to vote on, which is a little hard to believe," Johnson told reporters. When asked if pared-down repeal would be better than nothing, Johnson didn't respond, but shook his head. 'Skinny' bill would delay repeal of ObamaCare mandates 1:10 p.m. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said the "skinny bill" would delay the repeal of the individual and employer mandates for two years. He said he would support the skinny bill in order to "get to the next step." Pence, Priebus arrive in Capitol 1 p.m. Vice President Pence and White House chief of staff Reince Priebus have been spotted heading into the Senate GOP lunch. The vote on the motion to proceed is expected shortly after the lunch ends. VP Pence & WH Chief of Staff Priebus arrive at Senate GOP closed lunch to speak to Republicans ahead of their MTP vote on health care. pic.twitter.com/17frPcZ3ci — Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) July 25, 2017 Chamber of Commerce urges yes vote to debate 12:55 p.m. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday urged senators to vote in favor of the motion to begin debate on healthcare legislation, saying that it will consider including the vote in its annual scorecard. "While good faith negotiations continue, remaining issues can be dealt with on the Senate Floor through the debate and amendment process," Jack Howard, senior vice president of congressional and public affairs at the Chamber, said in a letter to senators. Heritage Action and Americans for Tax Reform have also called on lawmakers to vote yes on the motion. McConnell pitches colleagues on beginning repeal debate 12:21 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is urging his caucus to vote to start debate on repealing and replacing ObamaCare, a few hours before a key procedural hurdle. "Any senator who votes against starting debate is telling America that you're just fine with the ObamaCare nightmare," he said. McConnell will need at least 50 GOP senators to vote "yes" on taking up the House bill, which is being used as a vehicle for any Senate action. He got a late boost of momentum after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) signaled he would vote "yes," on the heels of news that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is returning to the Senate in time for the Tuesday afternoon vote. No. 2 Republican reiterates 'everything's on the table' 12:10 p.m. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn John CornynWhite House aides think Trump will pardon Manafort: report Tension between Trump, Justice reaches pivotal point Corker: Sessions ‘owns’ Trump until he’s fired MORE (R-Texas) said "everything's on the table," just a few hours ahead of a vote to begin debate on repealing ObamaCare. When asked if it was possible to move to a "skinny" repeal bill, Cornyn said, "I think we can do that." He reiterated that if the Senate can pass a bill, it can go to conference with the House to hammer out the details. Paul a 'yes' on key healthcare vote 12:08 p.m. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that he will support a motion to proceed to debate on healthcare later in the day. Paul tweeted that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told him the upper chamber would take up the 2015 ObamaCare repeal bill previously passed by Congress. “If this is indeed the plan, I will vote to proceed and I will vote for any all measures that are clean repeal,” Paul said Paul has pushed for a vote on the 2015 bill, which repeals large parts of ObamaCare's requirements and regulations, instead of the GOP repeal-and-replace plan that Republicans have been working on this year. If that measure can't get the 60 votes it needs, which is unlikely, Paul said he would support "whatever version of CLEAN repeal we can pass." McCain returning to the Senate this afternoon 12:06 p.m. Sen. John McCain will return to the Senate about 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Arizona Republican's office. McCain, whose office announced last week he had been diagnosed with brain cancer, is returning in time to vote on taking up the House-passed healthcare bill in the upper chamber. His office said McCain will speak on the Senate floor after the vote for first remarks since returning to Capitol Hill, and then speak with reporters off the Senate floor. Senators prepare for dramatic vote 11:35 a.m. Senate Republicans are preparing to take a dramatic procedural vote on Tuesday that could make or break their ObamaCare repeal effort. It’s unclear if Republicans will have the 50 votes they need to clear a first procedural hurdle, though they are pulling out all the stops to do so. ADVERTISEMENT The vote on a motion to proceed to the House ObamaCare repeal-and-replace measure is expected sometime Tuesday afternoon, but it hasn’t been scheduled. The latest Senate GOP effort to get a bill through the Senate is the proposal of a “skinny” repeal bill that would end ObamaCare’s mandates and the medical device tax. The hope is that this measure might win 50 votes from Republican senators who have been divided on healthcare. GOP leaders have kept members mostly in the dark about what they will ultimately be voting on: a full repeal of ObamaCare with a two-year delay to find a replacement; the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which would make dramatic changes to Medicaid in addition to repealing large parts of the law; or the “skinny repeal.” Sen. John Barrasso John Anthony BarrassoGOP senators introduce bill to preserve ObamaCare's pre-existing conditions protections Election Countdown: Trump plans ambitious travel schedule for midterms | Republicans blast strategy for keeping House | Poll shows Menendez race tightening | Cook Report shifts Duncan Hunter's seat after indictment Barrasso secures GOP nomination in Wyoming Senate primary MORE (R-Wyo.) said if members succeed in moving to begin debate, leaders don't even need to decide what the final product will be until after 20 hours of debate expire. It's a highly unusual situation for the upper chamber to find itself in, made even more dramatic by Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) return to the Senate after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. – Nathaniel Weixel, Jordain Carney, Naomi Jagoda, Rachel Roubein, Peter Sullivan and Jessie Hellmann contributed

– Despite their successful vote Tuesday, Republican senators may not end up with the Affordable Care Act repeal the GOP has been promising for seven years, reports NBC News as it runs down the next steps in the process. The next vote is expected to be on the 2015 version of an ObamaCare repeal bill, which is expected to fail. A second vote on the GOP's Better Care Reconciliation Act is also expected to fail. After that, Senate Republicans plan to hold votes on a series of amendments that would amount to a "skinny" repeal of ObamaCare without a replacement. Here's what else you need to know as the future of American health care is being decided: The New York Times explains a "skinny" repeal would amount to removing the individual and employer mandates and the medical device tax. While those are the least popular portions of ObamaCare, getting rid of them could result in increased premiums, fewer people covered under Medicaid, and smaller, sicker markets that are unappealing to health insurers. Both Republicans and Democrats will be able to add amendments during that part of the process. The Wall Street Journal reports that could lead to some uncomfortable votes in a situation with "few recent precedents." Vice President Pence cast the tie-breaking vote Tuesday. It's the fourth such vote Pence has cast in his first year as vice president, which puts him in the middle of the pack for the office but nowhere near John Adams' 29 tie-breaking votes in his first year, according to FiveThirtyEight. "We can now deliver grt healthcare to all Americans!" President Trump tweeted following Tuesday's vote. Trump expanded on his thoughts during a joint press conference, thanking "very brave man" John McCain for returning to Washington to cast the decisive vote, the Hill reports. "I want to congratulate the American people, because we're going to give you great health care," Trump added. Speaking of McCain, he received a standing ovation from fellow senators upon his return Tuesday, USA Today reports. He also criticized the GOP health care bill and the process currently underway during a speech following his "yes" vote. He says he won't vote for the bill as it stands and that the Senate should start over with actual hearings and input from Democrats. He encouraged senators to "stop listening to the bombastic loudmouths" who decry compromise: "To hell with them!"

Seven hotels near the New Jersey stadium hosting the Super Bowl received envelopes containing a suspicious white powder, but the letters appeared to be part of a hoax after early tests showed the substance at some locations was cornstarch, NBC 4 New York has learned. Michael George reports. (Published Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014) Seven hotels near the New Jersey stadium hosting the Super Bowl received envelopes containing a suspicious white powder, but the letters appeared to be part of a hoax after early tests showed the substance at some locations was cornstarch, NBC 4 New York has learned. A law enforcement source tells NBC 4 New York that the hotels, none of which are housing the teams playing at MetLife Stadium, received the envelopes Friday. Powder Sent to NJ Hotels Was Cornstarch: Source Seven hotels near the New Jersey stadium hosting the Super Bowl received envelopes containing a suspicious white powder, but the letters appeared to be part of a hoax after early tests showed the substance at some locations was cornstarch, NBC 4 New York has learned. Rob Schmitt reports. (Published Friday, Jan. 31, 2014) The substance at five locations was cornstarch, the source said. The others were still being tested, but the FBI in New York said all the letters were deemed "non-hazardous." That includes several other suspicious envelopes discovered at nearby post offices, and a location in Manhattan. Letters Containing Suspicious Powder Sent to Hotels The Postal Service was able to intercept two of the letters sent to six Super Bowl hotels and say that the powder is not harmful. (Published Friday, Jan. 31, 2014) The message in all the envelopes was similar, the source said. The FBI in Newark said the Joint Terrorism Task Force and hazmat units responded. No injuries were reported. The Super Bowl is Sunday. ||||| NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A suspicious powder mailed to several locations in New York and New Jersey, including at least five hotels near the site of Sunday's Super Bowl, appears not to be dangerous, the FBI said Friday. Law enforcement and other personnel gather Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, outside a post office in Rutherford, N.J. White powder was mailed to businesses near the site of Sunday's Super Bowl, prompting an investigation... (Associated Press) Emergency vehicles gather at the Quality Inn near the site of NFL Super Bowl XLVIII, Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, in Lyndhurst, N.J. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (Associated Press) An emergency personnel walks towards vehicles gathered at the Quality Inn near the site of NFL Super Bowl XLVIII, Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, in Lyndhurst, N.J. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (Associated Press) Police officers stand guard outside the closed post office in Wood-Ridge, N.J., Friday, Jan. 31, 2014. The FBI says a powder mailed to several locations in New York and New Jersey, including at least... (Associated Press) Police officers stand guard outside the closed post office in Wood-Ridge, N.J., Friday, Jan. 31, 2014. The FBI says a powder mailed to several locations in New York and New Jersey, including at least... (Associated Press) The agency said further testing was being conducted on the substance, but it is "within normal values." White powder also was found in a letter sent to former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's business in New York City, where police said preliminary tests showed it posed no threat. A federal law enforcement official, who wasn't authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said powder from one envelope tested positive for baking soda. It's not clear where that letter was sent. Hackensack University Medical Center received a number of people for evaluation because they came in contact with the letters, but a hospital spokeswoman said there were no reported illnesses or injuries. In New Jersey, the suspicious mailings went to at least five hotels, Carlstadt Police Detective John Cleary said. The mailings arrived at an Econo Lodge in Carlstadt, a Homestead Suites hotel in East Rutherford and a Renaissance Inn in Rutherford, Cleary said. Investigators intercepted additional envelopes from a mail truck before they reached a Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn in Carlstadt, he said. At the Homewood Suites, General Manager Thomas Martucci said the letter sent to his motel contained yellow powder and a typed letter inside referencing al-Qaida and the Dallas FBI. "It was nonsense," he said. Lauren Wallace, a jet company employee from Los Angeles staying at the Homewood Suites, said she saw hazardous-material trucks outside and was shooed back from the lobby to her room around 11:15 a.m. by a hotel employee. She said she was allowed out of her room about 40 minutes later. Police were called to Giuliani's firm near Rockefeller Center after a worker opened the suspicious letter addressed to Giuliani around 10:30 a.m. Friday, police said. Eight mailroom workers underwent decontamination as a precaution. A representative for Giuliani's firm said the substance was found to be nonhazardous. ___ Associated Press writers Alicia A. Caldwell in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Trenton contributed to this report.

– Authorities in New Jersey today had to deal with a Super Bowl security scare that now appears to be a hoax. Envelopes with white powder turned up at several hotels near MetLife stadium and at other sites, but the powder appears to be cornstarch, reports NBC New York and the Star-Ledger. At least one envelope appeared to have baking soda, reports AP. The investigation and testing are continuing, but nobody who came in contact with the letters has fallen ill. All the envelopes contained a similar message, and one of the hotel managers described it as "nonsense," with references to al-Qaeda and the Dallas FBI. One letter got mailed to Rudy Giuliani's Manhattan office, but it, too, was deemed harmless.

All reform agreements between justice department and local police forces – including Ferguson and Baltimore – to be reexamined, attorney general says The US attorney general on Monday ordered a nationwide review of all reform agreements with local police departments, placing a key part of Barack Obama’s legacy on criminal justice in jeopardy. Jeff Sessions signalled in a memo filed to a federal court that “consent decrees” such as those struck in recent years with troubled departments in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland, could be scrapped or scaled down. “It is not the responsibility of the federal government to manage non-federal law enforcement agencies,” Sessions said in the memo. Sessions said he had instructed senior officials to reexamine all formal agreements between the department of justice (DoJ) and police agencies – from training initiatives, to collaborative reform programs, to legal consent decrees – to ensure they fit his series of operating principles for his department. These included: “The misdeeds of individual bad actors should not impugn or undermine the legitimate and honorable work that law enforcement officers and agencies perform in keeping American communities safe.” The NAACP’s legal defense fund slammed the move, calling it “a blatant attempt by the justice department to abandon its obligations under federal civil rights law and the US constitution”. US attorney dismissed by Trump speaks out on Chicago's need for police reform Read more In a statement, the ACLU also took issue with the attorney general’s suggestion that abuse within police departments was attributable to “the misdeeds of individual bad actors”. “There is no national census of police misconduct to support the DOJ’s notion that there are only a few bad actors in law enforcement. Indeed, DOJ’s own investigative reports over the past eight years document systemic unlawful policing practices of local law enforcement in cities across the country.” Sessions, a hardline conservative who was previously a US senator for Alabama, has frequently accused the Obama administration of unfairly maligning all police because of the use of arguably excessive force by officers in a handful of high-profile lethal cases. Sessions made clear during his confirmation hearings in Washington in January that he was prepared to weaken legal reform agreements in order to hand authority back to local police chiefs. Consent decrees are court-enforced lists of reforms that are typically struck when justice department civil rights investigators discover a “pattern or practice” of unconstitutional policing by a department. A total of 25 such investigations were opened under the Obama administration. Sessions has repeatedly expressed unease about such agreements, saying he believes the federal government has too frequently interfered with local policing. Federal officials are currently enforcing 19 agreements, according to a report released earlier this year. This includes several reached by the Obama administration with cities such as Cleveland; Newark, New Jersey; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. The new Sessions memo was filed to court in Maryland in the case of the justice department’s consent decree with police in Baltimore. Attorneys for the justice department asked the court for a 90-day pause so it could “review and assess” the plan. Trump breaks from Obama with crime crackdown and 'blue lives matter' protections Read more The agreement was reached following severe unrest in the city following the death in April 2015 of Freddie Gray, a 24-year-old black man who died from a broken neck sustained in the back of a Baltimore police van. Baltimore officers had faced a series of allegations of misconduct and brutality in previous years. The consent decree with Ferguson grew out of the scathing findings of an inquiry prompted by unrest around the fatal police shooting of unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown in August 2014. It demands that the Missouri city overhaul its criminal justice system and refocus its policing on de-escalation and avoiding the use of force. Changes to consent decrees would need to be proposed in court by justice department officials and approved by a federal judge. In a statement on Monday night, Catherine Pugh, Baltimore’s mayor, said: “We strongly oppose any delay in moving forward.” She said a delay “may have the effect of eroding the trust that we are working hard to establish”. During the presidential campaign, Trump earned the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police union, and the move is likely to be popular among police officers. “I think most rank and file police officers will welcome this news,” said Jim Bueermann, a former California police chief and the head of the Police Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on policing research. “I think most street cops believe that the federal government has not been fair to them and finds the consent decree process to be intrusive.” Police chiefs, in contrast, sometimes welcome the role of the justice department, since court-mandated reforms can be a way of forcing city governments to pay for changes, Bueermann added. With the future of Chicago’s consent decree in limbo, the Chicago police department has pledged to move ahead with reforms regardless of what role the federal government plays. But in a blunt open letter, Chicago’s outgoing US attorney said that city leaders could not be trusted to fulfilthe needed reforms, and the police department needed a consent decree. Recent justice department investigations into policing in Chicago and Baltimore found evidence to support what many black residents of those cities already believed: that local police departments had engaged in a pattern of unconstitutional policing. The investigations found evidence of stark racial disparities in police enforcement, excessive force, and patterns of unjustified stops, searches and arrests. In Baltimore, the investigation’s final report described: “Two Baltimores: one wealthy and largely white, the second impoverished and predominantly black. Community members living in the city’s wealthier and largely white neighbourhoods told us that officers tend to be respectful and responsive to their needs, while many individuals living in the city’s largely African-American communities informed us that officers tend to be disrespectful and do not respond promptly to their calls for service.” Phillip Atiba Goff, a leading researcher on racial bias in policing, called Sessions’ move “a terrible blow” to efforts to build trust between police and communities. “Without the help of a federal consent decree, police executives often cannot effect the changes they know a department needs, changes designed to build trust with communities that are skeptical of their law enforcement. “Ultimately, I fear that this new direction from DOJ will make communities less safe by making them less trusting – possibly setting us back years or more.” ||||| WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ordered a sweeping review of federal agreements with dozens of law enforcement agencies, an examination that reflects President Trump’s emphasis on law and order and could lead to a retreat on consent decrees with troubled police departments nationwide. In a memorandum dated March 31 and made public Monday, the attorney general directed his staff to look at whether law enforcement programs adhere to principles put forth by the Trump administration, including one declaring that “the individual misdeeds of bad actors should not impugn” the work police officers perform “in keeping American communities safe.” As part of its shift in emphasis, the Justice Department went to court on Monday to seek a 90-day delay in a consent decree to overhaul Baltimore’s embattled Police Department. That request came just days before a hearing, scheduled for Thursday in the United States District Court in Baltimore, to solicit public comment on the agreement, which was reached in principle by the city and the Justice Department in the waning days of the Obama administration.

– Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ordered the Justice Department to review reform agreements reached with troubled police departments across the country, such as those in Ferguson and Baltimore, noting "it is not the responsibility of the federal government to manage non-federal law enforcement agencies." The court-enforced consent decrees reached with 14 departments following evidence of unconstitutional policing are a hallmark of the Obama administration but may not be in line with policies of the Trump administration, including that "the misdeeds of individual bad actors should not impugn" the work of police officers, Sessions said in a March 31 memo, per the Guardian. Sessions has previously said the decrees "diminish [officer] effectiveness" and may lead to a rise in violence. But an official who oversaw investigations into 23 police departments tells the Washington Post that Sessions' move is "terrifying" and suggests the DOJ might not care if officers violate the Constitution. The DOJ has since asked a judge to delay a hearing on a decree in Baltimore so it can check that it matches the "directives of the President and the Attorney General." But a negotiator says the agreement—which followed the death of Freddie Gray in police custody and ordered new training for officers—was backed by the Baltimore police commissioner. A rep for a citizen advocacy group adds that Sessions is "telling us what's best for our citizens and our community when he has no experience, no knowledge," per the New York Times.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a little sick of hearing about the same people on TV over and over again. I came up with this Arduino-based solution to mute my TV so that I don’t have to hear about Donald Trump’s feud with whomever or Charlie Sheen’s most recent rant. Using the Video Experimenter Shield, the Arduino is able to decode the closed captioning transcription track, which is transmitted along with the NTSC picture signal. The incoming text is processed for a set of keywords such as “KARDASHIAN” or “SNOOKI” and sends my television’s IR remote control mute command, muting the TV for 30 seconds and then unmuting it (as long as a keyword isn’t mentioned again). The code for The Enough Already is a mashup of the closed captioning example code for the Video Experimenter Shield and Ladyada’s infrared tutorial. I added a few lines of my own code to search for the keywords and mute and unmute the TV at the right times. Now I’m curious to know: what keywords would you use in your own version of this project? And how might you use closed captioning data or IR in your project? How about a TV drinking game light? Or perhaps a flashing beacon light that’s activated when a keyword you do want to hear about is mentioned on TV? Subscribe to the MAKE Podcast in iTunes, download the m4v video directly, or watch it on YouTube and Vimeo. In the Maker Shed: Make: Arduino ||||| (CNN) -- When Matt Richardson works from his home in Brooklyn, New York, he likes to keeps the TV on to stay informed, but some celebrity or another is always taking up airtime and bugging him. "A while ago it was Charlie Sheen. And then it was Sarah Palin. And then it was Donald Trump," said Richardson, who is a video producer for Make Magazine. "And after a while I realized there's sort of always someone who I don't really want to hear about." Like any good hacker, Richardson decided to come up with a fix: He developed a do-it-yourself TV remote control that will automatically mute the television when certain celebrity names are mentioned. He plans to debut and explain the hack at the upcoming Maker Faire event in New York. The name of his talk is "Enough Already: Silencing Celebs with Arduino." Unless you're speaking at that do-it-yourself inventors' conference, you may be wondering: "What the heck is Arduino?" It's basically a piece of computer hardware that can be programmed to do anything you want. In this case, Richardson combined a couple of Arduino circuit boards with an infrared LED light -- that little red bubble on the front of your TV remote -- and programmed the whole thing to interact with a TV's closed-captioning system. The DIY gadget reads the closed-captioning transcript as it's aired and then automatically mutes the television for 30 seconds when it picks up certain words. That list of unspeakables can be re-programmed (so if you really love Sarah Palin, don't worry -- you could mute President Obama or Sen. Harry Reid references instead). As long as that person's name keeps coming up, the remote keeps muting the TV. The first time he got it to work, Richardson said he "was in silent bliss for that 30 seconds I didn't have to hear about Kim Kardashian." The whole thing cost about $70 to make, he said, and he built and coded it in about a week, working only in his spare time. It's worth noting that this isn't a product Richardson expects to be commercialized -- it's just for fun. He posted the code online so other people can play around with it. The implementation itself is pretty crude, he said. Closed captioning doesn't always appear in real-time, so sometimes the system will miss a first reference. If you're interested, he explains the process in detail in a blog post. In the comments below that post, Make Magazine readers chime in with all kinds of ways this sort of closed-caption-reading tech could be used. "You could generate the list of key words dynamically. E.g., by monitoring Twitter's trending topics or by parsing Google's zeitgeist lists," one reader suggests. Another wants to use it to mute all commercials: "Does the CC (closed captioning) stream contain any kind of marker for indicating commercials? Because I'd tweak this in a heartbeat to mute the deliberately louder commercials that seem all the rage these days." The Maker Faire, which is dedicated to all kinds of cool and bizarre crafts, machines, computer hacks and mousetraps, will be held September 17 and 18 in New York. You can see a full schedule on their website. Neither Kardashian nor Snooki is expected to be in attendance.

– If you just can’t take any more Snooki, we have good news for you: Video producer Matt Richardson has come up with an ingenious way to mute her automatically. Richardson hacked a remote control, making it possible to automatically mute the TV whenever a certain word—in this example, "Snooki"—appears in the closed captioning. The best part? The remote can be programmed to automatically ignore anyone you deem distasteful, be it Snooki, Donald Trump, or Kim Kardashian, CNN reports. Richardson’s hack, which he will debut this weekend at New York’s Maker Faire, automatically mutes the TV for 30 seconds every time the offending word appears—and continues to do so as long as the word keeps popping up. Of course, it’s not a perfect system, as closed captioning isn’t always real-time—but the first time Richardson got it to work, he experienced “silent bliss for that 30 seconds I didn’t have to hear about Kim Kardashian.” He has no plans to commercialize the remote, which cost about $70 and took about a week to make, but you can check out the code he posted here.

Mahathir Mohamad reacts as he speaks during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, May 10, 2018. Mahathir says the opposition parties who won a shock victory in Malaysia's elections have... (Associated Press) Mahathir Mohamad reacts as he speaks during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, May 10, 2018. Mahathir says the opposition parties who won a shock victory in Malaysia's elections have a clear mandate to form a new government and he expects to be sworn in as prime minister on Thursday.... (Associated Press) KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia's former authoritarian ruler Mahathir Mohamad, who in a stunning political comeback led opposition parties to their first election victory in six decades, said Thursday they have a clear mandate to form a government and insisted he should be immediately confirmed as prime minister. In a lively news conference peppered with his trademark wisecracks, 92-year-old Mahathir flagged significant changes for Malaysia, which he described as being left in a "mess" by defeated Prime Minister Najib Razak and the National Front coalition. The election result is a political earthquake for the Muslim-majority country, ending the National Front's unbroken 60-year rule and sweeping aside Najib, whose reputation was tarnished by a monumental corruption scandal, a crackdown on dissent and the imposition of an unpopular sales tax that hurt many of his coalition's poor rural supporters. It is also a surprising exception to backsliding on democratic values in Southeast Asia, a region of more than 600 million people where governments of countries including Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines have swung toward harsh authoritarian rule. "We need to have this government today without delay," Mahathir said. "There is a lot of work to be done. You know the mess the country is in and we need to attend to this mess as soon as possible and that means today. So we expect that today, well, I'll be sworn in as prime minister." Supporters of the incoming government took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to celebrate their unexpected victory. Many analysts had thought the National Front might lose the popular vote but cling to a majority in parliament due to an electoral system that gave more power to its rural Malay supporters. People stood on roadsides waving the white, blue and red flag of the opposition alliance that triumphed in Wednesday's election. Cars honked their horns as they sped past. "I'm so happy," said Zarini Najibuddin while waving the opposition flag. "I hope we'll have a better Malaysia now. Malaysia reborn!" But Ibrahim Suffian, co-founder of the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, said the new government will have to contend with "enormous forces of inertia and resistance from within the government elites." "The bureaucracy and the rest of the government apparatus has never been used to this idea, having been, you know, more than 60 years under the same political party," he said. Mahathir, prime minister for 22 years until stepping down in 2003, was credited with modernizing Malaysia but was also known as a heavy-handed leader who imprisoned opponents and subjugated the courts. Angered by the graft scandal at state investment fund 1MDB, Mahathir emerged from political retirement and joined the opposition in an attempt to oust Najib, his former protege. The U.S. Justice Department says $4.5 billion was looted from 1MBD by associates of Najib between 2009 and 2014, including $700 million that landed in Najib's bank account and a $23 million pink diamond necklace bought for Najib's wife. He has denied wrongdoing. Mahathir said the new government will not conduct a witch hunt, but Najib will have to face the consequences if he has broken the law. Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia expert at John Cabot University in Rome, said it was hugely ironic that Mahathir, who damaged Malaysia's democratic institutions with his strong-arm rule, has returned as its political savior. "It is not just a comeback," she said. "It is about making amends about his mistakes and moving Malaysia forward." Mahathir said the new government would seek the release and full pardon of Anwar Ibrahim, an opposition icon imprisoned on sodomy charges that Anwar and his supporters said were fabricated by the National Front to crush the opposition. Anwar, whose sentence ends on June 8, should be free to participate in politics, he said. Anwar, a former deputy prime minister in the ruling party, was also imprisoned under Mahathir following a power struggle. On the economic front, Mahathir vowed to cancel a goods and service tax imposed since 2015 and said the government could also renegotiate the terms of Chinese loans for infrastructure projects. He criticized a "fake news" law pushed through parliament by the National Front during the lead-up to the election. Mahathir is being investigated under that law for claiming a plane he was to travel on was sabotaged during the campaign. Mahathir disputed Najib's assertion during a concession speech that Malaysia's king must appoint the new prime minister because no single party has a parliamentary majority, calling it "confusion." The constitution, he said, only specifies that the prime minister must represent those with a majority in the legislature. Opposition parties won more than 135 seats in the 222-seat parliament. In his speech, Najib, 64, said he accepted the "verdict of the people." The National Front "will honor the principle of democracy in the parliament," he said. ||||| Image copyright Reuters Image caption Dr Mahathir has indicated he may only serve two years Mahathir Mohamad has been sworn in as prime minister of Malaysia after his shock election victory, 15 years after he stood down. After taking the oath at the Istana Negara palace in Kuala Lumpur, he told reporters his focus would be on the country's finances. The former strongman has become, at 92, the world's oldest elected leader. He came out of retirement and defected to the opposition to take on and beat former protege Najib Razak. His historic win ousted the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has been in power since independence in 1957. What other policies did he outline? Dr Mahathir took his oath of office before the king, Sultan Muhammad V. The new prime minister was accompanied by his wife, Siti Hasmah Mohammed Ali. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Young voter: "We see him like a grandfather" Addressing the media, he pledged that Malaysia would remain a "friendly trading nation" and he would work to keep the currency, the ringgit, as "steady as possible". He said he would seek the return of millions of dollars lost in a corruption scandal at 1Malaysian Development Berhad (1MDB), a state investment fund set up by Mr Najib. "We believe that we can get most of the 1MDB money back," he was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency, adding: "We have to increase the confidence of investors in the administration." He renewed his promise to seek to have his former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, released and pardoned. When Dr Mahathir was previously in power, Anwar was jailed for corruption and sodomy after calling for economic and political reforms. He was released in 2004 but jailed again under Mr Najib in 2015. He is currently due for release next month. What was the scale of the victory? Investment analyst Aninda Mitra told Reuters news agency the shock of the election outcome had been as great as "Brexit and the Trump election". Official results show Dr Mahathir's Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) coalition secured 113 of the 222 seats being contested, including some which have only ever been held by the government. BN took 79 seats. Rising living costs and long-running allegations of corruption had weighed heavily on many voters and saw them peel away from Mr Najib and his once unshakeable coalition. How are people taking Mahathir's return? "We feel so united tonight," student Abdul Aziz Hamzah, 24, told AFP news agency in the crowd of jubilant supporters outside the palace. "Mahathir is so insightful and experienced because he's been here before." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mahathir supporters waved flags outside the Istana Negara palace Fahmi Fadzil, an MP from the winning coalition, told the BBC Dr Mahathir inspired excitement about Malaysia's future. "Today he has created, along with other Pakatan Harapan leaders, a resurgence in faith in Malaysia," he said. "The polling centres that I visited, there was a sense of euphoria among people who cast their vote. Members of the press that I had met, some of them said that they cried when they heard that we had won. "There is very real change happening in Malaysia. Finally we can believe in the country again." You may also be interested in: Oldest winger in town going strong at 95 Remarkable life of Japan's centenarian doctor Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Marie-Lou Wirth on life at 100 years old. How are Mahathir's earlier years in office remembered? He was prime minister, at the head of the BN coalition, for 22 years, from 1981 until he stepped down in 2003. Under his leadership, Malaysia became one of the Asian tigers - the group of countries which saw their economies expand rapidly in the 1990s. However, he was an authoritarian figure who used controversial security laws to lock up his political opponents. Where did Najib fall down? Dr Mahathir was also a mentor to Mr Najib, who became prime minister in 2008. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Najib (L) was a former protege of Dr Mahathir (C) But Mr Najib was accused of pocketing some $700m (£520m) from the 1MDB but vehemently denied the allegations and was cleared by Malaysian authorities. The fund, meanwhile, is still being investigated by several countries. Mr Najib was also accused of stifling Malaysian investigations by removing key officials from their posts. Those allegations led to Dr Mahathir's surprise defection in 2016 from BN to join the Pakatan Harapan, saying he was "embarrassed" to be associated "with a party that is seen as supporting corruption". Then in January, he said he would run for the leadership again. But despite his historic win, uncertainty hangs over his tenure. Prior to his win, he intended to govern for two years before stepping down. 'Mountain of challenges' By Jonathan Head, BBC South East Asia correspondent This morning Malaysia has woken to an entirely new situation, the first transfer of power in its history, albeit to a very familiar leader. But there are huge unknowns. How willingly will BN, the coalition which has, in various forms, run the country since independence and embedded itself into all areas of governance, relinquish power? How well will a disparate coalition, united largely by their desire to oust Najib Razak, work together in government? How smoothly will the plan to gain a pardon for imprisoned opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, and then for Mr Mahathir to hand the premiership to him within two years, actually proceed? And how will they treat Mr Najib, and his high-spending wife, both accused of greed and corruption? After all the jubilation over an impressive act of defiance by Malaysian voters, there is a mountain of challenges to face.

– "Yes, yes, I am alive" is not the typical comment from the winner in the wake of a national election, but Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad is not your ordinary winner. The 92-year-old is poised to become the world's oldest elected leader, reports the BBC. Mahathir's coalition of opposition parties earned a stunning victory over the ruling Barisan Nasional party, which has been in control since 1957. In fact, Mahathir once belonged to the party himself when he served as prime minster from 1981 to 2003, but he defected over corruption allegations surrounding the party and outgoing Prime Minister Najib Razak. Mahathir led Malaysia during a stretch when it became known as an "Asian tiger" due to the rapid growth of its economy, but he gained a reputation as an authoritarian ruler who jailed political opponents and trampled over the courts, reports the AP.

LANDOVER, Md. -- The Washington Redskins did Michael Vick a massive favor Monday afternoon. They signed Donovan McNabb to a five-year extension worth $78 million that raised eyebrows across the country -- and definitely in the Eagles' locker room. The Redskins made a decision based on hope rather than production. Only two weeks after head coach Mike Shanahan clumsily yanked McNabb from a game that hadn't been decided, the organization made a long-term commitment in the name of stability. But McNabb's former team has a mercenary quarterback who may be the best in the league right now. And based on his record-breaking performance in a 59-28 beatdown of the Redskins at FedEx Field, Vick will be asking for more than McNabb money. It's hard to feel sorry for a man who reportedly received $40 million in guaranteed money (that total seems more ridiculous every time I type it), but McNabb looked old and slow in comparison to Vick. The Eagles quarterback was 20-of-28 for 333 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. For good measure, he ran eight times for 80 yards and two more touchdowns. He's the first player in league history to do all of those things in one game. Vick refuses to slide like most quarterbacks, so there's always the threat of injury. But if he can stay in one piece, the Eagles have a chance to do something special this season. They pulled into a tie with the New York Giants atop the NFC East with a 6-3 record. With the Skins pretty much bowing out of the division competition based on their woeful effort Monday, this is now a two-horse race. I'd wager that Philadelphia has the best horse in the field with Vick. His brilliance was on display on the first play from scrimmage when the Eagles convinced the Redskins they were running to the right before Vick doubled back to his left on a naked bootleg. His back foot was on his own 3-yard line when he launched a pass that arrived in DeSean Jackson's arms at the Redskins' 34-yard line. Safety LaRon Landry has had a Pro Bowl-caliber season, but he never had a chance on the play. In fact, Eagles coach Andy Reid seemed a bit surprised that Landry was even close enough to clutch Jackson's jersey for a moment. "The safety did a better job than we anticipated," deadpanned Reid. When Vick is on his game, I'm not sure there's a team in the NFC capable of beating the Eagles. The team has won all four of the games he's been able to start and complete. The Redskins attempted to assign a spy to Vick on almost every play, but that only gave him a better chance in the passing game. And it's not like there's a spy on the Skins' roster capable of matching Vick's speed in the open field. On the Eagles' second touchdown, Vick scrambled around right end and froze Redskins outside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander with a hard inside move. The 7-yard run put the Eagles up 14-0, and the Skins never had a chance from that point. In fact, they never had a chance at any point. Vick's game has a video-game quality to it that isn't lost on his teammates. Redskins pass-rushers were so fearful of his feet that they gave him an inordinate amount of time in the pocket. It's almost unfair that Vick plays with perhaps the best collection of wide receivers in the league. Jeremy Maclin made a leaping grab early in the second quarter to make it 35-0 and Jason Avant had five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles' interest in the game waned for a few minutes in the second quarter, but they managed to cling to a 45-14 advantage at halftime. "We all grew up with Michael Vick on Madden," said right tackle Winston Justice, who played well against Redskins Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Orakpo. "We're all about 25 or 26, so we would win at Madden with Vick." But I'm not sure any video game can accurately simulate what Vick did to the Redskins in the first half. He was 14-of-18 for 264 yards and three touchdowns and had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 -- if you're into that sort of thing. One of Vick's mentors, McNabb, finished the night 17-of-31 for 295 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. No word on whether the Skins will ask McNabb to redo his contract following such a humiliating loss. The Redskins made a significant commitment to McNabb, in part, because it's hard to plan a marketing campaign around Rex Grossman. (Believe me, Kyle Shanahan has tried.) Vick's talented enough to put a team on his shoulders and take it deep into the playoffs. No offense to Joey Galloway, but the soon-to-turn 34-year-old McNabb desperately needs more talent around him in Washington. Of course, they used to say the same thing about him when he played for the Eagles. "He has this attitude, 'I'm gonna score and you guys can help if you want,'" said Justice of Vick. "Some quarterbacks talk about climbing the hill as a team, but he says, 'I'm gonna score this TD.'" And in Monday's game, Vick was true to his word. It was one of the best single performances in league history. Now we all wait to see what he'll do next. ||||| Chris McGrath/Getty Images When Michael Vick defeated Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts I proposed a question: Is Vick the MVP of the NFL up to this point? After what I witnessed last night I have no further questions but merely a statement. Michael Vick is not on the best quarterback in the NFL he is the best football player in the league. Even though Donovan McNabb signed a 5-year 78 million dollar contract, it was Vick who electrified the crowd on Monday Night. Vick led his Philadelphia Eagles to 59-28 thrashing of the Washington Redskins. On the first play of the game Vick dropped back to pass and threw an 88-yard strike to Desean Jackson for a touchdown. Vick finished the contest completing 20-28 passes for 333 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed eight times for 80-yards and two touchdowns. More importantly Vick didn’t commit a single turnover. He’s thrown 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. It was the Michael Vick show last night. Based on the way he played last night against an NFC rival on the road leaves little doubt in my mind Vick is the best player on the field every time he puts on the pads on. Can I get a witness? If you had a vote today would Michael Vick be your MVP of the league right now? Yes No Submit Vote vote to see results If you had a vote today would Michael Vick be your MVP of the league right now? Yes 85.1% No 14.9% Total votes: 87 As I was watching Vick play the quarterback position like no other quarterback before I reflected back to the summer of 2009 while he in search of a team and sitting in his Virginia home on house-arrest. Very few teams wanted to sign Vick because they didn’t know what they were getting. I remember the likes of ESPN’s Trent Dilfer and Cris Carter stating Vick may have to switch positions if a team signs him. They felt his particular skill set would be best suited playing running back or wide receiver. I remember watching Mike and Mike on ESPN and listening to Mike Greenburg suggest Vick should opt to play in the UFL because he likely won’t get to play in the NFL let alone as a quarterback in the NFL. The madness prompted me to write a column in June of 2009 titled, “Should Michael Vick Return to the NFL as a Quarterback?” Take the liberty to read it for yourself. In the commentary I addressed why African-Americans routinely asked to switch positions when their white counterparts are not. I issued the following, “In Vick’s case, he didn’t go to prison for being a bad quarterback. He went to prison for the decisions he made off the field. When Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank made Vick the highest paid player in the league he was quarterback wasn’t he?” Chris McGrath/Getty Images I stated emphatically Vick should come back as a quarterback and once he signs with a team and shakes off the rust he will be one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL again. I stated, “Despite missing nearly two years of football Vick is still better than many of those quarterbacks who expect to start next season. I’ll give you Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb. After that, Vick can step in with most teams and start once he rids himself of the rust.” I think it is safe to say the rust is now gone. We witnessed what Vick did against Peyton Manning last week, we are still digesting what he did against McNabb and the Redskins last night. How can anyone logically suggest Vick is not only the best quarterback in the NFL but the best football player? Let’s put this into further perspective; Vick nearly lost it all because of the poor choices he made off the field. He sat in prison for 18 long months. He came out of prison to find and endure consistent public humiliation and ridicule. Vick finds teams do not want to sign him because of his past. The Eagles give him a second chance to make a first impression. Vick finally rids himself of the last year's rust and comes into this season as the back-up to Kevin Kolb. Kolb sustains a concussion against the Green Bay Packers. Vick steps in, takes his second chance and goes the distance. Vick played so well it forced head coach Andy Reid to state, “When someone is playing at the level Michael Vick is playing, you have to give him an opportunity." He continued, "This isn't about Kevin Kolb's play. You're talking about Michael Vick as one the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now." Can anyone logical refute Reid’s assessment going into next weeks NFC showdown with the 6-3 New York Giants? The so-called experts like Dilfer, Carter and Greenburg have to eat crow. Vick’s play is forcing the doubters to sing his praises. Remember, just because so-called experts and ex-athletes are on television consistently doesn’t mean they know what they are talking about. I saw what type of quarterback Vick was in Atlanta and knew what he could be once he latched on to a team. Based on how he is playing now can anyone imagine Vick playing another position as the so-called experts suggested? I rest my case. ||||| Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles runs with the ball during a game against the Washington Redskins Hunter Martin/Getty Images Just 18 months ago, Michael Vick was in prison. Now he’s setting NFL records. If Vick wasn’t part of the NFL MVP conversation before his epic outing on Monday Night Football, he sure is now. After missing three games with a rib injury, all he’s done since returning to the field is lead the Philadelphia Eagles past Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts last week; against the division rival Washington Redskins last night, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 300 yards (he finished with 333), rush for over 50 yards (he had 80), throw four touchdown passes, and rush for two more touchdowns. The Eagles scored 28 points in the first quarter alone, and crushed the Redskins 59-28. In the six games he has played this year, Vick still hasn’t committed a turnover. On the first play of the game, Vick connected with Philadelphia wide receiver DeSean Jackson — the pair is quickly becoming the most lethal quarterback-receiver combo in the game — on an 88-yard touchdown pass, and the rout was on. Somehow, Vick has emerged as a more poised pocket-passer than he was in his pre-prison days, and has maintained his athleticism despite 18-months of relative inactivity while in jail. The Eagles are 6-3, and since no other NFL team has emerged as a clear Super Bowl favorite, Vick’s redemption tale could keep gaining momentum. Two years ago, could anyone have imagined that Michael Vick would be the planet’s best football player in 2010? That the NFL may be marketing a convicted felon as the face of the league down the stretch? More on TIME.com: The top 10 disgraced athletes Many will wonder if Vick’s on-field exploits will eventually overshadow his off-field foibles. Hopefully, they won’t. Why should Vick’s skill as a football player determine how we judge him as a human? Those who think he got a raw deal for running a dog-fighting ring, or are more inclined to give a troubled guy a second chance, or are impressed with the community service Vick has done in Philadelphia since being released, would be pulling for him even if he struggled. Those who think that Vick’s despicable treatment of dogs is unforgivable won’t give absolve him, just because he’s tossing touchdown passes (OK, a more than a few Eagles fans probably will). Too often, we ascribe the accomplishments, or failures, of athletes onto their character as people. If the Tiger Woods debacle taught us anything, it’s that we should stop that unfortunate habit. Vick is a victim, Vick is a lout. Both views are personal, and completely legitimate. But for anyone who appreciates football, the view is universal: Michael Vick is an electrifying player, and watching his 2010 season unfold could be truly special. More on TIME.com: The top 10 sports comebacks

– Michael Vick eviscerated the Washington Redskins last night, throwing for 333 yards and four touchdowns, and running for another 80 yards and two more touchdowns, an unprecedented, record-breaking accomplishment. “He’s got my MVP vote,” Washington linebacker London Fletcher told the Washington Post after the game. Is the ex-con really that good? Here’s what people are saying: “It was one of the best single performances in league history,” gushes Matt Mosley of ESPN. “When Vick is on his game, I’m not sure there’s a team in the NFC capable of beating the Eagles.” Dexter Rogers at Bleacher Report takes the opportunity to mock the “experts” who doubted Vick two years ago, or told him to switch positions. Because after last night’s game, “How can anyone logically suggest Vick is not only the best quarterback in the NFL but the best football player?” The “epic” game definitely vaulted Vick into the MVP discussion, writes Sean Gregory of Time, but hopefully it doesn’t make anyone forget his dark past. “Why should Vick’s skill as a football player determine how we judge him as a human?” he asks. “Too often, we ascribe the accomplishments, or failures, of athletes to their character as people.”

World leaders at Angela Merkel’s summit in Schloss Elmau will discuss an eyewatering array of subjects, not least of them the food and entertainment When Angela Merkel gathers six other world leaders in a Bavarian castle for G7 talks, they will face a heavy agenda, with 26 hours to cover everything from climate change and foreign trade to plastic waste and female empowerment. During the weekend there will be some opera to lighten the load, performed by a star singer flown in for the occasion, as well as spectacular Alpine scenery to help inspire Merkel and her guests as they try to come up with solutions for some of the world’s most pressing problems in their 1,000-metre-high mountain retreat. More than 17,000 police dotted throughout the surrounding thick forests and below in the valley have the job of protecting the leaders of Germany, France, Britain, Japan, Canada, Italy and the United States from terrorists – and from the tens of thousands of protesters who are expected to descend on the nearby town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The German chancellor has staunchly rejected claims that, at an estimated €200m (£150m) mostly of taxpayers’ money, Sunday’s summit is too expensive as well as lacking in rationale – since countries such as China and India are not involved – and too elitist, the latter view only enhanced by the choice of the heavily guarded Schloss Elmau castle, 60 miles south of Munich, as the venue. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Demonstrators wearing masks representing world leaders protest against the G7 summit in Munich on Thursday. Photograph: Matthias Schrader/AP The costs do not include those that the individual leaders will clock up themselves, which in the case of Barack Obama, who is bringing an entourage of 2,000, will be considerable. The protesters in the valley complain that it is an exclusive political club of leading industrial countries, taking place at the expense of those countries who are not invited as well as ordinary citizens. But Merkel defended the encounter. “For us what’s important are the consequences of globalisation both at home and in foreign lands, because it’s a process we’d like to happen in a just fashion,” she said. “The G7 seizes on central challenges that have a global relevance and are important for many people.” The seriousness with which she is taking the meeting is reflected in the visits she has made before the event, to Ottawa, Washington, London, Paris, Rome and Tokyo, to make clear to her counterparts early on what her expectations are. Responsible for preparing the meeting are high-level diplomats known as sherpas (so-called because they guide the leaders to their destinations), scurrying around in last-minute talks trying to hammer out deals on every item, in agreements that will then form communiques. Merkel is only too aware that the results of the gathering have the potential to considerably enhance or sully her legacy. The items on the agenda have been thrashed out behind the scenes over the past 18 months or more in intensive discussions, many of which Merkel attended. Certain topics like climate change, energy and the global economy are considered obvious ones for the G7 to tackle. Others, like the crises in Ukraine, Greece, Syria, sanctions against Russia and even the dramatic events unfolding at Fifa, are so pressing they are unavoidable. A third category consists of topics that work their way on to the agenda because they are considered particularly important to the current holder of the G7 presidency, in this case Germany and Merkel. In 2015 these include the empowerment of women, health issues such as Ebola, marine pollution, energy efficiency and retail and supply chain standards. “We all recall with horror the events in Bangladesh,” Merkel said this week, in reference to the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory near Dhaka in what was the deadliest disaster in the history of the garment industry, claiming more than 1,000 lives. Another item on the agenda that Merkel has indicated is close to her heart – not just as a politician but also as a former research scientist – is the growth of antimicrobial resistance and how it is hampering the efficacy of antibiotics. Merkel has said in off-the-record briefings with journalists that the issue is crying out for a political solution on a global level, and is therefore perfect for the G7. Facebook Twitter Pinterest More than 17,000 police are charged with protecting the world leaders. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images Closely linked to that is the issue of how to tackle the next health epidemic, drawing on the lessons learned from Ebola and Sars and focusing on the growing threat of Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers). The world’s leading experts on these topics, handpicked by Bill Gates at the request of Merkel, were invited for talks with her in Berlin in the weeks leading up to the summit. Based on their recommendations, Germany will propose that other G7 leaders sign up to plans to radically reform the World Health Organisationto make it better able to respond to health crises, including the establishment of an emergency medical reserve corps that could rapidly respond to future epidemics. “This is a crucial conference for the future of global health,” said Jeremy Farrar, professor of tropical medicine at Oxford University and the director of the Wellcome Trust, who was involved in the pre-summit talks with Merkel. “This is the first time this issue has been at this level of prominence, and it’s largely thanks to Angela Merkel who has really pushed for it and has put her reputation on the line by doing so.” But where Merkel’s reputation will arguably be most at stake and where the summit’s biggest sticking point is likely to lie is on climate change and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, an area where, despite past pledges, very little progress has been made since 2008. Ideally this G7 will pave the way for a global climate agreement to be reached at the UN climate conference scheduled for December in Paris. But with the US unclear on its stance and Canada and Japan blocking the long-term goal to decarbonise global energy systems, probably no issue is as controversial as this one. Germany, with its a reputation as a worldwide pioneer in tackling the energiewende, or switch to renewables, and having in Merkel a leader who has not only served as environment minister but, due to her background as a physicist, is known to thoroughly understand the issues, could give new dynamism to the debate. However, Greenpeace said Germany could find itself in the embarrassing position of not fulfilling its own target of reducing greenhouse gas by 40% by 2020. Its huge dependence on coal, and the strong opposition to change from both the coal industry and trade unions, makes the prospect of a phase-out difficult, though environmentalists are holding out hope that Merkel might yet intervene before the summit. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Angela Merkel’s reputation will arguably be most at stake over the topic of climate change and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Photograph: Gero Breloer/AP “Merkel has chosen to put this topic high on the agenda of an international meeting, but without making a clear commitment to this domestically she risks losing her reputation as a climate chancellor,” Martin Kaiser, head of international climate politics at Greenpeace, told the Guardian. Meanwhile, as the tough negotiating proceeds within the castle walls, the spouses will be provided with their own programme of entertainment. As is traditional, Merkel’s chemistry professor husband, Joachim Sauer, will take on the role of host to the wives of Shinzō Abe of Japan, Stephen Harper of Canada and the European Council president Donald Tusk. He is to lead a sightseeing tour of the region, including the nearby Linderhof palace of the 18th-century “Mad King” Ludwig II of Bavaria, and to a lecture on nanotechnology by the Munich professor Wolfgang Heckl. The spouses will also be invited to a musical evening in Schloss Elmau on Sunday when, at the request of Merkel and Sauer, both opera fanatics, the star soprano Waltraud Meier will perform lieder by Richards Strauss and Wagner. Overshadowing the event is the absence of Russia. Putin was refused an invitation over the annexation of the Crimea, prompting the meeting’s name change from G8 to G7. The scandal surrounding Germany’s intelligence service, the BND, amid claims it spied on EU officials and companies on behalf of the US National Security Agency, has also threatened to sour relations between Merkel and Obama. Possibly to ease the tension, both leaders are due to meet for bilateral talks over beer and pretzels on Sunday morning, before the summit. Merkel has said the NSA row will not be on the agenda. The nearby village of Krün will host the leaders, prefacing their discussions with a performance by a brass oompah band and dancers in lederhosen and dirndls, in what the mayor has promised will be a “beer garden atmosphere”. After that it will be off up to Elmau, where a landing pad for six helicopters has been built at the back of the hotel, which has variously served as a spa resort for Wehrmacht soldiers and a post-war recuperation site for Holocaust survivors. There, among the 300 staff on duty, will be Michelin-starred chefs on alert round the clock to feed leaders as they negotiate well into the night. “Considering we only have 24 hours and also need to sleep a little bit in between, it is, I believe, an ambitious agenda,” Merkel told a gathering of foreign journalists this week. “I’m looking forward to some intensive and very friendly discussions.” Dear G7, it’s time to put girls and women at the top of your agenda Read more Up for discussion: topics at the G7 The G7 club grew out of a meeting between French president Valéry Giscard d’Estaing and German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who first met for a quiet fireside chat outside Paris. Now in its 41st year, the event has evolved beyond recognition. Topics for discussion at this year’s summit, which will cost an estimated €150m to €200m, include the global economy – and such matters as TTIP, the free trade agreement between the United States and Europe, the CETA agreement with Canada, and agreements between the United States and Pacific partners, including Japan) – development issues; climate change (with particular focus on the UN climate conference in Paris in December that aims to see an agreement on ensuring global warming does not exceed two degrees); global health, including the fight against antibiotic resistance, neglected tropical diseases in the light of the recent Ebola epidemic and reform of the WHO; female empowerment in the developing world, particularly professional training; and retail and supply chain standards. Part of the 26-hour-long gathering will include time spent in “outreach meetings” with guests mainly from Africa, including the presidents of Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Iraq. The main topics of conversation will be the fight against terrorism and, thereafter, health and development goals beyond 2015. Also invited to these discussions are the UN secretary general, the chief of the World Bank, and representatives from the World Trade Organisation, WorldWork, the IMF and the OECD. ||||| TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday that Russia should never be allowed back in the Group of 7 as long as Vladimir Putin is president. FILE - In this May 2, 2011 file photo Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces a federal election at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Canada. Harper said Thursday, June 4, 2015, Russia should never be allowed... (Associated Press) Harper said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press that he expects the group won't ever let Putin back in. He made the remarks ahead of his trip to Ukraine and the Group of 7 meeting in Germany this week. Harper said even long before the Ukraine crisis, Russia has eroded any basis for belonging to the group of wealthy nations. He also noted that Russia has ramped up long range bomber patrols near North American airspace. The G-7 suspended Russia last year but hasn't ruled out welcoming him back. "I don't think Russia under Vladimir Putin belongs in the G7. Period," Harper said. "Canada would very, very strongly oppose Putin ever sitting around that table again. It would require consensus to bring Russia back and that consensus will just not happen." The prime minister said Russia is far from like-minded. "Russia is more often than not trying deliberately to be a strategic rival, to deliberately counter the good things we're trying to achieve in the world than for no other reason than to just counter them," Harper said. Harper said the "mindset of the guy we are dealing with is that the Cold War has never ended and 'I've got to fight to change the ending somehow.'" "I don't think there is any way under this leader Russia will ever change," Harper said. Putin received a less-than-warm welcome from Harper last November when he approached Harper for a handshake at the G-20 summit in Australia. Harper told Putin: "I guess I'll shake your hand, but I have only one thing to say to you: You need to get out of Ukraine." Asked what Putin's response was, Harper said Putin denied that he was in Ukraine. "This is kind of typical Russian foreign policy to just say black is white even though everyone knows the contrary. I think as long as that's the view that they are going to take, that they're just going to treat us like we are all stupid, there really is no point in having a dialogue with them," Harper said. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated last year when the Kremlin-backed president in Kiev fled amid protests. Pro-Russian separatists moved to take over the strategically important Crimean Peninsula, which Russia later annexed. The West doesn't recognize that move Harper noted Russia has ramped up its long-range bomber patrols near North American airspace since the Ukraine conflict started. "This is a country that has shown a willingness to invade its neighbors, to actually seize territory that does not belong to it, and so I don't think we should take this escalation of a hostile military posture lightly. It needs to be treated seriously," Harper said. A senior Canadian official said Russia has more than doubled its use of long range bomber patrols, including near North American airspace and other Western nations. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly, said there were 52 Russian patrols last year compared to 23 in each of the previous two years. Two Canadian CF-18 fighters intercepted two Russian Tu-95 "Bear" long-range bombers flying off the Canadian coast last December, a day after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko delivered a speech in Parliament in Ottawa thanking Canada for its ongoing support as his country's forces battle pro-Russian separatist rebels. Canada is home to more than 1 million people of Ukrainian descent. Harper faces re-election in October. Harper also addressed his relations with U.S. President Barack Obama, who has angered Canada for delaying a decision on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. The pipeline is critical to Canada, which needs infrastructure in place to export its growing oil sands production. Harper's adopted home province of Alberta has the world's third largest oil reserves, with 170 billion barrels of proven reserves. Allan Gotlieb, Canada's former ambassador in Washington, said earlier this year that he'd never seen the relationship between the two countries so cool. "That's ridiculous," said Harper, who noted Canada's former Liberal government had poor relations with President George W. Bush after refusing to join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. "That was a period of time where the two leaders weren't even dialoging so no. This is a very close and intimate relationship across a number of files, but this is a significant irritant. "I'm convinced the American people will work that out over time." Harper said he believes the pipeline will proceed under a different administration if rejected by Obama. ||||| U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a town hall meeting with Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Fellows (YSEALI) at the White House in Washington June 1, 2015. WASHINGTON U.S. President Barack Obama will urge European Union leaders to maintain sanctions against Russia over its aggression in Ukraine at the upcoming G7 meeting, where he will also hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, U.S. officials said. Obama arrives in Germany on Sunday for the summit of leaders from the world's top industrial nations. He will also hold bilateral meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron, the officials told reporters in a conference call. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Julia Edwards) ||||| Skip Ad Ad Loading... x Embed x Share More than 30,000 people on Thursday kicked off protests against a G7 summit starting at the weekend in the southern German state of Bavaria, police said. Video provided by AFP AFP Pedestrians walk by a sign advertising a special G-7 welcome discount on June 3, 2015, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in southern Germany. Germany will host the G-7 summit at Elmau Castle on June 7 and June 8. (Photo: AFP) WASHINGTON — For a second year in a row, the annual summit of major world economies will exclude Russia when the group's leaders convene Sunday in a German castle. The Kremlin's absence from the two-day meeting of the Group of Seven or G-7 underscores a widening East-West split prompted by the conflict in Ukraine. A year ago, Russia was to host what was then the G-8. But the other seven members — Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and the USA — bailed to protest Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and its alleged involvement in a separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin denies providing troops, arms or funds to support the separatists, who have been fighting Ukrainian troops. This year's host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, told her parliament recently that Moscow's return to the summit is "unimaginable" unless Russia were to "recognize the basic values of international law and act accordingly." The German government reiterated that view this week. It said at a briefing in Washington that until Russia takes meaningful steps to implement a cease-fire and peace plan, suspension from the annual summit will almost certainly remain. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Thursday that his government's military is preparing for more attacks by Russian-backed separatists. Five Ukrainian soldiers were killed in clashes Wednesday. Moscow blamed Kiev for the spike in tensions. Separately, the European Union indicated Wednesday that it will extend its broad set of Ukraine-related economic sanctions against Russia in the next few weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported. The EU's potential move suggests the United States also would keep its sanctions in place, said Lawrence Ward, a partner at Dorsey & Whitney, a law firm that specializes in U.S. national security law and cross-border trade compliance. Caroline Atkinson, the White House's deputy national security adviser for international economics, said Thursday that the sanctions were working and had put Russia's "economy on a completely different (downward) trajectory." Russia has largely kept quiet about efforts by world powers to sideline its public diplomacy on the world stage. "Russia has come to terms with its exclusion from this elite club," said James Nixey, an expert on Russia at Chatham House, the London-based think tank. "It was a slap in the face at the time, but when you get slapped it stings and then fades." That has not stopped Russia from attempting to strike back at the West in other ways. In late May, the Kremlin banned 89 European Union officials from entering the country, giving little apparent justification. Around the same time, Russia's parliament passed legislation to crack down on the presence of foreign organizations. Nixey questioned whether including Russia as part of the larger G-8 group would necessarily be a constructive one. "Russia's voice is often not helpful," he said. "It acts as a spoiler, and it's not acting positively in international affairs wherever you look right now — not just in Ukraine, but in Syria and the Middle East more broadly." The meeting — the group's 41st — is a get-together for key international players to discuss economic, security and foreign policy issues. Topping this years agenda beyond the Ukraine conflict: the Islamic State's advances in Iraq and Syria, Greece's debt crisis and the nearly concluded talks with Iran on a nuclear deal. There will also be discussions about how to protect the world's marine life, trade, growing public health fears over antibiotic resistance, climate change and development in Africa. Putin's office did not return a request for comment on whether Russia is suffering from being excluded from the meeting. Ekaterina Zabrovskaya, editor of Russia Direct, a Moscow-based website for opinion and analysis of Russian policy, said it's not a good sign for Ukraine that Russia was expelled from the G-8 because it means there are fewer opportunities for both sides to explain their positions and find some common ground. But it is not as problematic as it sounds. "Russia has always considered the G-8 to be about prestige and more of a club," she said. "Being invited back would definitely be a victory for the Kremlin, but I don't think they are worried about rejoining ASAP." Zabrovskaya added that the sanctions were counter-productive, not substantially harming Russia's economic elite but rather its ordinary citizens, and they fostered anti-Western, particularly anti-American, sentiment. Skip Ad Ad Loading... x Embed x Share 2015 G7 SUMMIT IN GERMANY Obama: G-7 ready to impose more sanctions on Russia | 2:33 In a speech following the G-7 summit, President Obama said if Russia does not end its involvement in Ukraine, the Group of Seven is ready to impose more sanctions. He also addressed threats from the Islamic State and Boko Haram. VPC 1 of 7 Skip Ad Ad Loading... x Embed x Share 2015 G7 SUMMIT IN GERMANY Obama outlines challenges for G7 | 1:49 President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron discuss shared goals for summit in Germany. Meanwhile, G-7 leaders signal united front on upholding Russia sanctions as they open annual summit. (June 7) AP 2 of 7 Skip Ad Ad Loading... x Embed x Share 2015 G7 SUMMIT IN GERMANY Obama, Merkel push G-7 to keep sanctions on Russia | 1:25 In addition to maintaining sanctions against Russia, the White House is urging G-7 allies to support Ukraine's efforts for economic reform. VPC 3 of 7 Skip Ad Ad Loading... x Embed x Share 2015 G7 SUMMIT IN GERMANY Why is Russia The focus of G7 Summit Sans Russia? | 1:14 At a summit in Germany, the G7, formerly the G8, is focusing on its suspended member, Russia, and the country's alleged actions in Ukraine. Video provided by Newsy Newslook 4 of 7 Skip Ad Ad Loading... x Embed x Share 2015 G7 SUMMIT IN GERMANY Obama, Merkel meet ahead of G-7 summit in Germany | 1:22 President Obama received a warm welcome from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and local Bavarians when he arrived in Germany for the G-7 meetings. Protesters filled streets elsewhere in the region through the weekend. VPC 5 of 7 Skip Ad Ad Loading... x Embed x Share 2015 G7 SUMMIT IN GERMANY Obama highlights alliances ahead of G-7 meetings | 0:48 President Obama is calling the current partnership between the U.S. and Germany "one of the strongest alliances the world has ever known." (June 7) AP 6 of 7 Skip Ad Ad Loading... x Embed x Share 2015 G7 SUMMIT IN GERMANY Raw: Activists, police clash ahead of G7 meeting | 1:30 Thousands of demonstrators packed the German Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Saturday, protesting over a wide range of causes before the arrival of G7 for a two-day summit. (June 6) AP 7 of 7 Last VideoNext Video Obama: G-7 ready to impose more sanctions on Russia Obama outlines challenges for G7 Obama, Merkel push G-7 to keep sanctions on Russia Why is Russia The focus of G7 Summit Sans Russia? Obama, Merkel meet ahead of G-7 summit in Germany Obama highlights alliances ahead of G-7 meetings Raw: Activists, police clash ahead of G7 meeting Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1IoolrN ||||| BERLIN (AP) — When Germany last hosted a summit of the world's leading industrialized democracies, Chancellor Angela Merkel was a relative newcomer on the world stage. With less than two years in office she focused on one major theme: the fight against climate change. Activists of the international campaigning and advocacy organization ONE installed balloons with portraits of the G-7 heads of state in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (Associated Press) Activists of the international campaigning and advocacy organization ONE prepare a balloon with a portrait of U.S. President Barack Obama during a protest against the upcoming G-7 summit in Munich, Germany,... (Associated Press) Activists of the international campaigning and advocacy organization ONE installed balloons with portraits of the G-7 heads of state in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (Associated Press) Masks with the faces of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Barack Obama,... (Associated Press) Activists of the international campaigning and advocacy organization ONE installed balloons with portraits of the G-7 heads of state in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (Associated Press) Heading into this weekend's meeting of what is now the G-7 — after Russia's removal from the club over its actions in Ukraine — Merkel is pursuing a much broader agenda, bolstered by Germany's growing clout and her own increased political prominence. "In 2007 Merkel was a world leader, no doubt, but now she's consistently been rated one of the most powerful leaders in the world," said Sudha David-Wilp, Senior Trans-Atlantic Fellow with the German Marshall Fund think tank. "The United States and many other countries recognize Germany to be a leader," she said. "So I think the tone will be different." Since the 2007 summit, Germany has successfully weathered the global financial crisis and come out stronger than ever. It has been getting increasingly involved internationally, as one of the key countries involved in trying to resolve the Ukraine crisis, helping to arm Kurdish militias fighting the Islamic State group and serving as a key broker in the negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. Climate change is still at the top of Merkel's agenda, but for this year's talks the chancellor says she will pursue an "ambitious agenda" to address a wide range of other issues. These include terrorism, Ukraine, health emergencies like the Ebola outbreak and global economic growth and trade deals. "We are going to use the 24 hours that we're together for some very intensive talks over a lot of questions that are affecting the world," Merkel told foreign reporters in Berlin this week. The Sunday-Monday summit whose motto is "think ahead, act together," assembles the leaders of Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Japan and the United States in the Schloss Elmau hotel at the base of the Alps, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Munich. Bavarian police say they're braced for protests, and have mobilized 17,000 police officers from around the country in the biggest operation in their history. Thirty helicopters will patrol the skies and temporary cells have been built out of shipping containers and installed on a nearby former U.S. military base. Austrian police plan to have 2,000 officers on hand across the nearby border. On the climate front, expectations are high. Merkel has indicated that she supports "de-carbonization" — a pledge of zero carbon emissions — and said in an interview with the Sueddeutsche Zeitung that Germany and France would make a joint push at the G-7, but at the moment "there is not yet agreement" among the nations. Canada and Japan are the biggest holdouts, with the U.S. somewhere in between them and the summit's four European powers. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are the only other two leaders who were also at the 2007 summit in Germany. Going in, Merkel has already weakened her own position by dragging her feet on implementing national measures meant to reduce Germany's reliance on coal. A senior German official, speaking on condition of anonymity to brief the press ahead of the summit, said Merkel wants to move the discussion of de-carbonization ahead as a long-term goal, and also to provide momentum for climate talks in Paris later this year. But Tobias Muenchmeyer, of Greenpeace in Germany, worried that Merkel may be more likely to accept something weaker on climate change if she can find successes elsewhere. "I'm realistic enough to see that if she sees that she can't deliver anything meaningful or significant, I could imagine that she would try to hide this by highlighting other issues more," he said. Merkel will hold a one-on-one meeting with President Barack Obama on Sunday morning. The two are expected to talk about the negotiations on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the European Union and the United States. Obama is also pushing to advance the long-negotiated Trans-Pacific Partnership, which involves Canada and Japan, and the issue seemed likely to come up at the summit. Germany has said that the refinancing of Greece's debt — a major issue facing the European Union — is certain to be discussed but is not on the official agenda. In terrorism, Germany has invited the leaders of Iraq, Nigeria and Tunisia to tell the G-7 countries about their own first-hand experiences, and also specify their needs. Other security matters include the nuclear negotiations with Iran, the fight against the Islamic State group and maritime security in the South China Sea amid increasingly assertive actions by China. Rounding out the agenda will be discussions on what can be done to end hunger and malnourishment, with the focus on concrete goals and programs. Even though Merkel is now armed with more experience than in 2007 — and is taking on much more — don't expect a noticeable difference to how she approaches the talks, said David-Wilp. "I don't think she takes her power for granted, and is still the very pragmatic person who came to power in 2005," she said. "She's seen as a steady hand in times of crisis and, let's face it, Western powers are seeing a lot of crisis right now." ___ Frank Jordans in Berlin and Elaine Kurtenbach in Tokyo contributed to this report.

– For the second year in a row, Russia has been left out of the G8, er, G7 summit, which will see President Obama meet with the leaders of Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan at the Sunday-Monday summit, held at the Schloss Elmau castle, south of Munich. The participating countries called off what was to be last year's G8 summit in Russia in protest of the country's annexation of Crimea. This year's host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, previously said Russia's return is "unimaginable" unless a ceasefire and peace plan can be solidified, USA Today reports. As Canada's Stephen Harper put it to the AP, "I don't think Russia under Vladimir Putin belongs in the G7. Period." A guide to what's planned for this 41st summit and what the Guardian describes as its 26 hours: Merkel plans to pursue an "ambitious agenda" that the Guardian reports was hashed out over 18 months; topics include trade deals, health emergencies like Ebola, Ukraine, female empowerment, marine pollution, and world hunger, report the AP and Guardian. Leaders from Iraq, Nigeria, and Tunisia will serve as guest speakers, describing their domestic experiences with terrorism. But Merkel's main focus is climate change. Germany and France are expected to push for a commitment to zero carbon emissions as a long-term goal, but "there is not yet agreement," Merkel says; Canada and Japan will likely be the toughest to convince, with the US somewhere in the middle of the spectrum on the issue. Reuters reports Obama has an agenda item of his own: pushing EU leaders to keep up sanctions against Russia. In what the AP calls the "biggest operation in their history," Bavarian police say 17,000 officers and 30 helicopters are at the ready in case of protests. The Guardian reports many Germans are displeased at the summit's price tag—roughly $220 million—which is largely covered by taxpayers, as well as its "elitist" nature (the paper points to the absence of China and India). Barack Obama won't be arriving alone: His entourage will be 2,000-strong.

Add this Tweet to your website by copying the code below. مزید جانیئے Add this video to your website by copying the code below. مزید جانیئے ہہم، سرور تک پہنچنے میں ایک مسئلہ تھا۔ دوبارہ کوشش کریں؟ بنیادی ٹویٹ شامل کریں میڈیا شامل کریں ٹوئٹر کا مواد اپنی ویب سائٹ یا ایپلی کیشن میں ایمبیڈ کر کے، آپ ٹوئٹر کے ڈیولپر اقرارنامہ اور ڈیولپر پالیسی سے اتفاق کر رہے ہیں۔ پیش منظر ||||| Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch sat during the Star-Spangled Banner but then stood up for Mexico's national anthem before Sunday afternoon's game against the New England Patriots in Mexico City. Lynch has protested the U.S. national anthem all season by sitting on the Raiders' sidelines. You can see Lynch's demonstration below from photos by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe: Marshawn Lynch sits during the US national anthem, stands for Mexican anyhem pic.twitter.com/8wdaKprEki — Ben Volin (@BenVolin) November 19, 2017 Lynch has not stood for the national anthem since coming out of retirement to join the Raiders.

– On Sunday, Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch stood for a national anthem for the first time this season. It was the Mexican one. Lynch remained seated for the US national anthem before the team's game in Mexico City against the New England Patriots, Sports Illustrated reports. Lynch has stayed seated during the US anthem before every game since coming out of retirement this year. He doesn't tend to speak to the media and hasn't discussed his reason for the protests, though he wore an "Everybody vs. Trump" shirt before a game early last month, the Washington Post notes. And his latest protest definitely caught the president's attention. Lynch "stands for the Mexican Anthem and sits down to boos for our National Anthem," Trump tweeted Monday morning. "Great disrespect! Next time NFL should suspend him for remainder of season. Attendance and ratings way down." Trump has previously made the anthem protests an issue. In Sunday's game, meanwhile, the Raiders ended up losing 33-8 at the Estadio Azteca. (Papa John's has walked back its founder's comments on NFL protests.)

Image copyright AP Image caption Sunni fighters, among them the jihadists of Isis, have taken large swathes of western and northern Iraq Sunni militants have seized another town in Iraq's western Anbar province - the fourth in two days. Fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis) captured Rutba, 90 miles (150km) east of Jordan's border, officials said. They earlier seized a border crossing to Syria and two towns in western Iraq as they advance towards Baghdad. The insurgents intend to capture the whole of the predominantly Sunni Anbar province, a spokesman told the BBC. Iraq's government said on Sunday it had killed 40 militants in an air strike on the militant-held northern town of Tikrit, although witnesses said civilians died when a petrol station was hit. US Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking in Cairo, said Isis' "ideology of violence and repression is a threat not only to Iraq but to the entire region". Calling it a "critical moment", he urged Iraq's leaders "to rise above sectarian motivations and form a government that is united in its determination to meet the needs and speak to the demands of all of their people". Earlier, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the prospect of US intervention in Iraq, saying Washington's main intention was to keep Iraq within its own sphere of power. Dismissing talk of sectarianism, he said: "The main dispute in Iraq is between those who want Iraq to join the US camp and those who seek an independent Iraq." Analysis from BBC Persian's Bozorgmehr Sharafedin The Obama administration is signalling that it wants a new government in Iraq without Prime Minister Nouri Maliki before launching any attack on Isis, but Iran's Supreme Leader has rejected both ideas. Ayatollah Khamenei strongly opposed "the intervention of the US and others in the domestic affairs of Iraq", and said the US is not pleased with the results of the new election and "is seeking an Iraq under its hegemony and ruled by its stooges". Khamenei's anti-US remarks weaken the possibility of co-operation. Iran feels it has the upper hand in Iraq and would try to resolve the crisis by the help of "Iraqi people, government and Shia clerics". Rutba is strategically placed on the main road between Baghdad and Jordan. It is the fourth town in what is Iraq's largest province to fall in two days to the Sunni rebel alliance, which Isis spearheads. On Saturday the militants said they had taken the towns of Rawa and Anah, along the Euphrates river. And Iraqi officials admitted Isis fighters had also seized a border crossing near the town of Qaim, killing 30 troops after a day-long battle. According to the rebels, army garrisons, including at the area's command centre, abandoned their bases and weapons, and fled. An Iraqi military spokesman described the withdrawal from Rawa, Anah and Qaim as a "tactical move... for the purpose of redeployment". Isis in Iraq Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Isis fighters have been pushing towards Iraq's capital, Baghdad Isis grew out of an al-Qaeda-linked organisation in Iraq Estimated 10,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria Joined in its offensives by other Sunni militant groups, including Saddam-era officers and soldiers, and disaffected Sunni tribal fighters Exploits standoff between Iraqi government and the minority Sunni Arab community, which complains that Shia Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is monopolising power Isis led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, an obscure figure regarded as a battlefield commander and tactician Jihadi groups around the world The capture of the frontier crossing could help Isis transport weapons and other equipment to different battlefields, analysts say. The rebels are confident that towns they do not already control along the Euphrates valley will fall without much of a fight, with the help of sympathetic local tribes, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Irbil. Since January, they have held parts of the provincial capital Ramadi, and all of nearby Falluja, half an hour's drive from Baghdad. A spokesman for the Military Councils, one of the main Sunni groups fighting alongside Isis, told the BBC the rebels' strategic goal was the capital itself. In the meantime they are clearly trying to take the string of towns along the Euphrates between Falluja and the western border, says our correspondent. Baghdad fears There is deep pessimism in Baghdad about the government's war against Isis, which appears better trained, equipped and more experienced than the army, diplomats and politicians have told the BBC. The Sunni extremists attacked the city of Mosul in early June and have since seized swathes of territory across Iraq. The Iraqi government has urged the US, Europe and the UN to take immediate action to help deal with the crisis - including targeted air strikes. But Isis has established secure safe havens, including some in neighbouring Syria, which will be difficult to target, experts say. And experts warn that using air strikes now would endanger civilians. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has rallied followers to join a military parade across Iraq, as Jonathan Beale reports from Baghdad The US, which pulled out of Iraq in 2011, is sending some 300 military advisers to Iraq to help in the fight against the insurgents there. But the White House insists there is no purely military solution to the crisis. Mr Obama believes Mr Maliki has endangered the country by ignoring Sunni concerns and governing in the interests of the Shia majority, correspondents say. Are you in Iraq or do you have family there? Have you been affected by recent events? You can send details of your experiences to [email protected] using 'Iraq' in the subject line. ||||| BAGHDAD — The long lines of Shiite fighters began marching through the capital early Saturday morning. Some wore masks. One group had yellow and green suicide explosives, which they said were live, strapped to their chests. As their numbers grew, they swelled into a seemingly unending procession of volunteers with rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, backed by mortar crews and gun and rocket trucks. The Mahdi Army, the paramilitary force that once led a Shiite rebellion against American troops here, was making its largest show of force since it suspended fighting in 2008. This time, its fighters were raising arms against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, the Qaeda splinter group that has driven Iraq’s security forces from parts of the country’s north and west. Chanting “One, two, three, Mahdi!” they implored their leader, the cleric Moktada al-Sadr, to send them to battle. “ISIS is not as strong as a finger against us,“ said one fighter, Said Mustafa, who commanded a truck carrying four workshop-grade rockets — each, he said, packed with C4 explosive. “If Moktada gives us the order, we will finish ISIS in two days.” Photo Large sections of Baghdad and southern Iraq’s Shiite heartland have been swept up in a mass popular mobilization, energized by the fatwa of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urging able-bodied Iraqis to take up arms against Sunni extremists. Shiite and mixed neighborhoods now brim with militias, who march under arms, staff checkpoints and hold rallies to sign up more young men. Fighting raged in northern and western Iraq on Saturday, with the Sunni insurgents making some gains near a strategic border crossing with Syria. The Mahdi Army rally in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad on Saturday was the largest and most impressive paramilitary display so far, but there were also mass militia parades in other cities, including Najaf and Basra on Saturday, and smaller rallies in Baghdad on Friday, equally motivated by what participants described as patriotic and religious fervor. Together, the militias constitute a patchwork of seasoned irregulars who once resisted American occupation, Iranian proxies supported by Tehran, and pop-up Shiite tribal fighting groups that are rushing young men to brief training courses before sending them to fight beside the Iraqi Army against ISIS. It is a mobilization fraught with passion, confusion and grave risk. Militia members and their leaders insist they have taken up arms to defend their government, protect holy places and keep their country from breaking up along sectarian or ethnic lines. They have pledged to work alongside the Iraqi Army. But as Iraq lurches toward sectarian war, the prominent role of Shiite-dominated militias could also exacerbate sectarian tensions, hardening the sentiments that have allowed the Sunni militants to succeed. Moreover, some of the militias have dark histories that will make it hard for them to garner national support. Some commanders have been linked to death squads that carried out campaigns of kidnappings and killing against Sunnis, including from hospitals. Against this background, even as more armed men have appeared on the streets, Shiite clerics have taken pains to cast the mobilization as a unity movement, even if it has a mostly Shiite face. “Our mission is to explain to the people what Ayatollah Sistani said,” said Sheikh Emad al-Gharagoli, after leading prayers Thursday afternoon at the Maitham al-Tamar Mosque in Sadr City. “He said, ‘Do not make your own army, this army does not belong to the Shia. It belongs to all of Iraq. It is for the Shia, the Sunni, the Kurds and the Christians.’ ” The clerics have also said the mobilization will be temporary, that the militias will be disbanded once the ISIS threat subsides. Continue reading the main story Video But given the swift gains by ISIS and the lax performance of the Iraqi Army, analysts do not expect the infusion of Shiite militias to quickly turn the tide. And as the militias focus on establishing themselves, their leaders face a host of daunting practical matters intended to convert a religious call to a coherent fighting force. Sheikh Haidar al-Maliki, who is organizing fighters of the Bani Malik tribe in Baghdad, said he had been in constant consultation with the government to ensure that the tribe’s call-up ran efficiently. He has been seeking letters from the army that volunteers can show their employers to protect their jobs while they are fighting, and asking for uniforms and weapons for the few men who have not appeared with their own. He said he was also asking for government-issued identification cards, so that as thousands of armed men head to and from battle, it might be possible to know who is who at checkpoints along the way. The Bani Malik militia is new. The tribe’s volunteers, at one registration rally, showed up with mismatched weapons and uniforms. Many of the weapons were dated. Some were in disrepair. Nonetheless, Sheikh Maliki said, in a week, he had already sent hundreds of young men to military bases, where they are trained for a few days before shipping out to provinces where the army has been fighting ISIS. “We do it step by step,” he said. “But we work very quickly.” His militias had already fought in Mosul and near Baquba, he said. On Thursday, the first of its members died of battle wounds. Other young men have been lining up to replace the fallen. Ahmed al-Maliki, 23, a business-management student, said he had begun military training more than a month ago, in anticipation that ISIS’s campaign would grow. His training, even before Ayatollah Sistani’s June 13 call to arms, pointed to what Sheikh Maliki said was the Shiite tribes’ realization early this year, after ISIS seized Falluja, that they needed to prepare for clashes with Sunni extremists. The recent call-up, he said, was a public step that invigorated a body of quieter work already well underway. The Bani Malik tribe had organized volunteers into 25-man units, each led by an active-duty Iraqi soldier who had been training them in weapons, small-unit tactics and communications. Ahmed al-Maliki said he had never served in the army, and did not fight as a militant during the American occupation from 2003 to 2011. But in the preparatory system that his tribe had organized this spring, he had learned to use a Kalashnikov that his family owned and other weapons under the instruction of Mustafa al-Maliki, a three-year Iraqi Army veteran. “I don’t have any experience in the army,” Ahmed said. “But I can serve my country and do as Ayatollah Sistani says.” For the Mahdi Army, the mobilization has not been a matter of creating a militia, but of preparing fighters for battle again. Many of its members marching on Friday and Saturday had combat experience. They appeared in uniforms and with many newer weapons, typically in a better state of cleanliness and repair. One member, who gave only a first name, Ahmed, said he had been with the Mahdi Army since 2004, and fought many times. A Mahdi Army leader, Hakim al-Zamili, a member of Iraq’s Parliament who was accused of organizing death squads when he served as Iraq’s deputy health minister, appeared with a Mahdi unit on Friday evening and said that he intended to fight ISIS personally. Mr. Zamili had been captured and held by American forces, and was released only after an Iraqi government trial on terrorism charges stalled after witnesses did not appear. He suggested that experienced militias would prove more nimble than Iraq’s conventional army. Photo “Why do the terrorists win battles against the Iraqi Army?” he asked. “Because the army is afraid to do what it must. They don’t have the right leadership.” “The Army waits for orders,” he continued. “But the militias will do it quickly. We can seize a place and then give it to the army.” A Mahdi fighter, who declined to give his name, framed it another way. “There is a difference between army fighting and street fighting,” he said. “We are street fighters.” On one point the militias have been firm: In interviews throughout the past week, clerics and fighters for different groups said they did not want American ground forces in Iraq again, even to fight ISIS. Some of the militias said they would, however, welcome other forms of military aid, and did not oppose President Obama’s commitment to send military advisers to Baghdad. “We need matériel, and guns, and intelligence, or drones,” Sheikh Maliki said. The sheikh said Iraq would also need Washington’s political and diplomatic help, in particular to try to sever ISIS’s foreign support, including, he said, from donors in Persian Gulf states and Turkey. “If America helps us in these ways,” he said, “we can stop them.” Deep divisions remain between many Shiite tribes and militias, which have competed for resources, power and standing, and had varied relations with Iran and attitudes toward the West. At the Mahdi rollout on Saturday, fighters burned Israeli and American flags, along with the black banner of ISIS. For now, Sheikh Maliki and Mr. Zamili said, the militias have set aside most of their disagreements to face a common foe. “We have differences,” Mr. Zamili said. “But in front of our enemies, we are one.” ||||| A member of the board of governors of the Central Bank of Iraq was reluctant to specify how much ISIS got away with in Mosul, but estimated that it at least $85 million and possibly much more. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the case. “ISIS gets some money from outside donors, but that pales in comparison to their self-funding,” said an American counterterrorism official. “The overwhelming majority of its money comes from criminal activities like extortion, kidnapping, robberies and smuggling. In Mosul, ISIS has probably been hauling in several million dollars monthly just from its extortion racket. In overrunning the town the group is better off financially, but probably to the tune of millions — not hundreds of millions — of dollars.” While ISIS “is among the wealthiest terrorist groups on the planet,” the official said, “it also has significant expenses. Resources flowing into the group’s coffers tend to move out the door in the form of payments fairly quickly. Unless it has invested very wisely, it’s probably sitting on a pile of assets worth somewhere in the tens of millions of dollars.” The militant group has so much cash that it has reopened some of the banks it looted in Falluja, in Anbar Province, to stash it in. Jassim Ahmed, 35, who works as a taxi driver in the city, which has been under militant control since January, said he asked one of the gunmen guarding the banks where the militants get their money. “Don’t ask me again,” the gunman told him, he said. “Just understand, we have a budget to administer all of Iraq, not just Anbar.” Kamel Wazne, an analyst based in Beirut, Lebanon, who has followed the group’s development into a self-financing, territory-controlling entity, said: “We no longer have to imagine a terror state. We have one.” ISIS started amassing a bankroll in Syria last year after it took over the eastern Syrian oil fields, near Raqqa. It operates primitive refineries to make products for local use by ISIS’s own fighters, but sells much of the crude to its enemy — the Syrian government. In Minbij, it runs a local cement factory, and in Raqqa merchants even pay the militants a trash collection fee.

– Officials in Baghdad are increasingly worried that the Iraqi Army is simply incapable of standing up to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which is both better armed and better trained, diplomats and politicians tell the BBC. And the militants provided plenty of evidence for that as their campaign rolled on today, capturing their fourth town in two days. Rutba in Anbar Province lies on a key road between Baghdad and Jordan. Yesterday, they took two other towns along the Euphrates river. In other developments: Yesterday also saw the rebels seize a border crossing into Syria, the Wall Street Journal reports, giving them a potentially strategically crucial pipeline between their two staging grounds. But the corresponding checkpoint on the other side of the border is under the control of the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front, which is fighting ISIS for control of it—unlike the Iraqi Army, which simply fled its checkpoint. Iraq's government fired off an airstrike in Tikrit that it said killed 40 militants. But witnesses say many civilians were killed as the strike hit a gas station. Shiite volunteers are coming out of the woodwork in Baghdad, thanks to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's call to arms, the New York Times reports. Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army put on a particularly strong paramilitary display in Sadr City yesterday. "ISIS is not as strong as a finger against us," one Mahdi fighter said. "If Muqtada gives us the order, we will finish ISIS in two days." But ISIS is gaining wealth and weapons with every target it takes. Even before it took over Mosul outright its extortion rackets there were generating $8 million a month, and now those rackets have transformed into "taxes." "We don't know the exact amount of money they stole from Mosul," one member of Iraq's parliament says. "But it is big, big enough that ISIS can use it to occupy other countries too." The militants are also pulling in donations from places like Saudi Arabia, thanks in part to their social media savvy. When they captured five American-made helicopters recently, for example, they cheekily tweeted, "We’ll expect the Americans to honor the warranty and service them for us."

A man has been charged with practicing without a license after police say he collected large quantities of blood from neighbors. Residents have told News4 the people Khoa Hoang Nguyen collected blood from were paid for their services. (Published Thursday, May 25, 2017) A man has been charged with practicing without a license after police say he collected large quantities of blood from D.C. residents and paid them for it. Khoa Hoang Nguyen, 43, of Rockville, Maryland, was arrested for allegedly collecting blood from people in an abandoned apartment on P Street SW, police said. The people were paid $30 each for the blood samples, according to charging documents. "It was free money," said a woman who lined up but said she didn't have a chance to sell her blood. Officers who were called to the scene Wednesday found a large group of people standing outside the building. Neighbors told News4's Darcy Spencer they had been seeing long lines of people going into the apartment. "It was a long, long line. We didn't know what was going on," one neighbor said. "People were getting blood taken from their arm, and they put this tube stick down their nose." A woman inside the unit where the blood was being drawn told officers she was part of a "work study" and the unit was the "source location," charging documents state. She told police Nguyen was in charge of the work study and called him over from across the street. Nguyen told police he worked for Boston Biosource, a Newton, Massachusetts-based company that says it provides blood and tissue samples to clients, according to its website. Nguyen said he was approved and certified to draw blood and that he had drawn blood from 40 people between Tuesday and Wednesday, but a ledger police found in the apartment listed an additional 205 names, according to charging documents. Police said they also found large quantities of blood and used needles in the apartment. Police said the blood was stored improperly. Nguyen was not able to provide any documentation, licenses or certification to prove he was qualified to draw blood. Police say the collected blood was not being stored in a manner consistent with "professional practices." Police said they were not able to get in touch with a representative of Boston Biosource. Boston Biosource told News4 Nguyen goes to risky areas to collect blood for research, looking for cures to diseases like cancer, tuberculosis and Alzheimer's disease, calling it valuable work. Nguyen has been charged with practicing registered nursing without a license. ||||| A 43-year-old man has been charged with paying people $30 to draw samples of their blood, which D.C. police said he was storing in “large quantities” in an abandoned apartment near Nationals Park in Southwest Washington. An arrest affidavit said police stumbled on the makeshift operation when a patrol officer saw people — many described in court documents as “habitual substance abusers” — congregating Wednesday afternoon in front of a three-story brick apartment building at P and First streets. The officer overheard some of them discussing being paid to give blood, according to the affidavit filed by the Office of the D.C. Attorney General, and went to investigate. The suspect, Khoa Hoang Nguyen, told police that he was doing work for a biomedical company “and that he was approved and certified to withdraw blood from citizens,” according to court papers. A woman at the apartment told police that she and Nguyen had drawn blood from 20 people that day, the documents state. They say that Nguyen had a ledger with an additional 205 names. Authorities said they were unable to corroborate Nguyen’s account. The D.C. Health Department concluded that Nguyen had no medical license, according to the court documents. He was charged with one count of practicing registered nursing without a license. The woman was not charged and is listed as a witness in court documents. Khoa Hoang Nguyen declined to comment after his hearing as he was leaving the court Thursday May 25, 2017. (Keith Alexander/TWP) Nguyen, whose family came to the United States from Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, appeared Thursday for an initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court, where a judge ordered him released from custody. A hearing was set for June 23. The judge ordered Nguyen, of Rockville, Md., not to perform any medical procedures that require a license while on release on the misdemeanor charge. Nguyen was also ordered not to draw any blood from anyone. Nguyen declined to comment after the hearing. His court-appointed attorney, Lauckland Nicholas, also declined to speak on the specifics of the case. “We will just have to see what happens,” Nicholas said. “There is a presumption of innocence.” It was not immediately clear what Nguyen intended to do with the blood. Police said officers also confiscated used needles from the apartment in the public-housing complex. Court papers and authorities did not say how much blood was found or how it was being stored. Nguyen spent five years in prison after pleading guilty in 2010 to conspiracy to distribute drugs after an FBI raid on a doctor’s office he worked at in Falls Church, Va. Authorities said that from 2005 through 2007, Nguyen assisted a licensed rheumatologist and, despite not having a medical license, prescribed a variety of powerful painkillers, including opiates, more than 3,600 times to 13 different patients. Prosecutors said neither Nguyen nor the doctor had performed any examinations. The drugs, federal prosecutors said in court documents, included “some of the most addictive and heavily abused prescription drugs on the market.” Prosecutors wrote that Nguyen prescribed the medicine “without any training whatsoever” and wrote prescriptions to people “regardless of their medical condition.” Nguyen’s family said in court papers that they had struggled to adapt to life in rural Pennsylvania, where they were located in 1975. One of his sisters went blind from a brain tumor, and his mother died in 2008. According to family letters sent to the judge, that devastated Nguyen and sent him into drinking spasms. His father, two brothers, a sister, his girlfriend and others wrote heartfelt letters pleading for lenience from the federal judge. They described hardships moving a large family overseas to escape communism and having to leave their patriarch behind to finish his work with the U.S. government. His then-girlfriend Patricia Meadows said in a letter to the judge that she and Nguyen had a young child. She said Nguyen had grown up wanting to be a doctor and that he had helped her mother and his mother through various sicknesses. “Khoa has been working in the medical field in one capacity or another for the past decade,” Meadows wrote. “While working with patients, Khoa realized that he really enjoyed the challenge and satisfaction of being in the process of helping them get better. He told me he wished he had the opportunity to finish his medical degree.” At the time of his federal conviction, Nguyen had been enrolled in the medical program at the University of Science Arts & Technology in the British West Indies. The school’s dean of admissions, Orien L. Tulp, wrote the court that they would be willing to take him back as a student even with a felony conviction. “We value him as a worthy and hard working student with the ability to become a fine physician,” the letter said. Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said the incident happened Monday. It occurred Wednesday.

– A creepy alleged crime out of DC this week, where a 43-year-old man was arrested and charged with collecting the blood of area residents. Khoa Hoang Nguyen paid them $30 each for their blood samples, police say, and a number of people went for it—neighbors said they often saw long lines of people waiting to enter an abandoned DC apartment where Nguyen allegedly collected the blood, NBC Washington reports. Nguyen told police he works for Boston Biosource, and the Massachusetts-based company says he collects blood for research, but police say he was not able to provide documentation proving he's licensed or certified to draw blood. They also say the blood was not being stored properly. He's been charged with practicing registered nursing without a license. The Washington Post reports that a patrol officer happened upon the line of people waiting to have their blood taken Wednesday and overheard conversations about what they were doing. Police say many of them are "habitual substance abusers." It's not clear how many people had their blood drawn, but police say they found a ledger of Nguyen's with more than 200 names on it and that "large quantities" of blood were found.

In The Atlantic, which is famous for being of “no party or clique,” Ta-Nehisi Coates has pronounced judgment on Kanye West’s recent pro-Donald Trump comments. Coates is not a fan of Kanye’s new embrace of Trump and “free thought,” whatever Yeezy means by that. And it was inevitable that the nation’s leading black intellectual would have to address the nation’s leading black musician for seeming to leave the progressive reservation. In Coates’ attack on Kanye (or maybe it’s more a plea for him to return to his roots), one line stood out: “Kurt Cobain’s death was a great tragedy for his legions of fans, Tupac’s was a tragedy for an entire people.” Coates tries to establish this as a vital distinction. First of all, I’m sure Coates knows black Americans better than I do, but was Tupac’s death really a tragedy for an “entire people”? Might there have been some black people not particularly invested in Tupac? I don’t know, and I stipulate Coates knows better, but it struck me as odd. The second reason it raised my pique is much more important. One of the central themes of civil rights work for a hundred years has been that black people carry a burden of representation that white people do not, and that it’s not fair. Black people are a credit to their race, or they aren’t, while white people have not borne this burden of representation. They are just themselves. By treating Tupac’s death as an event, unlike Cobain’s, that affected black people universally, Coates is suggesting that Kanye’s supposed betrayal of black people is particularly bad. Coates argues Kanye has a responsibility to carry the burden of representation. Kanye is not just Kanye. He is black Kanye in a way that Cobain was never white Cobain. But why didn’t Cobain represent white people? Shouldn’t Cobain, the opioid-abusing suicide victim, have told white people something as important and universal to the white experience, its despair and loneliness, as Tupac’s violent death told black people about the black experience? Why is Kanye responsible for the entire black diaspora while Cobain is only responsible for guys in flannel? And who is making this distinction? Frankly, Coates is. Whiteness Is a Weird Disease Coates begins his article by talking about Michael Jackson, a figure he describes as at one time being a “Black God” who chose to become white. It’s the central theme of essay, and it’s strange and uncomfortable. Coates firmly believes Jackson was attempting to become more white, something Jackson denied, claiming he had a skin disease that made him lighter. Whatever the truth may be, Coates lays out a litany of the weakness and awfulness of whiteness, as follows: “you could see the dying all over his face, the decaying, the thinning, that he was disappearing into something white, desiccating into something white, erasing himself, so that we would forget that he had once been Africa beautiful and Africa brown, and we would forget his pharaoh’s nose, forget his vast eyes.” Desiccating into something white. Jeez. As someone who was born desiccated into something white without the option of being Africa beautiful (notwithstanding Rachel Dolezal’s attempt), this phrasing raises my eyebrows a little bit. It’s not so much because whiteness is being run down. That’s fine, and is perhaps the price of supposed hegemonic power. But it’s rather because it suggests Kanye is being invited into the club. Who is Coates to declare that Kanye is becoming white? All due respect, but isn’t that our call? Who made Coates the arbiter of whiteness? This brings us back to Jackson. Was the master of the moonwalk ashamed of his dark skin, anxious to gain acceptance to white society, in fact trying to make himself white? He said no. Coates says yes. When David Bowie and Kiss transformed their physical appearances in furtherance of their art, there was no cultural uproar. This is just what rock stars do. Not so for Jackson because, like Kanye, he was asked to shoulder the black burden, to be the emissary and representative. The problem is that Jackson felt just as connected to his fans in Japan as to his black fans in America. Was that a betrayal? In Coates’ mind, it was. For Jackson’s millions, maybe billions, of fans across the globe, not so much. Coates Does Not Want Peace and Reconciliation I admire Coates much as he admires Kevin Williamson. I think he writes well. I enjoy his turns of phrase even when I find them at odds with the project of a united and healthy nation. But what Coates has never made clear to me, and maybe he doesn’t want to, is what a racially just America looks like. His beautiful prose about being oppressed moves me in the same way the works of my oppressed Irish ancestors do. But what is the solution? West’s facile acceptance of Trumpism, to whatever extent he really is supporting Trump, is a threat to the black intelligentsia. I’m not thrilled with ideas like “slavery was a choice,” but I’m white, so who am I to say. Maybe what Kanye is doing is showing how demarcated our lives and lines are. Maybe Kanye should pay more attention to black people. Maybe blackness isn’t something I should involve myself in. Maybe I should just listen to the Pogues, support Irish independence, and ignore black issues. We can have that world, the segregated world Coates believes we need, to let black people have the space to self-realize. Fine. Take the space, take the time, take the million-dollar Bed Stuy brownstone. But nobody is going to tell Kanye what to do. He’s the great artist, the muse. Like Michael Jackson, he creates for everyone, not just black people and white people ready to wear the hair shirt of shame. Imagine what Coates could achieve if he took the same approach. ||||| I could only have seen it there, on the waxed hardwood floor of my elementary-school auditorium, because I was young then, barely 7 years old, and cable had not yet come to the city, and if it had, my father would not have believed in it. Yes, it had to have happened like this, like folk wisdom, because when I think of that era, I do not think of MTV, but of the futile attempt to stay awake and navigate the yawning whiteness of Friday Night Videos, and I remember that there were no VCRs among us then, and so it would have had to have been there that I saw it, in the auditorium that adjoined the cafeteria, where after the daily serving of tater tots and chocolate milk, a curtain divider was pulled back and all the kids stormed the stage. And I would have been there among them, awkwardly uprocking, or worming in place, or stiffly snaking, or back-spinning like a broken rotor, and I would have looked up and seen a kid, slightly older, facing me, smiling to himself, then moving across the floor by popping up alternating heels, gliding in reverse, walking on the moon. Nothing happens that way anymore. Nothing can. But this was 1982, and Michael Jackson was God, but not just God in scope and power, though there was certainly that, but God in his great mystery; God in how a child would hear tell of him, God in how he lived among the legend and lore; God because the Walkman was still uncommon, and I was young and could not count on the car radio, because my parents lived between NPR and WTOP. So the legends were all I had—tales of remarkable feats and fantastic deeds: Michael Jackson mediated gang wars; Michael Jackson was the zombie king; Michael Jackson tapped his foot and stones turned to light. Even his accoutrements felt beyond me—the studded jacket, the sparkling glove, the leather pants—raiment of the divine, untouchable by me, a mortal child who squinted to see past Saturday, who would not even see Motown 25 until it was past 30, who would not even own a copy of Thriller until I was a grown man, who no longer believed in miracles, and knew in my heart that if the black man’s God was not dead, he surely was dying. And he had always been dying—dying to be white. That was what my mother said, that you could see the dying all over his face, the decaying, the thinning, that he was disappearing into something white, desiccating into something white, erasing himself, so that we would forget that he had once been Africa beautiful and Africa brown, and we would forget his pharaoh’s nose, forget his vast eyes, his dazzling smile, and Michael Jackson was but the extreme of what felt in those post-disco years to be a trend. Because when I think of that time, I think of black men on album covers smiling back at me in Jheri curls and blue contacts and I think of black women who seemed, by some mystic edict, to all be the color of manila folders. Michael Jackson might have been dying to be white, but he was not dying alone. There were the rest us out there, born, as he was, in the muck of this country, born in The Bottom. We knew that we were tied to him, that his physical destruction was our physical destruction, because if the black God, who made the zombies dance, who brokered great wars, who transformed stone to light, if he could not be beautiful in his own eyes, then what hope did we have—mortals, children—of ever escaping what they had taught us, of ever escaping what they said about our mouths, about our hair and our skin, what hope did we ever have of escaping the muck? And he was destroyed. It happened right before us. God was destroyed, and we could not stop him, though we did love him, we could not stop him, because who can really stop a black god dying to be white? Glenn Harvey Kanye West, a god in this time, awakened, recently, from a long public slumber to embrace Donald Trump. He hailed Trump, as a “brother,” a fellow bearer of “dragon energy,” and impugned those who objected as suppressors of “unpopular questions,” “thought police” whose tactics were “based on fear.” It was Trump, West argued, not Obama, who gave him hope that a black boy from the South Side of Chicago could be president. “Remember like when I said I was gonna run for president?,” Kanye said in an interview with the radio host Charlamagne Tha God. “I had people close to me, friends of mine, making jokes, making memes, talking shit. Now it’s like, oh, that was proven that that could have happened.” There is an undeniable logic here. Like Trump, West is a persistent bearer of slights large and small—but mostly small. (Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Barack Obama, and Nike all came in for a harangue.) Like Trump, West is narcissistic, “the greatest artist of all time,” he claimed, helming what would soon be “the biggest apparel company in human history.” And, like Trump, West is shockingly ignorant. Chicago was “the murder capital of the world,” West asserted, when in fact Chicago is not even the murder capital of America. West’s ignorance is not merely deep, but also dangerous. For if Chicago truly is “the murder capital of the world,” then perhaps it is in need of the federal occupation threatened by Trump. It is so hard to honestly discuss the menace without forgetting. It is hard because what happened to America in 2016 has long been happening in America, before there was an America, when the first Carib was bayoneted and the first African delivered up in chains. It is hard to express the depth of the emergency without bowing to the myth of past American unity, when in fact American unity has always been the unity of conquistadors and colonizers—unity premised on Indian killings, land grabs, noble internments, and the gallant General Lee. Here is a country that specializes in defining its own deviancy down so that the criminal, the immoral, and the absurd become the baseline, so that even now, amidst the long tragedy and this lately disaster, the guardians of truth rally to the liar’s flag. He arrived to us with Bin Laden, on September 11, 2001—life emerging out of mass death—and I guess it is more accurate to say here that he arrived to me on that day, since West had been producing since at least five years before. All I know is when I heard his production on The Blueprint, I felt that he was the one I had been waiting for. I was then, still, an aesthetic conservative, a vulgar backpacker who truly and absurdly believed that shiny suits had broken the cypher, scratched the record, and killed my beloved hip-hop. My theme music alternated between Common’s “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” The Roots’ “What They Do,” and O.C.’s “Time’s Up.” Slick Rick’s admonition—“Their time’s limited, hard-rocks’ too”—was my mantra, so that on that day of mass murder, when Kanye West greeted me, chopping up the Jackson 5, drawing from Bobby “Blue” Bland, pulling from David Ruffin, arrived with Jay-Z, an MC who dated back to the Golden Age, I did not see myself simply in the presence of a great album, but bearing witness to the fulfillment of prophecy. This was insane, and it has been the great boon of my life that Twitter did not exist back then, to come of age in the last days of mystery, because Lord knows how many times I would have told you hip-hop was dead, and Lord knows how many times I would have said “Incarcerated Scarfaces” was the peak of civilization. Forgive me, but that is who I was, an old man before my time, and all I can say is that when I heard Kanye, I felt myself back in communion with something that I felt had been lost, a sense of ancestry in every sample, a sound that went back to the separated and unequal, that went back to the slave. That was almost 20 years ago. It is easy to forget just how long West has been at this, that he’s been excellent for so long, that there are adults out there, now, who have never seen the sun set on the empire of Kanye West. And he made music for them, for the young and futuristic, not for the old and conservative like me, and so avoided the tempting rut of nostalgia, of soul samples and visions of what hip-hop had been. And so to those who had been toddlers in the era of The Blueprint, he became a god, by pulling from that generation raised in hip-hop’s golden age, and yet never being shackled by it. (Even after the events of the week, it would shock no one if West’s impending was the best of the year.) West is 40 years old, a product of the Crack era and Reaganomic Years, a man who remembers the Challenger crash and The Cosby Show before syndication. But he never fell into the bitterness of his peers. He could not be found chasing ghosts, barking at Soulja Boy, hectoring Lil Yachty, and otherwise yelling at clouds. To his credit, West seemed to remember rappers having to defend their music as music against the withering fire of their elders. And so while, today, you find some of these same artists, once targets, adopting the sanctimonious pose of the arthritic jazz-men whom they vanquished, you will not find Yeezy among them, because Yeezy never got old. Maybe that was the problem. Everything is darker now and one is forced to conclude that an ethos of “light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands,” of “mutts” and “thirty white bitches,” deserved more scrutiny, that the embrace of a slaveholder’s flag warranted more inquiry, that a blustering illiteracy should have given pause, that the telethon was not wholly born of keen insight, and the bumrushing of Taylor Swift was not solely righteous anger, but was something more spastic and troubling, evidence of an emerging theme—a paucity of wisdom, and more, a paucity of loved ones powerful enough to perform the most essential function of love itself, protecting the beloved from destruction. Glenn Harvey I want to tell you a story about the time, still ongoing as of this writing, when I almost lost my mind. In the summer of 2015, I published a book, and in so doing, became the unlikely recipient of a mere fraction of the kind of celebrity Kanye West enjoys. It was small literary fame, not the kind of fame that accompanies Grammys and Oscars, and there may not have been a worse candidate for it. I was the second-youngest of seven children. My life had been inconsequential, if slightly amusing. I had never stood out for any particular reason, save my height, and even that was wasted on a lack of skills on the basketball court. But I learned to use this ordinariness to my advantage. I was a journalist. There was something soft and unthreatening about me that made people want to talk. And I had a capacity for disappearing into events and thus, in that way, reporting out a scene. At home, I built myself around ordinary things—family, friends, and community. I might never be a celebrated writer. But I was a good father, a good partner, a decent friend. Fame fucked with all of that. I would show up to do my job, to report, and become, if not the scene, then part of it. I would take my wife out to lunch to discuss some weighty matter in our lives, and come home, only to learn that the couple next to us had covertly taken a photo and tweeted it out. The family dream of buying a home, finally achieved, became newsworthy. My kid’s Instagram account was scoured for relevant quotes. And when I moved to excise myself, to restrict access, this would only extend the story. It was the oddest thing. I felt myself to be the same as I had always been, but everything around me was warping. My sense of myself as part of a community of black writers disintegrated before me. Writers, whom I loved, who had been mentors, claimed tokenism and betrayal. Writers, whom I knew personally, whom I felt to be comrades in struggle, took to Facebook and Twitter to announce my latest heresy. No one enjoys criticism, but by then I had taken my share. What was new was criticism that I felt to originate as much in what I had written, as how it had been received. One of my best friends, who worked in radio, came up with the idea of a funny self-deprecating segment about me and my weird snobbery. But when it aired, the piece was mostly concerned with this newfound fame, how it had changed me, and how it all left him feeling a type of way. I was unprepared. The work of writing had always been, for me, the work of enduring failure. It had never occurred to me that one would, too, have to work to endure success. The incentives toward a grand ego were ever present. I was asked to speak on matters which my work evidenced no knowledge of. I was invited to do a speaking tour via private jet. I was asked to direct a music video. I began to understand how and why famous writers falter, because writing is hard and there are “writers” who only do that work because they have to. But it was now clear there was another way—a life of lectures, visiting-writer gigs, galas, prize committees. There were dark expectations. I remember going with a friend to visit an older black writer, an elder statesman. He sized me up and the first thing he said to me was, “You must be getting all the pussy now.” What I felt, in all of this, was a profound sense of social isolation. I would walk into a room, knowing that some facsimile of me, some mix of interviews, book clubs, and private assessment, had preceded me. The loss of friends, of comrades, of community, was gut-wrenching. I grew skeptical and distant. I avoided group dinners. In conversation, I sized everyone up, convinced that they were trying to extract something from me. And this is where the paranoia began, because the vast majority of people were kind and normal. But I never knew when that would fail to be the case. Related Stories My President Was Black The Case for Reparations The First White President The Lost Cause Rides Again On top of the skewed incentives, the wrecked friendships, the paranoia, the ruin of community, there was a part of me that I was left to confront. I was the loneliest I’d ever felt in my life—and part of me loved it, loved the way I’d walk into a restaurant in New York and make the wait disappear, loved the random swag, the green Air Force Ones, the blue joggers. I loved the movie stars, rappers, and ballplayers who cited my work, and there was so much more out there waiting to be loved. I loved my small fame because, though I had brokered a peace with all my Baltimore ordinariness, with how I faded into a crowd, with how unremarkable I really was—and though I decided to till, as Emerson says, my own plot of ground, whole other acres now appeared before me. It almost didn’t matter whether I claimed those acres or not, because who are you if, even as you do good, you feel the desire to do evil? The terrible thing about that small fame was how it undressed me, stripped me of self-illusion, and showed how easily I could be swept away, how part of me wanted to be swept away, and even if no one ever saw it, even if I never acted on it, I now knew it, knew that I could love that small fame in the same terrible way that I want to live forever, in that way, to paraphrase Walcott, that drowned sailors loved the sea. But I did not drown. I felt the gravity of that small fame, feel its gravity even now, and it revealed securities as sure as it did insecurities, reasons to preserve the peace. I really did love to write—the irreplaceable thrill of transforming a blank page, the search for the right word, like pieces of a puzzle, the surgery of stitching together odd paragraphs. I loved how it belonged to me, a private act of creation, a fact that dissipated the moment I stepped in front of a crowd. So, that really was me. But more importantly, I think, were things beyond me, the pre-fame web of connections around me—child, spouse, brothers, sisters, friends—the majority of whom held fast and remained. What would I be both without that web and with a larger, more menacing fame? I think of Michael Jackson, whose father beat him and called him “big nose.” I think of the sad tale of West’s rumored stolen laptop. (“And as far as real friends, tell my cousins I love ‘em / Even the one that stole the laptop, you dirty motherfucker.”) I think of West confessing to an opioid addiction, which had its origins in his decision to get liposuction out of fear of being seen as fat. And I wonder what private pain would drive a man to turn to the same procedure that ultimately led to the death of his mother. There’s nothing original in this tale and there’s ample evidence, beyond West, that humans were not built to withstand the weight of celebrity. But for black artists who rise to the heights of Jackson and West, the weight is more, because they come from communities in desperate need of champions. Kurt Cobain’s death was a great tragedy for his legions of fans. Tupac’s was a tragedy for an entire people. When brilliant black artists fall down on the stage, they don’t fall down alone. The story of West “drugged out,” as he put it, reduced by the media glare to liposuction, is not merely about how he feels about his body. It was that drugged-out West who appeared in that gaudy lobby, dead-eyed and blonde-haired, and by his very presence endorsed the agenda of Donald Trump. I finally saw Michael Jackson moonwalk in 2001, finally watched the myth descend into the real, though finally overstates the matter. I had, by then of course, seen the legendary tape of his performance at Motown 25, but somehow it was not yet real to me, because I had not shared in the actual moment, at that moment, because I still, after all those years, remembered the longing of having missed a great event, and having experienced it secondhand. But this time I really was there, live as it was airing—the 30th anniversary of Jackson’s entrance into the pop-music world—and I am thankful that it happened then, at the end of that era of myth and legend, when the internet was still embryonic, and DVRs were not omnipresent, and the world had not yet been YouTubed, and reality television had just begun to peek over the horizon. This was a world still filled with the mysteries, secrets, and crank theories of my childhood, where the Klan manufactured tennis shoes and bottled iced tea, and shipped it all into the ghetto. What I am saying is that this was still a time, as in my childhood, when you mostly had to see things as they happened, and if you had not seen them that way, there still was a gnawing disbelief as to whether they had happened at all. I think this, in part, explains the screaming and fainting. Jackson cranked up “Billie Jean” and I felt it too. For when I saw Michael Jackson glide across the stage that night at Madison Square Garden, mere days before the Twin Towers fell, I did not imagine him so much walking on the moon, as walking on water. And the moonwalk was the least of things. He whipped his mop of hair and, cuffing the mic, stomped with the drums, spun, grabbed the air. I was astounded. There was the matter of his face, which took me back to the self-hatred of the ’80s, but this seemed not to matter because I was watching a miracle—a man had been born to a people who controlled absolutely nothing, and yet had achieved absolute control over the thing that always mattered most—his body. And then the song climaxed. He screamed and all the music fell away, save one solitary drum, and boneless Michael seemed to break away, until it was just him and that “Billie Jean” beat, carnal, ancestral. He rolled his shoulders, snaked to the ground, and then backed up, pop-locked, seemed to slow time itself, and I saw him pull away from his body, from the ravished face, which wanted to be white, and all that remained was the soul of him, the gift given onto him, carried in the drum. I like to think I thought of Zora while watching Jackson. But if not, I am thinking of her now: It was said, “He will serve us better if we bring him from Africa naked and thing-less.” So the bukra reasoned. They tore away his clothes so that Cuffy might bring nothing away, but Cuffy seized his drum and hid it in his skin under the skull bones. The shin-bones he bore openly, for he thought, “Who shall rob me of shin-bones when they see no drum?” So he laughed with cunning and said, “I, who am borne away, to become an orphan, carry my parents with me. For rhythm is she not my mother, and Drama is her man?” So he groaned aloud in the ships and hid his drum and laughed. There is no separating the laughter from the groans, the drum from the slave ships, the tearing away of clothes, the being borne away, from the cunning need to hide all that made you human. And this is why the gift of black music, of black art, is unlike any other in America, because it is not simply a matter of singular talent, or even of tradition, or lineage, but of something more grand and monstrous. When Jackson sang and danced, when West samples or rhymes, they are tapping into a power formed under all the killing, all the beatings, all the rape and plunder that made America. The gift can never wholly belong to a singular artist, free of expectation and scrutiny, because the gift is no more solely theirs than the suffering that produced it. Michael Jackson did not invent the moonwalk. When West raps, “And I basically know now, we get racially profiled / Cuffed up and hosed down, pimped up and ho’d down,” the we is instructive. What Kanye West seeks is what Michael Jackson sought—liberation from the dictates of that we. In his visit with West, the rapper T.I. was stunned to find that West, despite his endorsement of Trump, had never heard of the travel ban. “He don’t know the things that we know because he’s removed himself from society to a point where it don’t reach him,” T.I. said. West calls his struggle the right to be a “free thinker,” and he is, indeed, championing a kind of freedom—a white freedom, freedom without consequence, freedom without criticism, freedom to be proud and ignorant; freedom to profit off a people in one moment and abandon them in the next; a Stand Your Ground freedom, freedom without responsibility, without hard memory; a Monticello without slavery, a Confederate freedom, the freedom of John C. Calhoun, not the freedom of Harriet Tubman, which calls you to risk your own; not the freedom of Nat Turner, which calls you to give even more, but a conqueror’s freedom, freedom of the strong built on antipathy or indifference to the weak, the freedom of rape buttons, pussy grabbers, and fuck you anyway, bitch; freedom of oil and invisible wars, the freedom of suburbs drawn with red lines, the white freedom of Calabasas. It would be nice if those who sought to use their talents as entrée into another realm would do so with the same care which they took in their craft. But the Gods are fickle and the history of this expectation is mixed. Stevie Wonder fought apartheid. James Brown endorsed a racist Nixon. There is a Ray Lewis for every Colin Kaepernick, an O.J. Simpson for every Jim Brown, or, more poignantly, just another Jim Brown. And we suffer for this, because we are connected. Michael Jackson did not just destroy his own face, but endorsed the destruction of all those made in similar fashion.

– Add Ta-Nehisi Coates to those criticizing Kanye West over his assertion that slavery was a "choice," along with West's previous statements about race in the US. The African-American essayist is out with a long, critical piece in the Atlantic, in which he writes that "West's ignorance is not merely deep, but also dangerous." Coates compares West to Michael Jackson, who famously lightened his skin. Jackson's "physical destruction was our physical destruction, because if the black God ... could not be beautiful in his own eyes, then ... what hope did we ever have of escaping the muck?" Coates also compares West to President Trump (West is a supporter), asserting that both are narcissists and "shockingly ignorant." "West's thoughts are not original," writes Coates. The idea that "slavery was a 'choice' echoes the ancient trope that slavery wasn't that bad; the myth that blacks do not protest crime in their community is pure Giulianism; and West's desire to 'go to Charlottesville and talk to people on both sides' is an extension of Trump's response to the catastrophe." But the comments matter because "they are the propaganda that justifies voter suppression, and feeds police brutality, and minimizes the murder" of the woman killed while protesting in Charlottesville. "And Kanye West is now a mouthpiece for it." Read Coates' full essay here, or read a criticism of it as an "incoherent, divisive attack" in the conservative Federalist.

Two Brooklyn men wrongly imprisoned for over three decades in the arson deaths of a mother and her five children will each receive more than $15 million in settlements from the state and city, officials said Friday. Amaury Villalobos, 67, and William Vasquez, 66, were convicted of arson and murder in 1982 for the fire at a Park Slope home that killed six, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office said. They received sentences of 25-years-to-life and each served 32 years behind bars for the deadly 1980 fire. Villalobos and Vasquez — who were 30 and 29 years old, respectively, when they were arrested — got parole in 2012. 3 men convicted in 1980 Park Slope arson fire exonerated The lawyer of William Vasquez (c.) credits the late Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson for his client's convictions being vacated. (Joe Marino/New York Daily News) But the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit vacated their convictions in December 2015 after discovering the case was based on bogus testimony and now-debunked investigative methods, prosecutors said at the time of their exoneration. A third man convicted in the fatal blaze, Raymond Mora, was cleared posthumously. He suffered a fatal heart attack while behind bars in 1989. Hannah Quick, who owned the building that burned, repeatedly gave contradictory statements — including what started the fire, prosecutors learned when reviewing the men’s conviction. Villalobos (l.), Vasquez (c. l.) and Ramon Mora (c. r.) were convicted for the fatal arson in 1982. Mora died of a heart attack while serving his sentence. (Turnbull, William) Quick, who had a felony record and acted as an NYPD informant, peddled drugs out of the building. NYC to pay $2.9M in legal fees for man wrongfully convicted When Quick was on her deathbed in 2014, she told her family that she lied to police. The fire marshal who first investigated was also to blame — because he based his findings on outdated theories about fire, according to prosecutors. Page 2 of the New York Daily News on Friday, February 8, 1980 (New York Daily News/New York Daily News) Officials said each will receive $9.7 million from the city and $5.75 million from the state for their legal claims — a total of nearly $31 million. Mora’s surviving family members have not settled their claim against the city. Exonerated men Derrick Hamilton, Shabaka Shakur open restaurant Vasquez’s lawyer, Joel Rudin, said late Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson — who launched the Conviction Review Unit when he took office — deserves credit for justice finally being served. The daughter of Mora holds up a photo of her father. Mora's family has not yet settled their claim against the city. (Joe Marino/New York Daily News) “The criminal justice system repeatedly failed him until Ken Thompson came along,” Rudin said. “Ken Thompson is the only district attorney in New York who has ever aggressively re-investigated suspicious, old convictions to see if they should be overturned.” Vasquez and Villalobos’ case “represents the longest period of incarceration for any conviction vacated” by the review unit, Stringer’s office said in a statement. “Following a careful and thorough review of the facts of this case, my office was able to reach a settlement with the claimants that will serve the best interests of all parties,” Stringer said. “We have reached an agreement that recognizes the years these men spent incarcerated and allows them and their families closure, while being prudent in fulfilling my office’s fiscal responsibility to the City of New York.” ||||| Two men who served 32 years in jail for a 1980 Park Slope arson and murder they didn’t commit will receive a $30.9 million settlement from the state and city. Amaury Villalobos and William Vasquez will each get $9.7 million from the city, Comptroller Scott Stringer announced Friday. They are expected to receive another $5.75 million from the state, Vasquez’s attorney Joel Rubin told The Post. “I’m just hoping that this money will help him somewhat pick up the pieces of his life after what the system did to him,” Rubin said. His client declined to comment. The two men’s crusade for justice was championed by late Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson, who said the “case never should have been brought.” They have the dubious distinction of serving the longest prison terms among the wrongfully convicted in the district. “I believe late District Attorney Ken Thompson would be pleased with our efforts to reach a settlement with Mr. Villalobos and Mr. Vasquez,” Stringer said. The men were in their late 20s and early 30s when they were arrested for setting fire to a Park Slope building that killed mom Elizabeth Kinsey, 27, and her five kids. Villalobos, 67, and Vasquez, 66, had recently been paroled on sentences of 25-year-to-life when their convictions were overturned in December 2015. “I finally feel today that if I die tonight, I will be able to go to my grave in peace, knowing that justice has been served,” Vasquez, who is now blind, said at his exoneration proceeding. The only eyewitness, building owner Hannah Quick, admitted to lying on her deathbed. Experts eventually determined that the fire was accidental. “We have reached an agreement that recognizes the years these men spent incarcerated and allows them and their families closure, while being prudent in fulfilling my office’s fiscal responsibility to the City of New York,” Stringer said of the settlement. A third man who was convicted, Raymon Mora, died in prison. His family is still negotiating his claim. A spokesman from the state attorney general’s office declined to comment on the settlements.

– After serving 32 years behind bars for arson and murders they didn't commit, Amaury Villalobos and William Vasquez are finally getting what one official calls "closure." The two men wrongly convicted following a 1980 fire that killed a mother and her five children in a Brooklyn townhouse will each receive $9.7 million from New York City, plus an additional $5.75 million from the state, NYC comptroller Scott Stringer says, per the New York Times. The pair served 32 years in prison before being released on parole in 2012. Three years later, the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office ruled the fire an accident—possibly caused by residents burning heroin—and said the owner of the townhouse, a drug dealer, had lied about the men's involvement. "We have reached an agreement that recognizes the years these men spent incarcerated and allows them and their families closure," Stringer said in a statement Friday, noting the men's case "represents the longest period of incarceration for any conviction vacated" by the Brooklyn DA’s Conviction Review Unit. "It's a significant settlement," but "this is a case where the system completely failed these men," says Vasquez's lawyer. He tells the New York Post he hopes the money will allow Vasquez to "pick up the pieces of his life." The family of a third man, Raymond Mora, who was also exonerated of the crime following his death in prison in 1989, has not yet settled their claim with the city, reports the New York Daily News. (This man is getting just $175,000 over his wrongful imprisonment of 13 years.)

COCOA, Fla. - Two adults and two young children were taken to a hospital after their boat crashed and overturned Friday night in Cocoa, authorities said. The accident happened in the Indian River near the Hubert Humphrey Bridge. Cocoa police and another boater helped in the rescue efforts before 11 p.m. Tammy Brossard can't help but get emotional when she thinks about the traumatic ordeal her family went through Friday night. "God was with us," she said. "Our boat hit the corner of the power lines and we all ejected." They were coming back from dinner when their boat crashed into a wire supporting a telephone pole. Bossard said she, her husband and her two children -- an infant named Charlotte and a 23-month-old toddler named Kennedy -- were thrown into the water. The mother told News 6 she frantically searched for her babies. "I had Charlotte in my hands still and the boat had flipped and I climbed on top of the boat," Bossard said. But Bossard said she couldn't find Kennedy and she could only hear the toddler crying. "I jumped in the water and we tried to search. We couldn't tell where the crying was coming from. We kept searching and searching," she said. Dorothy Dixon was boating nearby when she saw the accident. "We grabbed them and momma kept swimming and looking," Dixon said. "The mom and dad did everything they could. They were looking under the boat." Brossard was able to salvage her water-soaked cellphone and call 9-1-1. She begged the dispatcher for help after realizing her toddler was still missing. Officer Matt Rush and Cpl. Alan Worthy were among the first to arrive on scene. They immediately pulled the parents and baby to safety, and then started looking for the toddler. They could hear her crying, but didn't know where it was coming from. The chopper overhead couldn't spot her either. That's when they realized she was trapped under the boat, so they both jumped in the water and took turns trying to grab her. It was extremely challenging, the water was cold and dark, and they didn't have life jackets or oxygen tanks. After about 45 minutes of searching, Rush finally reached her. She was scared, but in good condition. "Officer Rush and Worthy pulled the child out from under the boat and got her to paramedics for treatment," according to the Cocoa Police Department. "Usually, instances like this don't turn out like that," Rush said. "A boating accident that severe, with that much damage, could've been a lot worse. The air pocket in the boat and the life jacket saved her life." [VIDEO: Officers speak after saving infant] Worthy said relief rushed over him when the toddler emerged form the water. "That to me was a great feeling just seeing her come out like that. It hit me a little bit because I have a 2-year-old myself," he said. The family was reunited back on shore, and Brossard said she's forever grateful to those officers. "Thank you for saving my baby and saving our world. I just can't imagine," she said. The Florida Wildlife Commission, or FWC, is handling the crash investigation, officials said. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Coast Guard and FWC assisted with the rescue. Copyright 2016 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. ||||| Tammy and Brian Bossard are grateful to have their toddler daughter Kennedy home today after the 23-month-old was trapped in an air pocket under the family’s boat for more than an hour when the vessel hit power lines and flipped over on Florida’s Indian River. “We thought we were going to lose her,” an emotional Tammy Bossard said in an interview with ABC News. The Bossards, of Cocoa Beach, Florida, said it’s "a miracle" that their daughter survived the crash that happened late Friday night as the family was coming home from dinner. The Bossards were able to escape with their 7-month-old daughter, Charlotte, but couldn’t find Kennedy. They could only hear her crying in the darkness. In her 911 call, Tammy could be heard frantically describing the situation. “I'm in the river. My boat crashed and I have a baby still in the water. Please God send someone now ... please hurry,” she said. Brian Bossard said he and his wife couldn’t pinpoint Kennedy’s exact location. “We couldn't tell if she was in the boat or trapped under the boat or if she was out in the river, because we heard cries, but it sounded like it was just coming from everywhere,” he said. First responders rushed to the scene and began to search, but after nearly 45 minutes they began to lose hope. “We were just getting ready to leave and that's when we heard a very light cry,” Cpl. Alan Worthy of the Cocoa Police Department said. “I put my ear up to the side of the boat and I was listening and I could hear that she was right there.” Kennedy was floating in her life vest in the air pocket. Police say the toddler's life vest saved her life. "It’s a complete miracle that everything worked like it did, because we shouldn't all be here today," Tammy said. Kennedy spent two nights at a local hospital and is now home. The Bossards said they were told there's a slight chance Kennedy could develop asthma because her lungs were stressed, but other than that she is expected to be fine. ||||| Story highlights The family's boat struck power line and capsized A 23-month-old girl was trapped underneath Luckily, she was wearing a life jacket (CNN) A life jacket, determined rescuers and an unlikely pocket of air kept a boat accident from turning into tragedy over the weekend, according to the Cocoa, Florida Police Department. A family of four was returning from dinner when their boat apparently struck power lines, causing the vessel to flip over and send the passengers, including two young children, plunging into the darkened waters of the Indian River in Brevard County, Cocoa police say. Authorities responded quickly and rescuers located the two adults and one of the children from the capsized boat. The little girl is comforted by her mother after being rescued. The relief of rescue was short-lived as one of the boaters, Tammy Bossard, realized her 23-month-old daughter was still missing. Bossard says she heard the anxious cries of the little girl, but she was nowhere to be found. "We heard (her) crying and we couldn't find her," Bossard said. " I jumped in the water and tried to search but couldn't hear where the crying was coming from." The whole family is in good condition and being evaluated at a local hospital. The family looked on in anguish as officers spent nearly an hour in the water looking for the toddler, according to Cocoa police. The family's faith and the officers' persistence was rewarded when Officer Matt Rush and Cpl. Alan Worthy located the little girl trapped underneath the overturned boat in an air pocket that had been created when the boat flipped over. The toddler was still wearing the life jacket her parents placed on her when they set out on their trip. Bossard's eyes filled with tears of gratitude as she thanked the rescuers for "saving our baby and saving our world." Read More

– Rescuers scrambling to rescue a 23-month-old after a boat crash in Cocoa, Fla., on Friday night could hear the toddler crying, but they couldn't figure out where she was. Those tense moments gave way to relief as Kennedy Bossard was located underneath the overturned boat, frightened but OK, 45 minutes after rescuers arrived on the scene. It was her life jacket and an air pocket that kept her safe, News 6 reports. Kennedy was on the boat in the Indian River after dinner with her family—including mom Tammy, dad Brian, and 7-month-old sister Charlotte—when the vessel crashed into a power line and threw the four into the water, per ABC News. "I'm in the river," Tammy said in her 911 call. "My boat crashed and I have a baby still in the water. Please God send someone now … please hurry." The Cocoa Police Department says on its Facebook page it received several 911 calls and that patrol officers rushed to the scene, quickly locating the other three members of Kennedy's family with the help of a nearby boater and "multiple agencies." Finding Kennedy proved challenging in the dark and cold river, but officers Matt Rush and Alan Worthy persevered until they tracked her down floating in the air pocket and yanked her to safety. "I just can't imagine," Tammy Bossard said of what her daughter's fate could have been, per CNN, becoming emotional as she thanked rescuers for "saving our baby and saving our world." All four family members were taken to the hospital to be checked out and are in good condition, though the Bossards say Kennedy is at slight risk for developing asthma because of the stress on her lungs. (Two teens went missing off the coast of Florida last year.)

Published online 16 February 2011 | Nature 470, 316 (2011) | doi:10.1038/470316a News Likelihood of extreme rainfall may have been doubled by rising greenhouse-gas levels. The effects of severe weather — such as these floods in Albania — take a huge human and financial toll. REUTERS/A. CELI Climate change may be hitting home. Rises in global average temperature are remote from most people's experience, but two studies in this week's Nature1,2 conclude that climate warming is already causing extreme weather events that affect the lives of millions. The research directly links rising greenhouse-gas levels with the growing intensity of rain and snow in the Northern Hemisphere, and the increased risk of flooding in the United Kingdom. Insurers will take note, as will those developing policies for adapting to climate change. "This has immense importance not just as a further justification for emissions reduction, but also for adaptation planning," says Michael Oppenheimer, a climate-policy researcher at Princeton University in New Jersey, who was not involved in the studies. There is no doubt that humans are altering the climate, but the implications for regional weather are less clear. No computer simulation can conclusively attribute a given snowstorm or flood to global warming. But with a combination of climate models, weather observations and a good dose of probability theory, scientists may be able to determine how climate warming changes the odds. An earlier study3, for example, found that global warming has at least doubled the likelihood of extreme events such as the 2003 European heatwave. More-localized weather extremes have been harder to attribute to climate change until now. "Climate models have improved a lot since ten years ago, when we basically couldn't say anything about rainfall," says Gabriele Hegerl, a climate researcher at the University of Edinburgh, UK. In the first of the latest studies1, Hegerl and her colleagues compared data from weather stations in the Northern Hemisphere with precipitation simulations from eight climate models (see page 378). "We can now say with some confidence that the increased rainfall intensity in the latter half of the twentieth century cannot be explained by our estimates of internal climate variability," she says. The second study2 links climate change to a specific event: damaging floods in 2000 in England and Wales. By running thousands of high-resolution seasonal forecast simulations with or without the effect of greenhouse gases, Myles Allen of the University of Oxford, UK, and his colleagues found that anthropogenic climate change may have almost doubled the risk of the extremely wet weather that caused the floods (see page 382). The rise in extreme precipitation in some Northern Hemisphere areas has been recognized for more than a decade, but this is the first time that the anthropogenic contribution has been nailed down, says Oppenheimer. The findings mean that Northern Hemisphere countries need to prepare for more of these events in the future. "What has been considered a 1-in-100-years event in a stationary climate may actually occur twice as often in the future," says Allen. But he cautions that climate change may not always raise the risk of weather-related damage. In Britain, for example, snow-melt floods may become less likely as the climate warms. And Allen's study leaves a 10% chance that global warming has not affected — or has even decreased — the country's flood risk. Similar attribution studies are under way for flood and drought risk in Europe, meltwater availability in the western United States and drought in southern Africa, typical of the research needed to develop effective climate-adaptation policies. "Governments plan to spend some US$100 billion on climate adaptation by 2020, although presently no one has an idea of what is an impact of climate change and what is just bad weather," says Allen. ADVERTISEMENT Establishing the links between climate change and weather could also shape climate treaties, he says. "If rich countries are to financially compensate the losers of climate change, as some poorer countries would expect, you'd like to have an objective scientific basis for it." The insurance industry has long worried about increased losses resulting from more extreme weather (see 'Fatal floods'), but conclusively pinning the blame on climate change will take more research, says Robert Muir-Wood, chief research officer with RMS, a company headquartered in Newark, California, that constructs risk models for the insurance industry. "This is a key part of our research agenda and insurance companies do accept the premise" that there could be a link, he says. "If there's evidence that risk is changing, then this is something we need to incorporate in our models." See News and Views p.344 ||||| Photo Advertisement Continue reading the main story An increase in heavy precipitation that has afflicted many countries is at least partly a consequence of human influence on the atmosphere, climate scientists reported in a new study. In the first major paper of its kind, the researchers used elaborate computer programs that simulate the climate to analyze whether the rise in severe rainstorms, heavy snowfalls and similar events could be explained by natural variability in the atmosphere. They found that it could not, and that the increase made sense only when the computers factored in the effects of greenhouse gases released by human activities like the burning of fossil fuels. As reflected in previous studies, the likelihood of extreme precipitation on any given day rose by about 7 percent over the last half of the 20th century, at least for the land areas of the Northern Hemisphere for which sufficient figures are available to do an analysis. The principal finding of the new study is “that this 7 percent is well outside the bounds of natural variability,” said Francis W. Zwiers, a Canadian climate scientist who took part in the research. The paper is being published in Thursday’s edition of the journal Nature. Photo The paper covers climate trends from 1951 to 1999 and therefore does not include any analysis of last year’s extreme precipitation, including catastrophic floods in Pakistan, China and Australia as well as parts of the United States, including Tennessee, Arkansas and California. However, the paper is likely to bolster a growing sense among climate scientists that events like the 2010 floods will become more common. Indeed, an increase of weather extremes has been a fundamental prediction of climate science for decades. Basic physics suggests that as the earth warms, precipitation extremes will become more intense, winter and summer, simply because warmer air can carry more water vapor. Weather statistics confirm that this has begun to happen. Scientists have long been reluctant to attribute any specific weather event to global warming, but a handful of papers that do so are beginning to appear in the scientific literature. One such installment is being published on Thursday in Nature as a companion piece to the broader paper. It finds that severe rains that flooded England and Wales in 2000, the wettest autumn since record-keeping began there in 1766, were made substantially more likely by the greenhouse gases released by human activity. In that analysis, scientists at the University of Oxford used computer time donated by the public to analyze the climate of Britain in 2000 as it actually existed and to compare that with a hypothetical climate in which the Industrial Revolution never happened and few greenhouse gases were released. The computers found that the chances of those memorable floods, which sent geese swimming through city streets, were roughly doubled in a climate with the greenhouse gases. That it took a decade to come to that conclusion illustrates one of the major problems of climate science at the moment. Researchers are barraged with questions about weather extremes like the recent winters in Europe and the United States and the heat waves and droughts of last summer. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Advertisement Continue reading the main story Yet, even when adequate weather statistics are available for an affected region, the scientists need years to run computer analyses of any specific event and calculate whether it was made more or less likely by global warming. In a briefing for reporters, a leading climate scientist for the British government, Peter A. Stott, acknowledged a need for more rapid analysis of weather extremes and said that researchers were working to develop this capability. The problem is becoming more than theoretical. Billions of dollars have been pledged by rich countries to help poor countries adapt to climate change. “Because that money is on the table, it’s suddenly going to be in everybody’s interest to be a victim of climate change,” said Myles R. Allen, a University of Oxford researcher whose group ran the British flood study. “We need urgently to develop the science base to be able to distinguish genuine impacts of climate change from unfortunate consequences of bad weather.” The analyses being published on Thursday can be expected to draw fire from climate-change contrarians, who have long scoffed at computer simulations of the climate. They point out that such programs cannot fully capture the complexity of the real world. Mainstream scientists acknowledge that point to a degree but contend that the programs are becoming more accurate. They also note that the programs are the only tools available to answer questions about how much humans are influencing the climate. “In the future, it won’t be enough for your weather service to predict the weather,” Dr. Allen said. “They’ll have to explain it as well.”

– We may have no one but ourselves—in part—to blame for the heavy rains and floods that have been plaguing everywhere from Nashville to Australia in recent years. Prior studies discovered that the likelihood of experiencing severe precipitation on a given day jumped 7% over the years 1951 to 1999, and a new study, based on elaborate computer modeling, has found that the increase cannot be attributed to natural variability. The computers found that the bump only made sense when mankind's effects on the atmosphere, by way of activities like the burning of fossil fuels, were factored in. A second study, also published in Nature, looked at major flooding in England and Wales during 2000. Using more computer simulations, researchers compared the events of that year to a hypothetical year that existed in a world that saw no Industrial Revolution and the release of few greenhouse gases. The result? The gases basically doubled the chances of those floods occurring. The New York Times notes that the studies are unlikely to change the minds of climate-change contrarians, who feel computer simulations can't capture the full complexity of the real world.

(Checked to delivery - published at 21:00 GMT) Good evening London. What a sight for sore eyes. People ask what gives me hope. Well, the answer is right here. Six months ago – 185 days ago – I entered this building. It has become my home, my office and my refuge. Thanks to the principled stance of the Ecuadorian government and the support of its people, I am safe in this embassy to speak to you. And every single day outside, for 185 days, people like you have watched over this embassy – come rain, hail and shine. Every single day. I came here in summer. It is winter now. I have been sustained by your solidarity and I’m grateful for the efforts of people all around the world supporting the work of WikiLeaks, supporting freedom of speech, freedom of the press, essential elements in any democracy. While my freedom is limited, at least I am still able to communicate this Christmas, unlike the 232 journalists who are in jail tonight. Unlike Gottfrid Svartholm in Sweden tonight. Unlike Jeremy Hammond in New York tonight. Unlike Nabeel Rajab in Bahrain tonight. And unlike Bradley Manning, who turned 25 this week, a young man who has maintained his dignity after spending more than 10 per cent of his life in jail, without trial, some of that time in a cage, naked and without his glasses. And unlike so many others whose plights are linked to my own. I salute these brave men and women. And I salute journalists and publications that have covered what continues to happen to these people, and to journalists who continue publishing the truth in face of persecution, prosecution and threat – who take journalism and publishing seriously. Because it is from the revelation of truth that all else follows. Our buildings can only be as tall as their bricks are strong. Our civilization is only as strong as its ideas are true. When our buildings are erected by the corrupt, when their cement is cut with dirt, when pristine steel is replaced by scrap – our buildings are not safe to live in. And when our media is corrupt, when our academics are timid, when our history is filled with half- truths and lies – our civilization will never be just. It will never reach to the sky. Our societies are intellectual shanty towns. Our beliefs about the world and each other have been created by the same system that has lied us into repeated wars that have killed millions. You can’t build a skyscraper out of plasticine. And you can’t build a just civilization out of ignorance and lies. We have to educate each other. We have to celebrate those who reveal the truth and denounce those who poison our ability to comprehend the world that we live in. The quality of our discourse is the limit of our civilization. But this generation has come to its feet and is revolutionizing the way we see the world. For the first time in history the people who are affected by history are its creators. And for other journalists and publications – your work speaks for itself, and so do your war crimes. I salute those who recognize the freedom of the press and the public's right to know – recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, recognized in the First Amendment of the United States – we must recognize that these are in danger and need protection like never before. WikiLeaks is under a continuing Department of Justice investigation, and this fact has been recognized rightly by Ecuador and the governments of Latin America as one that materially endangers my life and my work. Asylum is not granted on a whim, but granted on facts. The U.S. investigation is referred to in testimony – under oath – in the U.S. courts, is admitted by the Department of Justice, and in the Washington Post just four days ago by the District Attorney of Virginia, as a fact. Its subpoenas are being litigated by our people in the U.S. courts. The Pentagon reissued its threats against me in September and claimed the very existence of WikiLeaks is an ongoing crime. My work will not be cowed. But while this immoral investigation continues, and while the Australian government will not defend the journalism and publishing of WikiLeaks, I must remain here. However, the door is open – and the door has always been open – for anyone who wishes to speak to me. Like you, I have not been charged with a crime. If you ever see spin that suggests otherwise, note this corruption of journalism and then go to justice4assange.com for the full facts. Tell the world the truth, and tell the world who lied to you. Despite the limitations, despite the extra-judicial banking blockade, which circles WikiLeaks like the Cuban embargo, despite an unprecedented criminal investigation and a campaign to damage and destroy my organization, 2012 has been a huge year. We have released nearly one million documents: Documents relating to the unfolding war in Syria. We have exposed the mass surveillance state in hundreds of documents from private intelligence companies. We have released information about the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere – the symbol of the corruption of the rule of law in the West, and beyond. We’ve won against the immoral blockade in the courts and in the European Parliament. After a two-year fight, contributions to WikiLeaks have gone from being blockaded and tax-deductible nowhere to being tax-deductible across the entirety of the European Union and the United States. And last week information revealed by WikiLeaks was vital – and cited in the judgment – in determining what really happened to El-Masri, an innocent European kidnapped and tortured by the CIA. Next year will be equally busy. WikiLeaks has already over a million documents being prepared to be released, documents that affect every country in the world. Every country in this world. And in Australia an unelected Senator will be replaced by one that is elected. In 2013, we continue to stand up to bullies. The Ecuadorian government and the governments of Latin America have shown how co-operating through shared values can embolden governments to stand up to coercion and support self-determination. Their governments threaten no one, attack no one, send drones at no one. But together they stand strong and independent. The tired calls of Washington powerbrokers for economic sanctions against Ecuador, simply for defending my rights, are misguided and wrong. President Correa rightly said, "Ecuador’s principles are not for sale." We must unite together to defend the courageous people of Ecuador, to defend them against intervention in their economy and interference in their elections next year. The power of people speaking up and resisting together terrifies corrupt and undemocratic power. So much so that ordinary people here in the West are now the enemy of governments, an enemy to be watched, an enemy to be controlled and to be impoverished. True democracy is not the White House. True democracy is not Canberra. True democracy is the resistance of people, armed with the truth, against lies, from Tahrir to right here in London. Every day, ordinary people teach us that democracy is free speech and dissent. For once we, the people, stop speaking out and stop dissenting, once we are distracted or pacified, once we turn away from each other, we are no longer free. For true democracy is the sum – is the sum – of our resistance. If you don’t speak up – if you give up what is uniquely yours as a human being: if you surrender your consciousness, your independence, your sense of what is right and what is wrong, in other words – perhaps without knowing it, you become passive and controlled, unable to defend yourselves and those you love. People often ask, "What can I do?" The answer is not so difficult. Learn how the world works. Challenge the statements and intentions of those who seek to control us behind a facade of democracy and monarchy. Unite in common purpose and common principle to design, build, document, finance and defend. Learn. Challenge. Act. Now. (Not checked to delivery - published at 19:00 GMT) Six months ago – 185 days ago - I entered this building. It has become my home, my office and my refuge. Thanks to the principled stance of the Ecuadorian government and the support of its people I am safe in this Embassy and safe to speak from this Embassy. And every single day outside, people like you have watched over this embassy – rain hail and shine. Every single day. I came here in summer. It's winter now. I have been sustained by this solidarity and I'm grateful for the efforts of people all around the world supporting the work of Wikileaks, supporting freedom of speech and freedom of the press, essential elements in any democracy. While my freedom is limited, I am still able to communicate this Christmas, unlike the 232 journalists who are in jail tonight. unlike Godfried Svartholm in Sweden tonight unlike Jeremy Hammond in New York tonight unlike Nabeel Rajab in Bahrain tonight unlike Bradley Manning who turned 25 this week, a young man who has maintained his dignity after spending more than 10% of this life in jail, some of that time in a cage, naked and without his glasses. and unlike the so many others whose plights are linked to my own. I salute these brave men and women. And I salute those journalists and publications that have covered what has and continues to happen to these people, and to journalists and publications that continue publishing the truth in the face of persecution, prosecution and threat – who take journalism and publishing seriously. Because it is from the revelation of the truth that all else follows. Our buildings can only be as tall as their bricks are strong. And our civilization is only as strong as its ideas are true. When our buildings are erected by the corrupt. When their cement is cut with dirt. When pristine steel is replaced by scrap--our buildings are not safe to live in. And when our media is corrupt. When our academics are timid. When our history is filled with half truths and lies. Our civilization will never be just. It will never reach the sky. Our societies are intellectual shanty towns. Our beliefs about the world and each other have been created by same system that has lied us into repeated wars that have killed millions. You can't build a sky scraper out of plasticine. And you can't build a just civilization out of ignorance and lies. We have to educate each other. We have to celebrate those who reveal the truth and denounce those who poison our ability to comprehend the world we live in. The quality of our discourse is the limit of our civilization. This generation has come to its feet and is revolutionizing the way we see the world. For the first time in history the people affected by history are its creators. As for other journalists and publications – your work speaks for itself, and so do your war crimes. I salute those who recognize that freedom of the press and the publics right to know– recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the 1st Amendment in the US - is in danger and needs protection like never before. Wikileaks is under a continuing criminal investigation and this fact has been recognized by Ecuador and the governments of Latin America as one that materially endangers my life and work. Asylum is not granted on a whim but on facts. The US investigation is referred to in testimony under oath in US courts, is admitted by Department of Justice and by the District Attorney of Virginia as a fact. It's subpoenas are being litigated in the courts. The Pentagon reissued its threats against me in September and claimed the very existence of Wikileaks is an ongoing crime. My work will not be cowed. But while this immoral investigation continues, and while the Australian government will not defend the journalism and publishing of Wikileaks, I must remain here. However, the door is open - and the door has always been open - for anyone who wishes to speak to me. Like you I have not been charged with a crime. If ever see spin that suggests otherwise, note this corruption of journalism. Then goto justice4assange.com for the full facts. Tell the world the truth. Despite the limitations, despite the extra judicial banking blockade, which circles WikiLeaks like the Cuban embargo, despite an unprecedented criminal investigation and campaign to damage and destroy Wikileaks, 2012 has been a huge year. We have released nearly a million documents. made significant releases – relating to events unfolding in Syria. We have exposed the mass surveillance state and hundreds of thousands of documents from private intelligence companies. We have released information about the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo bay and elsewhere. We've won against the blockade in the courts and the European Parliament. And after a two year fight contributions to WikiLeaks have gone from being tax deductible no where to being tax deductible across the entirety of the European Union and the United States. And last week information revealed by Wikileaks was vital in determining what really happened to El Masri, an innocent European kidnapped and tortured by the CIA. Next year will be equally busy. Wikileaks already has well over a million documents to release. Documents that affect every country in the world. Every country in this world. And in Australia an unelected Senator will be replaced by one that is elected. In 2013 we continue to stand up to bullies. The Ecuadorian government and the governments of Latin America have shown how cooperating through shared values can embolden governments to stand up to bullies and support self determination. Their governments threaten no one: attack no one: send drones at no one. But together they stand strong and independent. The tired calls by Washington power brokers for economic sanctions against Ecuador, simply for defending my rights, are misguided and wrong. President Correa rightly said, "Ecuador's principles are not for sale.". We must unite to defend the courageous people of Ecuador against interference in its economy and interference in its elections next year. The power of people speaking up and resisting together terrifies corrupt undemocratic power. So much so that ordinary people in the West are now the enemy of governments, an enemy to be watched, controlled and impoverished. True democracy is not the White house. It is not Canberra. True democracy is the resistance of people armed with the truth, against lies, from Tahrir to London. Every day, ordinary people teach us that democracy is free speech and dissent. For once we, the people, stop speaking out, and stop dissenting, once we are distracted or pacified, once we turn away from each other, we are no longer free. For true democracy is the sum of our resistance. If you don't speak up, if you give up what is uniquely yours as a human being, you surrender your consciousness; your independence, even your sense of what is right and wrong. In other words, perhaps without knowing it, you become passive and controlled, unable to defend yourself and those you love. People often ask, "What can I do?" the answer is not so difficult. Learn how the world works. Challenge the statements, actions and intentions of those who seek to control us behind the facades of democracy and monarchy. Unite in common purpose and common principle to design, build, document, finance and defend. Learn, challenge, act. Now. ||||| julian assange Assange Promises to Release More Than a Million Documents in 2013 Julian Assange made a rare public appearance on Thursday night, stepping out onto the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in London for the second time since he fled there six months ago. The WikiLeaks founder, who’s been granted asylum in Ecuador but can’t leave the embassy without getting arrested on British soil, gave a 12-minute speech in which he promised another big document dump next year: "WikiLeaks has already over a million documents being prepared to be released, documents that affect every country in the world. Every country in this world." Assange promised that in 2013 in his native Australia, "an unelected senator will be replaced by one that is elected." But he didn’t mention his own plans to run for Senate there. He also took a jab at the press, declaring: "And for other journalists and publications – your work speaks for itself, and so do your war crimes." And he pledged to make himself available for negotiations about his own fate, saying he would "not be cowed" but that "the door is open – and the door has always been open – for anyone who wishes to speak to me." The full transcript is available at WikiLeaks, if you don’t have twelve minutes to watch the video. Or if you want to skip to Assange’s outline of his plans for next year (the document dump is the only specific thing there), that starts at 8:55. As The New York Times points out, Assange was speaking in a "brief pause before fact is replaced by fiction in the public consciousness," as two films are currently being made about him. At the rate his diplomatic case is going right now, he’ll have to watch them in the rec room at the Ecuadorian embassy.

– Last night Julian Assange made just his second public appearance since entering the Ecuadorian embassy in London six months ago, giving a 12-minute speech from an embassy balcony—where he promised to release a million more documents in 2013, reports New York Magazine. "WikiLeaks has already over a million documents being prepared to be released, documents that affect every country in the world. Every country in this world," said Assange. Assange railed against his usual enemies, in particular the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. "In 2013, we continue to stand up to bullies," he said. "True democracy is not the White House. True democracy is not Canberra. True democracy is the resistance of people, armed with the truth, against lies, from Tahrir to right here in London." He also called the media "corrupt" and criticized the press for "war crimes." You can read Assange's full speech over at WikiLeaks.

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore City Fire officials identified the two men who died at an Amazon facility Friday night after a tornado hit the region. The men killed in the Amazon building collapse Friday were identified as 54-year-old Andrew Lindsay and Israel Espana Argote. No age was provide for Argote. The two men that died in the collapse at the Amazon center were identified as Andrew Lindsay 54 yo and Israel Argoteia no age provided. pic.twitter.com/AHs1qthU0V — Baltimore Fire (@BaltimoreFire) November 4, 2018 The National Weather Service confirmed Saturday that a EF-1 tornado touched down along the Baltimore city-county line. Firefighters remained on scene Saturday, searching through rubble for victims. ‘Severe’ Weather Could Be Factor In Fatal Amazon Building Collapse Fire Chief Roman Clark confirmed that one person was found under debris at the center on Holabird Avenue at Broening Highway Friday. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Another man’s body was found in the rubble Saturday morning. Baltimore Fire officials identified the men killed at Amazon on Friday as 54-year-old Andrew Lindsay and Israel Argoteia. No age was provide for Argoteia. amazon scene 5 Courtesy: Jenna Dorsey amazon scene 4 Courtesy: Jenna Dorsey amazon scene 3 Courtesy: Jenna Dorsey amazon scene Courtesy: Jenna Dorsey amazon scene 1 Courtesy: Jenna Dorsey ‘It Sounded Like Bombs’ | Amazon Employee Describes Building Collapse According to the National Weather Service, a tornado touched down in Baltimore City at 9:42 p.m. causing the damage. Initial damage was to a tractor-trailer, which was blown over on I-95 just north Fort McHenry tunnel, and a fence line that was blown over on South Newkirk street. The tornado tracked east from there moving parallel to Hollabird Avenue. It blew in large garage doors on both sides of the Flexi-Van Leasing facility, according to the NWS. The tornado then reached the Amazon facility, reaching a peak of 105 mph. It blew off the roof of the building, including iron rafters. An 8-inch concrete wall then collapsed into the building, killing two people. About a dozen tractor-trailers were pushed over, moved or rolled by the wind and several car windows were blown out. Then the tornado continued eat along the south side of Hollabird Avenue, uprooting large trees and snapping dozens of large tree branches. A Baltimore City firefighter saw the swirling debris and the funnel cloud as it passed. The tornado lifted as it reached Dundalk Avenue. NW said the tornado briefly touched down again at the Hollabird East Apartments on 4 Georges Court in Dundalk, pulling off part of its roof. The damage displaced residents. Senior Vice President of Operations for Amazon, Dave Clark, issued this statement on the collapse: “Last night, severe weather impacted one of our facilities in Baltimore City resulting in two fatalities. First responders remain onsite assessing the damage. The safety of our employees and contractors is our top priority and at this time the building remains closed. We are incredibly thankful for the quick response from emergency services. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families impacted by Friday evening’s tragic event.” According to Rachael Lighty, Regional Manager of External Communications for Amazon Operations, the two victims were third-party contractors and not Amazon employees. Severe weather in the area caused damage to the roof of an apartment building in Dundalk as well, displacing residents. A Mt. Airy TJ Maxx also reported damage from stormy weather. Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted his condolences Saturday. This story is developing. Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook ||||| (CNN) Two people have died in a partial building collapse at an Amazon Fulfillment Center in southeast Baltimore, officials said Saturday. Baltimore Fire Department spokesman Chief Roman Clark said thermal imaging equipment was being used to determine if anyone else may be trapped inside. One of those found dead was an adult male. Brandon McBride, an employee who was working in the building at the time, described the chaos to CNN affiliate WBAL when the building collapsed. "I was standing inside the building and me and one of the facilities dudes were talking, and I went to the left side of the building and he went to the right, and all of a sudden, we just heard these loud noises. The power shut off. It was just crazy inside," McBride told the station. "It just sounded like bombs were dropping everywhere. The whole side (of the building) was just dropping." Severe weather came through the area Friday night at the time of the partial collapse, Clark said. But fire officials have not determined a cause. Read More

– "The power shut off. It was just crazy inside. It just sounded like bombs were dropping everywhere." That's how an Amazon employee describes to WBAL what happened Friday night at one of the company's fulfillment centers in southeast Baltimore after the building partially collapsed. A 50-foot-by-50-foot wall was said to have come down, and one person was found unresponsive under the debris after first responders arrived on the scene just before 10:30pm, Baltimore City Fire Department rep Roman Clark tells CNN. That person was taken to a hospital and declared dead, per CBS Baltimore; a second body was found early Saturday, officials say. It's not yet clear if the deceased were Amazon workers. Worker Brandon McBride further describes the chaos as the building fell apart. "There was stuff falling everywhere, you could see the walls were caving in," he tells WBAL. "Rain was pouring everywhere; all the packages were soaked. It's unreal." Clark notes that bad weather was sweeping through the area around the time of the collapse, and Amazon seems to be pointing the finger at that, noting in a statement to WBAL that "severe weather damaged one of our facilities in Baltimore City." (A just-opened mall collapsed in Mexico over the summer.)

A very interesting data visualization from infographic wizard David McCandless is making its way around the web, depicting the most common times a year that people break up — via Facebook status updates. McCandless whipped out the chart during a TED talk this past summer. Apparently, he and his team scraped 10,000 status updates for the phrases "break up" and "broken up," and made the following discoveries: 1). A ton of people break up before social occasions like Spring Break and the summer, 2). Mondays aren't just the start of the work week — there're the end of many a relationship, 3). People have the decency not to dump their significant others on Christmas Day. The above chart is just another addition to a growing canon of information depicting both Facebook's effect on — and role in — the dating realm. In the past, we have explored the negative effects of Facebook on one's romantic life, as well as how some people use the social networking site to end things. What effect — if any — has Facebook had on your dating life? (via Mathias Mikkelsen) Image courtesy of iStockphoto, A1Stock ||||| The holiday season is upon us, and with the familial stress and mass consumerism and overeating comes its attendant romantic fallout. But can a chart currently making its way around the Internet actually predict when your relationship is likely to end? British journalist and graphic designer David McCandless mapped out the data from 10,000 Facebook status updates to figure out what days and times of year breakups were most common. The results, first presented at a TED Talk, seemed to indicate a spring cleaning just before spring break. The chart also spiked just before Valentine's Day and Christmas, and on Mondays (presumably all of them), with summer and fall being the safest time from sudden singledom. But before the breakup-phobic use this info as a handy guide for when to avoid their loved ones, DigitalSociety blogger Paul Crowe would like to point out some serious flaws.

– A graphic attracting attention across the web purports to show when it's most common for couples to break up—based, of course, on Facebook status updates. By searching for the phrases "broken up" or "break up," it delivers supposed revelations. For one, we are collectively shrewd about breakups, cutting the chord before vacation times like spring break or summer—but we won't dump someone on Christmas Day. And Mondays are the most likely day of the week to sever ties, Mashable notes. New York's Daily Intel blog is skeptical and rounds up flaws from critics, including the fact that "broken up" and "break up" hardly cover all the ways people describe their heartbreak. Also, the graph looked at 10,000 status updates, not 10,000 different users. People talking about their own breakups over and over, or celebs' breakups, would have messed things up. Finally, the graph skews toward people who overshare on Facebook, "in which case they probably deserved it."

Actor James Franco–headed to an Oscar nomination for “127 Hours” and getting ready to co-host the Academy Awards in February–is planning two big directing efforts. Franco is in talks to direct William Faulkner‘s literary classic, “As I Lay Dying,” from his own screenplay. Franco and manager Miles Levy have been in discussion for time with the Faulkner estate. They’ve also got a commitment from Fox Searchlight to bring the project to fruition. Unlike at least a half dozen other films that have been “announced” for Franco in the last few weeks, the actor tells me this is the one he’s most attached to. He’s hopeful of getting it off the ground next spring. “As I Lay Dying” isn’t the only writer-director project Franco’s involved in. He tells me he’s also in the process of making a deal with Scott Rudin to write and direct Cormac McCarthy‘s “Blood Meridian” in 2012. Franco and Rudin are also partnered in next fall’s Broadway production of “Sweet Bird of Youth” with Nicole Kidman. Cormac McCarthy is a little like the modern day Faulkner, although he’s had much more luck in Hollywood. So far his “All the Pretty Horses,” “The Road,” and “No Country for Old Men” have all made it to the big screen. And yes, this is all while Franco attends classes at Yale University and the Rhode Island School of Design. He also just completed directing a small, indie film about the famed poet Hart Crane called “The Broken Tower.” But “As I Lay Dying”–which others, including Sean Penn, have wanted to make for a long time–will be his big studio debut. If all that isn’t enough, Franco is bringing his art project film connected to the ’80s sitcom, “Three’s Company,” to the Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontiers section later this month. He’s also moving talent agencies, following his longtime agent, Kami Putnam-Heist, to CAA. “I’m being loyal to my agent,” Franco says, which is a rare thing in Hollywood. ||||| James Franco: Actor, Writer, Host, Drag Queen...Now Director? Email This is either on a mission to become pop culture's most ubiquitous Renaissance man or he's shoring up his resume to run for president. He's worn According to Roger Friedman at Friedman says Franco is hoping to start 'As I Lay Dying' next spring, while work on 'Blood Meridean' would begin sometime in 2012. James Franco is either on a mission to become pop culture's most ubiquitous Renaissance man or he's shoring up his resume to run for president. He's worn lipstick for a magazine cover, written scripts, will host the 83rd Academy Awards , is currently working on his PhD and, of course, we know him best as an actor, but now he's expanding his CV yet again.According to Roger Friedman at Showbiz 411 , Franco is slated to write and direct two major adaptive films -- William Faulkner's 'As I Lay Dying' and Cormac McCarthy's 'Blood Meridian.' To top it off, he plans to do all of this while he's still studying at Yale University and Rhode Island School of Design.Friedman says Franco is hoping to start 'As I Lay Dying' next spring, while work on 'Blood Meridean' would begin sometime in 2012. http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=691977&pid=691976&uts=1273167996 http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/music/?s_channel=us.musicpop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1 http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf PopScene: Week's Hottest Pics Gabourey Sidibe attends The American Cancer Society's Choose You luncheon on May 5th in New York City. Amy Sussman, Getty Images Amy Sussman, Getty Images PopScene: Weeks Hottest Pics Neither project would be Franco's directorial debut; he just completed an indie project about storied poet Hart Crane, titled 'The Broken Tower.' He also made a project film related to the 1980s sitcom 'Three's Company,' which he's presenting at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.Later this summer, we expect to hear about his ambitions to shoot a movie on the moon with James Cameron.

– James Franco can get multiple master’s degrees while publishing short stories, putting on art shows, and of course, preparing to host the Oscars … so directing a William Faulkner classic should be no sweat, right? Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying is just one of Franco’s upcoming directorial efforts, Showbiz411 reports. The other is similarly simple-sounding: Blood Meridian—by Cormac McCarthy, author of such light fare as The Road and No Country for Old Men. Making this all sound even more like a piece of cake: He wrote the screenplay for As I Lay Dying and hopes to do the same for Blood Meridian. But neither will be his first directing effort—click to read about Franco’s directorial debut, and for more on the renaissance man.

Former Senator Bob Dole, 89 years old and in a wheelchair, went onto to the floor of the Senate today to urge his former colleagues to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities. Mr. Dole, a disabled veteran, has been one of the leading voices urging ratification of the treaty, which seeks to bring the world closer to the high standard set by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark civil-rights law enacted under President George H.W. Bush. One by one, according to Roll Call, the senators approached Mr. Dole to pat his shoulder or clasp his hand, making gestures of respect for the man who was for many years the Republican majority leader. Then he was wheeled away, and all but a handful of the Republicans bailed out on him. The treaty failed. It needed a two-thirds vote to pass, or 67 votes, and fell six short. So much for America’s support of a global agreement “to promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities.” The vote was a triumph for Glenn Beck, Rick Santorum and others on the hard-right loon fringe, who have been feverishly denouncing the treaty as a United Nations world-government conspiracy to kill disabled children (you can look it up). Only eight Republicans voted yes: Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Richard Lugar of Indiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John McCain of Arizona. Several Republicans who might have made a difference but voted “no,” as Roll Call pointed out, are up for re-election in 2014 and are facing possible primary challenges from the right: Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, and Thad Cochran of Mississippi, who changed his “yes” to a “no” after it was obvious the treaty would fail. Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement after the vote: “This is one of the saddest days I’ve seen in almost 28 years in the Senate, and it needs to be a wake-up call about a broken institution that’s letting down the American people.” He added: “Today the dysfunction hurt veterans and the disabled, and that’s unacceptable. This treaty was supported by every veterans group in America and Bob Dole made an inspiring and courageous personal journey back to the Senate to fight for it. It had bipartisan support, and it had the facts on its side, and yet for one ugly vote, none of that seemed to matter. We won’t give up on this and the Disabilities Treaty will pass because it’s the right thing to do, but today I understand better than ever before why Americans have such disdain for Congress and just how much must happen to fix the Senate so we can act on the real interests of our country.” ||||| — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, his 89-year old body now weakened by age, illness and war injuries, sat quietly in a wheelchair on the Senate floor Tuesday, watching the debate over a United Nations treaty on the rights of the disabled. He may have recalled an earlier time. More than 43 years ago, Dole delivered his first speech on the very same floor — on disability rights. Later, as one of the most powerful members of the Senate, he pushed through the Americans with Disabilities Act, a measure designed to protect citizens grappling with accidents and disease. Now he had come the Senate floor, perhaps for the last time, to persuade lawmakers to adopt a treaty supporters said would extend disability protections around the world. “Don’t let Senator Bob Dole down,” Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts said, raising his voice, pointing at his former colleague. “Most importantly, don’t let the Senate and the country down. Approve this treaty.” It wasn’t enough. Only 61 senators voted for the treaty, officially known as the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Sixty-six votes were needed for passage. Among the 38 members voting against the measure: The two senators from Kansas, Republicans Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts. Both have known Dole for years. Some Republicans had mounted an intense campaign against the treaty, arguing it surrendered American sovereignty to the U.N. “I do not support the cumbersome regulations and potentially overzealous international organizations with anti-American biases that infringe upon American society,” said Sen. Jim Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma. But other Republicans — including Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who like Dole suffers from a war-related disability — pushed for approval, reading a statement from Dole into the record. “That’s what this is all about,” McCain said. “American leadership.” Dole was accompanied to the floor by his wife Elizabeth, herself a former senator. Senate rules allow former members access to the floor, although it is rarely used. Several members approached Dole during his brief visit, shaking his hands and chatting. The 1996 presidential candidate sat to the left of the Senate’s presiding officer and didn’t speak. He left before the vote was finished, and didn’t talk with reporters outside the chamber. But advocates for the disabled were furious at the outcome. They were particularly angry at Roberts and Moran. “I think it’s appalling,” said Marca Bristo, president of the United States International Council on Disabilities. “Mr. Dole was so proud of what we did He was fighting right up until it went out onto the floor.” Rhonda Neuhaus, a policy analyst for the Disability Rights and Defense Fund, wept as she steered her wheelchair out of the Senate visitors’ gallery. “It’s a betrayal of the disability community,” she said. Roberts was unavailable for comment. But a spokeswoman said the state’s senior senator “voted his conscience” and that Dole would understand. Roberts and Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, who also voted no, had earlier written Senate leadership, asking it to withdraw the treaty until next year. Treaties, they argued, should not be decided in a lame duck session. Treaty supporters seemed even more upset with Moran. In May he endorsed the treaty — saying, in a press release, that it advanced “fundamental values by standing up for the rights of those with disabilities, including our nation’s veterans and servicemembers.” But by Tuesday he had changed his mind. “Genuine concerns raised by the language of this treaty ... have made it clear that foreign officials should not be put in a position to interfere with U.S. policymaking,” his statement said. Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, voted to ratify the treaty. “People with disabilities around the world will pay the price” for its rejection, she said. The treaty was negotiated by President George W. Bush and signed by President Barack Obama in 2009. More than 150 nations have also signed the treaty, designed to “promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity,” according to the document. Advocates for the disabled said they would try again next year, and majority leader Sen. Harry Reid said he intends to bring it back. But it isn’t clear how much help Dole can be, given his advanced age and battles with illness. Just last week he went into the hospital for what a spokeswoman called a “routine” procedure. He has spent a great deal of time in and out of the hospital over the past three years, battling various infections and other maladies.

– Bob Dole watched from a wheelchair on the Senate floor yesterday as his Republican former colleagues rejected a United Nations disability rights treaty modeled on the Americans with Disabilities Act he championed in 1990, the Kansas City Star reports. GOP opponents of the treaty claimed it would surrender American sovereignty to the UN. It needed 67 votes to pass but received only 61. Just eight Republicans voted in favor, including John McCain who, like Dole, was left disabled by war injuries. After the vote, John Kerry said it was one of the saddest days he'd seen in nearly 28 years in the Senate, the New York Times reports. "This treaty was supported by every veterans group in America and Bob Dole made an inspiring and courageous personal journey back to the Senate to fight for it," he said. "It had bipartisan support, and it had the facts on its side, and yet for one ugly vote, none of that seemed to matter." Kerry vowed to keep fighting for the treaty, which was negotiated by George W. Bush and signed by President Obama in 2009.

Insurance companies reject paying for Boston sophomore's female-to-male change. Story Highlights Donnie Collins is an Emerson College sophomore His health plan and mom's insurance wouldn't cover gender reassignment surgery His fraternity, Phi Alpha Tau, offered to help raise money A Boston fraternity has raised $16,000 for a transgender member's sex-change surgery after his student health plan and mother's insurance refused to pay for the breast-removal procedure. Donnie Collins, 20, is an Emerson College sophomore and new brother of Phi Alpha Tau, the nation's oldest "communicative arts" fraternity. The Alexandria, Va., native was born female but came out as transgender at age 17 while living in an all-girls dormitory at a Connecticut boarding school. Since then, Collins has been planning gender-reassignment top surgery, which involves a double mastectomy and male chest "contouring." The procedure cost $8,100, but it wasn't covered by insurance, so the Emerson chapter decided to raise money to help out. The original goal was $2,000, but since posting a Feb. 9 appeal on the crowd-funding site IndieGoGo, the fund had surpassed $16,000 by Wednesday, NBC News reported. "It's been an amazing experience, these last few weeks," Collins, who is studying visual arts and media, said in a video posted to YouTube on Monday. "My life has been absolutely changed by pledging this fraternity." Out magazine explained Collins' insurance problems: Collins now has a college health insurance policy through Emerson, a policy, like so many others, that is trans-exclusionary. It is common practice for insurance companies to deem female-to-male breast augmentation — or top surgery — as a cosmetic plastic surgery rather than a necessity. So Collins has been raising money for the procedure for months, but it seemed that one door after another would close in his face. His petition for a trans-inclusive policy was recently denied by the college's insurance plan, and his personal Chipin fund will cease when the crowd-funding site shuts down next month. The extra proceeds will be donated to the Jim Collins Foundation, which provides financial aid for gender-reassignment surgery. It's not clear whether Donnie Collins is related or connected to the Connecticut-based foundation. Donnie Collins, who has been undergoing hormone-replacement therapy, is scheduled for surgery in May. "It's been such a long road, and it has been life-altering to find support and brotherhood," he said in a foundation news release Wednesday. "From my time in the transgender youth group, which introduced me to some of my best friends, to my brothers at Emerson and everyone who has given to this fundraising campaign, the support I have received has made such a difference in my life." His gender was never an issue when he pledged, fraternity brothers said. "Donnie's status as a trans student was a non-issue," one member told WHDH-TV, an NBC affiliate. "It wasn't even an afterthought. We just thought he was an outstanding man." Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/15jHqVj ||||| Excess Funds Donated to Jim Collins Foundation February 27, 2013 (New York, NY) – As news and social media sites have caught wind of fraternity fundraiser for Donnie Collins’ surgery, there has been an outpouring of public support, and funds raised have quickly exceeded the $8,100 goal. In response, Donnie Collins has pledged excess funds to the Jim Collins Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing financial assistance for gender-confirming surgeries. JCF co-founder and White House Champions of Change nominee Tony Ferraiolo, who founded and led a trans youth group Donnie participated in, expressed gratitude and support for the donation. “I’m incredibly proud of Donnie for overcoming the obstacles in his life, becoming the man he is today, for inspiring people to take on a cause that is larger than him, and giving back to the community in this way.” “It’s been such a long road, and it has been life-altering to find support and brotherhood,” said Donnie Collins. “From my time in the transgender youth group, which introduced me to some of my best friends, to my brothers at Emerson and everyone who has given to this fundraising campaign, the support I have received has made such a difference in my life.” Founded in 2008, the Jim Collins Foundation is the only national nonprofit organization raising money to fund gender-confirming surgery. Health care discrimination against trans people is known to be linked to the high suicide rate in the trans community. Gender-confirming surgery is recognized as medically necessary and often life-saving. “There is an increasing number of people understanding the importance of trans health care,” said Dru Levasseur, JFC co-founder and national Transgender Rights Attorney for Lambda Legal. “It’s encouraging to see a fraternity – a highly gendered institution – recognizing the injustice of the denial of coverage and standing up for what is right.” Since its inception, the Jim Collins Foundation has received hundreds of applications and will soon be announcing its 2013 grantees. JCF operates on individual donations and grants, and is run by a board comprised of medical professionals, attorneys, and activists. For more information and to donate, visit jimcollinsfoundation.org.

– A 20-year-old transgender student at Emerson College found a surprising ally in his attempt to get gender-reassignment surgery—the Phi Alpha Tau fraternity, reports USA Today. Donnie Collins was born female, but he's identified as male for years. Since coming out as a transgender at age 17, Collins has wanted a double mastectomy and chest contouring, but never had the $4,800 needed and his university insurance does not cover gender transition. However, Collins was pledging at Phi Alpha Tau, and when his prospective brothers heard the insurance company turned down his surgery, they got the idea of enlisting social media and starting an IndieGoGo campaign. More than just money, the fraternity brothers say they want the campaign to raise awareness. "We'd much rather have a hundred people donate $10 than 10 people donate $100," said one brother. With donations pouring in, the fraternity upped its goal to $8,100, but soon blew by that amount, too. With 39 days still left, the IndieGoGo campaign has raised more than $19,000—the fraternity brothers say all excess funds will be donated to the Jim Collins Foundation, which helps transgender people pay for surgery. "It's been an amazing experience, these last few weeks," Collins said in a follow-up Youtube video. "My life has been absolutely changed by pledging this fraternity."

If there’s no two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict soon, Israel risks becoming “an apartheid state,” Secretary of State John Kerry told a room of influential world leaders in a closed-door meeting Friday. Senior American officials have rarely, if ever, used the term “apartheid” in reference to Israel, and President Obama has previously rejected the idea that the word should apply to the Jewish state. Kerry's use of the loaded term is already rankling Jewish leaders in America—and it could attract unwanted attention in Israel, as well. It wasn't the only controversial comment on the Middle East that Kerry made during his remarks to the Trilateral Commission, a recording of which was obtained by The Daily Beast. Kerry also repeated his warning that a failure of Middle East peace talks could lead to a resumption of Palestinian violence against Israeli citizens. He suggested that a change in either the Israeli or Palestinian leadership could make achieving a peace deal more feasible. He lashed out against Israeli settlement-building. And Kerry said that both Israeli and Palestinian leaders share the blame for the current impasse in the talks. Kerry also said that at some point, he might unveil his own peace deal and tell both sides to “take it or leave it.” “A two-state solution will be clearly underscored as the only real alternative. Because a unitary state winds up either being an apartheid state with second-class citizens—or it ends up being a state that destroys the capacity of Israel to be a Jewish state,” Kerry told the group of senior officials and experts from the U.S., Western Europe, Russia, and Japan. “Once you put that frame in your mind, that reality, which is the bottom line, you understand how imperative it is to get to the two-state solution, which both leaders, even yesterday, said they remain deeply committed to.” According to the 1998 Rome Statute, the “crime of apartheid” is defined as “inhumane acts… committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime.” The term is most often used in reference to the system of racial segregation and oppression that governed South Africa from 1948 until 1994. Former president Jimmy Carter came under fire in 2007 for titling his book on Middle East peace Palestine: Peace or Apartheid. Carter has said publicly that his views on Israeli treatment of the Palestinians are a main cause of his poor relationship with President Obama and his lack of current communication with the White House. But Carter explained after publishing the book that he was referring to apartheid-type policies in the West Bank, not Israel proper, and he was not accusing Israel of institutionalized racism. “Apartheid is a word that is an accurate description of what has been going on in the West Bank, and it’s based on the desire or avarice of a minority of Israelis for Palestinian land,” Carter said. Leading experts, including Richard Goldstone, a former justice of the South African Constitutional Court who led the United Nations fact-finding mission on the Gaza conflict of 2008 and 2009, have argued that comparisons between the Israeli treatment of the Palestinians and “apartheid” are offensive and wrong. “One particularly pernicious and enduring canard that is surfacing again is that Israel pursues ‘apartheid’ policies,” Goldstone wrote in The New York Times in 2011. “It is an unfair and inaccurate slander against Israel, calculated to retard rather than advance peace negotiations.” In a 2008 interview with Jeffrey Goldberg, then-Sen. Barack Obama shot down the notion that the word “apartheid” was acceptable in a discussion about Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians: “There’s no doubt that Israel and the Palestinians have tough issues to work out to get to the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security, but injecting a term like apartheid into the discussion doesn’t advance that goal,” Obama said. “It’s emotionally loaded, historically inaccurate, and it’s not what I believe.” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told The Daily Beast that Kerry was simply repeating his view, shared by others, that a two-state solution is the only way for Israel to remain a Jewish state in peace with the Palestinians. “Secretary Kerry, like Justice Minister Livni, and previous Israeli Prime Ministers Olmert and Barak, was reiterating why there's no such thing as a one-state solution if you believe, as he does, in the principle of a Jewish State. He was talking about the kind of future Israel wants and the kind of future both Israelis and Palestinians would want to envision,” she said. “The only way to have two nations and two peoples living side by side in peace and security is through a two-state solution. And without a two-state solution, the level of prosperity and security the Israeli and Palestinian people deserve isn't possible.” But leaders of pro-Israel organizations told The Daily Beast that Kerry’s reference to “apartheid” was appalling and inappropriately alarmist because of its racial connotations and historical context. “One particularly pernicious and enduring canard that is surfacing again is that Israel pursues ‘apartheid’ policies,” Goldstone wrote in The New York Times in 2011. “It is an unfair and inaccurate slander against Israel, calculated to retard rather than advance peace negotiations.” Yet Israel’s leaders have employed the term, as well. In 2010, for example, former Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak used language very similar to Kerry’s. “As long as in this territory west of the Jordan River there is only one political entity called Israel it is going to be either non-Jewish, or non-democratic,” Barak said. “If this bloc of millions of ­Palestinians cannot vote, that will be an apartheid state.” “While we’ve heard Secretary Kerry express his understandable fears about alternative prospects for Israel to a two-state deal and we understand the stakes involved in reaching that deal, the use of the word ‘apartheid’ is not helpful at all. It takes the discussion to an entirely different dimension,” said David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, an organization that has been supportive of Kerry’s peace process initiative. “In trying to make his point, Kerry reaches into diplomatic vocabulary to raise the stakes, but in doing so he invokes notions that have no place in the discussion.” Get The Beast In Your Inbox! Daily Digest Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast. Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't). By clicking “Subscribe,” you agree to have read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Subscribe Thank You! You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet. We will not share your email with anyone for any reason. Kerry has used dire warnings twice in the past to paint a picture of doom for Israel if the current peace process fails. Last November, Kerry warned of a third intifada of Palestinian violence and increased isolation of Israel if the peace process failed. In March, Democrats and Republican alike criticized Kerry for suggesting that if peace talks fail, it would bolster the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. “It’s in the Palestinian playbook to tie Israel to these extreme notions of time being on the Palestinian side, that demographics are on the Palestinian side, and that Israel has to confront notions of the Jewishness of the state,” Harris said. Kerry on Friday repeated his warning that a dissolution of the peace process might lead to more Palestinian violence. “People grow so frustrated with their lot in life that they begin to take other choices and go to dark places they’ve been before, which forces confrontation,” he said. The secretary of state also implied, but did not say outright, that if the governments of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu or Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas left power, there could be a change in the prospects for peace. If “there is a change of government or a change of heart,” Kerry said, “something will happen.” Kerry criticized Israeli settlement construction as being unhelpful to the peace process and he also criticized Palestinian leaders for making statements that declined to recognize the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state. “There is a fundamental confrontation and it is over settlements. Fourteen thousand new settlement units announced since we began negotiations. It’s very difficult for any leader to deal under that cloud,” Kerry said. He acknowledged that the formal negotiating process that he initiated and led since last summer may soon stop. But he maintained that his efforts to push for a final settlement will continue in one form or another. “The reports of the demise of the peace process have consistently been misunderstood and misreported. And even we are now getting to the moment of obvious confrontation and hiatus, but I would far from declare it dead,” Kerry said. “You would say this thing is going to hell in a handbasket, and who knows, it might at some point, but I don’t think it is right now, yet.” Kerry gave both Israeli and Palestinian leaders credit for sticking with the peace process for this long. But he added that both sides were to blame for the current impasse in the talks; neither leader was ready to make the tough decisions necessary for achieving peace. “There’s a period here where there needs to be some regrouping. I don’t think it’s unhealthy for both of them to have to stare over the abyss and understand where the real tensions are and what the real critical decisions are that have to be made,” he said. “Neither party is quite ready to make it at this point in time. That doesn’t mean they don’t have to make these decisions.” Kerry said that he was considering, at some point, publicly laying out a comprehensive U.S. plan for a final agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, in a last-ditch effort to forge a deal before the Obama administration leaves office in 2017. “We have enough time to do any number of things, including the potential at some point in time that we will just put something out there. ‘Here it is, folks. This is what it looks like. Take it or leave it,’” Kerry said. ||||| The Anti-Defamation League said on Monday it was "disappointed" by remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who cautioned that Israel risks becoming an apartheid state if a two-state solution isn’t agreed upon in the near future. "It is startling and deeply disappointing that a diplomat so knowledgeable and experienced about democratic Israel chose to use such an inaccurate and incendiary term," wrote ADL National Director Abe Foxman in a statement. According to Foxman, while the ADL appreciates Kerry's commitment to a peaceful solution in the Middle East, his comments "used the repugnant language of Israel's adversaries and accusers" and were "undiplomatic, unwise and unfair." "Such references," wrote Foxman, "are not seen as expressions of friendship and support." On Monday, the Daily Beast reported on Kerry's statements, which he made last Friday at a closed meeting in Washington before senior officials from the U.S., Europe, Russia and Japan. “A two-state solution," Kerry said, "will be clearly underscored as the only real alternative. Because a unitary state winds up either being an apartheid state with second class citizens—or it ends up being a state that destroys the capacity of Israel to be a Jewish state. “Once you put that frame in your mind, that reality, which is the bottom line, you understand how imperative it is to get to the two-state solution, which both leaders, even yesterday, said they remain deeply committed to.” It was the first time a U.S. official of Kerry's importance has used the contentious term "apartheid" in the context of Israel, even if only as a warning for the future.

– John Kerry tossed the A-word around Friday during a closed door meeting, saying that Israel could become "an apartheid state" if peace talks with Palestine failed to generate a two-state solution. The Daily Beast acquired a recording of Kerry's comments, which came during a Trilateral Commission meeting. Kerry told the assembled world leaders that he might eventually unveil a peace deal and tell the sides to "take it or leave it." A two-state solution, he said, is "the only real alternative. Because a unitary state winds up either being an apartheid state with second-class citizens—or it ends up being a state that destroys the capacity of Israel to be a Jewish state." US officials generally avoid the word "apartheid" in relation to Israel, and President Obama has previously called it inappropriate. The Anti-Defamation League has issued a statement calling Kerry's comments "startling and deeply disappointing," Haaretz reports. Meanwhile, Rand Paul is burnishing his pro-Israel credentials by introducing a bill banning US aid to Palestine until Palestine recognizes Israel's right to exist, Politico reports.

Published on Feb 25, 2013 UPDATE 4/28/15: Thank you all for your kind words and support! Since Megan's and my engagement, we have gotten married on the beautiful beaches of The Bahamas. In fact, we recently celebrated our two year wedding anniversary and are expecting our first child later this year! I have a hunch our child will grow up and become best buds with Jackson :) We have been truly blessed thus far, and are excited to see what else our journey has in store for us! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a compilation of the 2 hours leading up to and including my proposal to my now fiancée, condensed down into a short 10 minute video. Because Megan has grown up around horses all her life, I knew she would absolutely LOVE if her own horse was involved in this special moment. Here is my proposal to her in the barn where her horse, Jackson, lives... And yes, Jackson, played a huge role in this surprise marriage proposal! Thank you to everyone that helped make this special moment possible!! I love you babe!... 2-14-13 Music used: Rascal Flatts- Bless The Broken Road Keith Urban- Making Memories of Us Big & Rich- Lost in this Moment ||||| Another day, another engagement story guaranteed to make everyone else feel a little inadequate. The enterprising Matthew Dick managed to persuade the legendary Times cryptic crossword setters to include a proposal in their clues, and the subsequent betrothal has been splashed across the papers today, perhaps because the dead tree posse are relieved to feel cool and current for a short minute. Increasingly, proposal stories are cropping up online. Videos of extravagant dance troupes and would-be grooms shuffling manfully along go viral, while a photo of a couple getting engaged in front of a pair of newlyweds invited criticism worldwide. One man even staged a fake reality show in order to propose to his tearful partner. If your partner proposes in private, does your relationship really mean anything? Does your beloved really cherish you enough to put a ring on it? If there’s no camera crew ready to film your surprise and awe (and aww), how will people know that your proposal story is up there with the best of them? While it’s always nice to know that people want to declare their love so publicly (especially in the UK, where most of us would fake a seizure if a flash mob surrounded us), there does seem to be a certain level of narcissism in the public proposal. Mostly, the person being proposed to has barely a supporting role in these video clips, while all the focus is on the instigator. This is most clearly illustrated by the groom who filmed himself every day for a year holding up a sign saying “Will you marry me?”. Leaving aside the fury I’d feel that someone wasted a year doing something so ridiculous, what is really telling is that the bride was barely given a look in throughout the whole performance. Bodes well for the next 65 years. Only about five other people in the world are interested in your relationship. Nobody else cares Although a crossword is a unique way to pop the question, I’d argue that the growing pressure to come up with a creative and fresh way of proposing takes something away from the moment when you actually do it. Sure, marriage is an antiquated and patriarchal system (I’m not bitter at all), and loads of them end in divorce, but for those who want to go down that road, is being accosted on a red carpet by a man on a horse (and I am not just throwing out ideas here) really the way you want to begin the journey? For the most part, only about five other people in the world are interested in your relationship. Both sets of parents (because they don’t want you to keep living in their house), and possibly an ex who keeps a close eye on you just in case they get lonely. Nobody else really cares. It’s not enough that your mates have to shell out for a themed wedding weekend and coo approvingly at the honeymoon photos, now they must learn complicated choreography so that you can dance through a bingo hall to present a ring to your partner as they are simultaneously enveloped by puppies (I made that one up, feel free to use it). If you want to propose, consider doing it without a camera. You don’t need to come up with a wacky idea and you don’t even need to invite friends, strangers or hired performers to witness the happy event. Instead, it can be a happy and intimate moment, a story just for the two of you. Sure, it might not be Disneyland perfect, but look on the bright side – if your partner says no, at least it won’t be on YouTube for the rest of your life. ||||| Published on Jan 18, 2015 Link to the wedding video! - https://youtu.be/qxZQzPVQLP4 Devotion and dedication! Lot of love went into making this proposal! Dean proposes to Jennifer at the beautiful Playa Linda Resort in Aruba on her birthday, January 8, 2015. Contact info: [email protected] Discography: Song 1: Marry You - Bruno Mars Song 2: Happy - Pharrell Williams Song 3: Best Thing - Anthem Lights To use this video in a commercial player, advertising or in broadcasts, please email Viral Spiral (A Rightster Company): [email protected]

– Plenty were left dewy-eyed by Matthew Dick's marriage proposal to his girlfriend, spelled out in a paper’s crossword puzzle this week. One who wasn’t: Bella Mackie. "While it's always nice to know that people want to declare their love so publicly," she writes at the Guardian, "there does seem to be a certain level of narcissism in the public proposal." For example, most viral videos of said proposals tend to focus almost entirely on the groom—like this one. "Bodes well for the next 65 years," Mackie quips. But more than that, all these overly creative ways of proposing just take "something away from the moment when you actually do it." "Is being accosted on a red carpet by a man on a horse (and I am not just throwing out ideas here) really the way you want to begin the journey?" she asks. If for some reason you think that sounds fabulous, then consider that other than "about five other people in the world … nobody else really cares" about how you get engaged. (YouTube view counts say differently.) Mackie's suggestion: Pop the question without a crazy idea, friends, strangers, performers, or a camera and create "a happy and intimate moment, a story just for the two of you." An added bonus: "If your partner says no, at least it won't be on YouTube for the rest of your life." Click for Mackie's full piece.

About half of American adults – 120.8 million out of 242.1 million – live in middle-income households as of early 2015, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data. In percentage terms, 50% of adults now live in middle-income households, 29% in lower-income households, and 21% in upper-income households. Our new calculator below lets you find out which group you are in – first compared with all American adults and then compared with other adults similar to you in education, age, race or ethnicity, and marital status: A Pew Research Center analysis of government data shows that after more than four decades of serving as the nation's economic majority, the U.S. middle class is now matched in size by those in the economic tiers above and below it. Step 1: See where you are in the distribution of Americans by income tier. My annual household income is and there are people in my household. Based on your household income and the number of people in your household, you are in the tktk income tier, along with tktk% of American adults overall. Share of American adults in each income tier You Step 2: Now compare yourself to others with your demographic profile. Education Less than high school High school graduate Two-year degree/Some college Bachelor's degree or more Age 18 to 29 30 to 44 45 to 64 65 or older Race/ethnicity White Hispanic Black Asian Other or multiracial Marital status Married Not married Among American adults with your education, age, race or ethnicity, and marital status, tktk% are lower income, tktk% are middle income and tktk% are upper income. Due to sample size limitations, estimates of the income status of adults who identify as "other or multiracial" could not be separately estimated. The results displayed for these adults are the national average for all adults in the chosen age, education and marital status category. The calculator takes your household income and adjusts it for the size of your household. The income is revised upward for households that are below average in size and downward for those that are above average. This way, each household’s income is made equivalent to the income of a three-person household (the whole number nearest to the average size of a U.S. household, which was 2.5 in 2015). Pew Research Center does not store or share any of the information you enter. Your size-adjusted household income is the sole factor we use to determine your income tier. Middle-income households – those with an income that is two-thirds to double the U.S. median household income – had incomes ranging from $41,869 to $125,608 in 2014. Lower-income households had incomes less than $41,869 and upper-income households had incomes greater than $125,608 (all figures computed for three-person households and expressed in 2014 dollars). One limitation of the calculator is that the income range that defines each income tier does not vary across regions or cities within the U.S. If you live in a relatively expensive area, such as New York City, it is possible that the calculator places you in a higher income tier than it might if a cost of living adjustment had been made. Conversely, if you live in an inexpensive part of the country, the calculator may place you in a lower income tier than it otherwise might. But this is likely to affect you only if your household income falls near the boundaries separating the three income tiers. An upcoming analysis from Pew Research Center will focus on U.S. metropolitan areas and adjust for cost of living differences across them. The second part of our calculator asks you more questions about yourself, such as age, race or ethnicity, and marital status. This allows you to see how other adults who are similar to you demographically are distributed across lower-, middle- and upper-income tiers. It does not recompute your economic tier, which is based strictly on your household’s income and size. Related: Are you in the global middle class? Find out with our income calculator Topics: Economics and Personal Finances, Socioeconomic Class ||||| The American Middle Class Is Losing Ground No longer the majority and falling behind financially After more than four decades of serving as the nation’s economic majority, the American middle class is now matched in number by those in the economic tiers above and below it. In early 2015, 120.8 million adults were in middle-income households, compared with 121.3 million in lower- and upper-income households combined, a demographic shift that could signal a tipping point, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data. In at least one sense, the shift represents economic progress: While the share of U.S. adults living in both upper- and lower-income households rose alongside the declining share in the middle from 1971 to 2015, the share in the upper-income tier grew more. Over the same period, however, the nation’s aggregate household income has substantially shifted from middle-income to upper-income households, driven by the growing size of the upper-income tier and more rapid gains in income at the top. Fully 49% of U.S. aggregate income went to upper-income households in 2014, up from 29% in 1970. The share accruing to middle-income households was 43% in 2014, down substantially from 62% in 1970. And middle-income Americans have fallen further behind financially in the new century. In 2014, the median income of these households was 4% less than in 2000. Moreover, because of the housing market crisis and the Great Recession of 2007-09, their median wealth (assets minus debts) fell by 28% from 2001 to 2013. Meanwhile, the far edges of the income spectrum have shown the most growth. In 2015, 20% of American adults were in the lowest-income tier, up from 16% in 1971. On the opposite side, 9% are in the highest-income tier, more than double the 4% share in 1971. At the same time, the shares of adults in the lower-middle or upper-middle income tiers were nearly unchanged. These findings emerge from a new Pew Research Center analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. In this study, which examines the changing size, demographic composition and economic fortunes of the American middle class, “middle-income�? Americans are defined as adults whose annual household income is two-thirds to double the national median, about $42,000 to $126,000 annually in 2014 dollars for a household of three. Under this definition, the middle class made up 50% of the U.S. adult population in 2015, down from 61% in 1971. Are you in the American middle class? Find out with our income calculator. Our new calculator allows you to see which group you fit in, first compared with all American adults, and then compared with other adults similar to you in education, age, race or ethnicity, and marital status. The state of the American middle class is at the heart of the economic platforms of many presidential candidates ahead of the 2016 election. Policymakers are engaged in debates about the need to raise the floor on wages and on how best to curb rising income inequality. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama uses the term “middle-class economics�? to describe his economic agenda. And a flurry of new research points to the potential of a larger middle class to provide the economic boost sought by many advanced economies. The news regarding the American middle class is not all bad. Although the middle class has not kept pace with upper-income households, its median income, adjusted for household size, has risen over the long haul, increasing 34% since 1970. That is not as strong as the 47% increase in income for upper-income households, though it is greater than the 28% increase among lower-income households. Moreover, some demographic groups have fared better than others in moving up the income tiers, while some groups have slipped down the ladder. The groups making notable progress include older Americans, married couples and blacks. Despite this progress, older Americans and blacks remain more likely to be lower income and less likely to be upper income than adults overall. Those Americans without a college degree stand out as experiencing a substantial loss in economic status. In addition to changes in the size and economic standing of the American middle class, its demographic profile has changed significantly in recent decades. Some of the changes reflect long-term demographic trends in the U.S., as the middle class is in many ways a mirror of the broader population. For example, the aging of the country, the growing racial and ethnic diversity, the decline in marriage rates and the overall rise in educational attainment are all reflected in the changing composition of the middle class. Who is middle income? In this report, “middle-income�? households are defined as those with an income that is 67% to 200% (two-thirds to double) of the overall median household income, after incomes have been adjusted for household size. Lower-income households have incomes less than 67% of the median, and upper-income households have incomes that are more than double the median. The income it takes to be middle income varies by household size, with smaller households requiring less to support the same lifestyle as larger households. For a three-person household, the middle-income range was about $42,000 to $126,000 annually in 2014. However, a one-person household needed only about $24,000 to $73,000 to be middle income. For a five-person household to be considered middle income, its 2014 income had to range from $54,000 to $162,000. In addition, the lower-income group is divided into lowest-income households (with income less than half of the overall median) and lower-middle income households (with incomes from half to less than two-thirds of the overall median). In 2014, a lowest-income household with three people lived on about $31,000 or less, and a lower-middle income household lived on about $31,000 to $42,000. Likewise, upper-income households are divided into upper-middle income households (with more than twice the overall median income and up to three times the median) and highest-income households (with more than three times the overall median income). In 2014, an upper-middle income household with three people lived on about $126,000 to $188,000, and a highest-income household lived on more than $188,000. Middle income or middle class? The terms “middle income�? and “middle class�? are often used interchangeably. This is especially true among economists who typically define the middle class in terms of income or consumption. But being middle class can connote more than income, be it a college education, white-collar work, economic security, owning a home, or having certain social and political values. Class could also be a state of mind, that is, it could be a matter of self-identification (Pew Research Center, 2008, 2012). The interplay among these many factors is examined in studies by Hout (2007) and Savage et al. (2013), among others. This report uses household income to group people. For that reason, the term “middle income�? is used more often than not. However, “middle class�? is also used at times for the sake of exposition. The middle class shrinks The hollowing of the American middle class has proceeded steadily for more than four decades. Since 1971, each decade has ended with a smaller share of adults living in middle-income households than at the beginning of the decade, and no single decade stands out as having triggered or hastened the decline in the middle. Based on the definition used in this report, the share of American adults living in middle-income households has fallen from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2015. The share living in the upper-income tier rose from 14% to 21% over the same period. Meanwhile, the share in the lower-income tier increased from 25% to 29%. Notably, the 7 percentage point increase in the share at the top is nearly double the 4 percentage point increase at the bottom. The rising share of adults in the lower- and upper-income tiers is at the farthest points of the income distribution, distant from the vicinity of the middle. The share of American adults in the lowest-income tier rose from 16% in 1971 to 20% in 2015. Over the same period, the share of American adults in lower-middle income households did not change, holding at 9%. The growth at the top is similarly skewed. The share of adults in highest-income households more than doubled, from 4% in 1971 to 9% in 2015. But the increase in the share in upper-middle income households was modest, rising from 10% to 12%. Thus, the closer look at the shift out of the middle reveals that a deeper polarization is underway in the American economy. The middle class falls further behind upper-income households financially The gaps in income and wealth between middle- and upper-income households widened substantially in the past three to four decades. As noted, one result is that the share of U.S. aggregate household income held by upper-income households climbed sharply, from 29% in 1970 to 49% in 2014. More recently, upper-income families, which had three times as much wealth as middle-income families in 1983, more than doubled the wealth gap; by 2013, they had seven times as much wealth as middle-income families. Trends in income Households in all income tiers experienced gains in income from 1970 to 2014. But the gains for middle- and lower-income households lagged behind the gains for upper-income households. The median income of upper-income households increased from $118,617 in 1970 to $174,625 in 2014, or by 47%. That was significantly greater than the 34% gain for middle-income households, whose median income rose from $54,682 to $73,392. Lower-income households fell behind even more as their median income increased by only 28% over this period. Although 2014 incomes are generally higher than in 1970, all households experienced a lengthy period of decline in the 21st century thanks to the 2001 recession and the Great Recession of 2007-09. The greatest loss was felt by lower-income households, whose median income fell 9% from 2000 to 2014, followed by a 4% loss for middle-income households and a 3% loss for upper-income households. Trends in wealth The Great Recession of 2007-09, which caused the latest downturn in incomes, had an even greater impact on the wealth (assets minus debts) of families. The losses were so large that only upper-income families realized notable gains in wealth over the span of 30 years from 1983 to 2013 (the period for which data on wealth are available). Before the onset of the Great Recession, the median wealth of middle-income families increased from $95,879 in 1983 to $161,050 in 2007, a gain of 68%. But the economic downturn eliminated that gain almost entirely. By 2010, the median wealth of middle-income families had fallen to about $98,000, where it still stood in 2013. Upper-income families more than doubled their wealth from 1983 to 2007 as it climbed from $323,402 to $729,980. Despite losses during the recession, these families recovered somewhat since 2010 and had a median wealth of $650,074 in 2013, about double their wealth in 1983. The disparate trends in the wealth of middle-income and upper-income families are due to the fact that housing assumes a greater role in the portfolios of middle-income families. The crash in the housing market that preceded the Great Recession was more severe and of longer duration than the turmoil in the stock market. Thus, the portfolios of upper-income families performed better than the portfolios of middle-income families from 2007 to 2013. When all is said and done, upper-income families, which had three times as much wealth as middle-income families in 1983, had seven times as much in 2013. Demographic winners and losers As the middle has hollowed, some demographic groups have been more likely to advance up the income tiers (winners) while others were more likely to retreat down the economic ladder (losers). Nationally, the share of adults in the upper-income tier increased from 14% in 1971 to 21% in 2015, a gain of 7 percentage points. Meanwhile, the share of adults in the lower-income tier also rose, from 25% to 29%, an increase of 4 percentage points. The difference – 3 percentage points – is the net gain for American adults. By the same measure, the net gain in economic status varied across demographic groups. The biggest winners since 1971 are people 65 and older. This age group was the only one that had a smaller share in the lower-income tier in 2015 than in 1971. Not coincidentally, the poverty rate among people 65 and older fell from 24.6% in 1970 to 10% in 2014. Evidence shows that rising Social Security benefits have played a key role in improving the economic status of older adults. The youngest adults, ages 18 to 29, are among the notable losers with a significant rise in their share in the lower-income tiers. The economic status of adults with a bachelor’s degree changed little from 1971 to 2015, meaning that similar shares of these adults were lower-, middle- or upper-income in those two years. Those without a bachelor’s degree tumbled down the income tiers, however. Among the various demographic groups examined, adults with no more than a high school diploma lost the most ground economically. Winners also include married adults, especially couples where both work. On the flip side, being unmarried is associated with an economic loss. This coincides with a period in which marriage overall is on the decline but is increasingly linked to higher educational attainment. Gains for women edged out gains for men, a reflection of their streaming into the labor force in greater numbers in the past four decades, their educational attainment rising faster than among men, and the narrowing of the gender wage gap. Among racial and ethnic groups, blacks and whites came out winners, but Hispanics slipped down the ladder. Although blacks advanced in income status, they are still more likely to be lower income and less likely to be upper income than whites or adults overall. For Hispanics, the overall loss in income status reflects the rising share of lower-earning immigrants in the adult population, from 29% in 1970 to 49% in 2015. Considered separately, both U.S.-born and foreign-born Hispanics edged up the economic tiers. Road map to the report This report divides households into three income tiers – lower income, middle income and upper income – depending on how their income compares with overall median household income. The analysis focuses on changes in the size and demographic composition of the three income tiers and on trends in their economic wellbeing. Unless otherwise noted, incomes are adjusted for household size and scaled to reflect a household size of three. Households that are in the lower-, middle- or upper-income tier in one year are compared with households that are in one of those tiers in another year. The analysis does not follow the same households over time, and some households that were middle income in one year, say, may have moved to a different tier in a later year. The demographic composition of each income tier may also have changed from one year to the next. The next section of the report describes the size of the U.S. adult population in each income tier and analyzes how it changed from 1971 to 2015. The lower- and upper-income tiers are also subdivided into two tiers each for a closer examination of the dispersion of the adult population: lowest income, lower-middle income, upper-middle income and highest income. The report then turns to a demographic analysis of the three main income tiers. First, the report examines how changes in the size of lower-, middle- and upper-income tiers have played out differently across demographic groups. The key demographic breaks include age, marital status, gender, race and ethnicity, nativity, education, occupation and industry. Next, the report briefly examines the demographic composition of the middle-income population and how it compares with the population of adults overall and adults in lower- and upper-income tiers. The final two sections of the report focus on the economic wellbeing of middle-income households, including how it has changed over time and how it compares with the wellbeing of lower- and upper-income households. The first of these two sections examines trends in household income and the second focuses on family wealth, assets and debts. ||||| About half of American adults lived in middle-income households in 2016, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data. In percentage terms, 52% of adults lived in middle-income households, 29% in lower-income households and 19% in upper-income households. Our calculator below, updated with 2016 data, lets you find out which group you are in – first compared with other adults in your metropolitan area and among American adults overall, and then compared with other adults in the United States similar to you in education, age, race or ethnicity, and marital status. Our new analysis shows that the share of adults who live in middle-income households varies widely across the 260 metropolitan areas examined, from 39% in Laredo, TX to 65% in Sheboygan, WI. The share of adults who live in lower-income households ranges from 19% in Ogden-Clearfield, UT to 49% in Laredo, TX. The estimated share living in upper-income households is greatest in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (32%) and the smallest in Lewiston-Auburn, ME (8%). Related: The American middle class is stable in size, but losing ground financially to upper-income families The calculator takes your household income and adjusts it for the size of your household. The income is revised upward for households that are below average in size and downward for those of above average size. This way, each household’s income is made equivalent to the income of a three-person household (the whole number nearest to the average size of a U.S. household, which was 2.5 in 2016). Pew Research Center does not store or share any of the information you enter. Your size-adjusted household income and the cost of living in your area are the factors we use to determine your income tier. Middle-income households – those with an income that is two-thirds to double the U.S. median household income – had incomes ranging from about $45,200 to $135,600 in 2016. Lower-income households had incomes less than $45,200 and upper-income households had incomes greater than $135,600 (all figures computed for three-person households, adjusted for the cost of living in a metropolitan area, and expressed in 2016 dollars). The cost-of-living adjustment for an area was calculated as follows: Jackson, Tennessee, is a relatively inexpensive area, with a price level that is 17.9% less than the national average. The Hawaii metropolitan area known as Urban Honolulu is one of the most expensive areas, with a price level that is 24.4% higher than the national average. Thus, to step over the national middle-class threshold of $45,200, a household in Jackson needs an income of only about $37,150, or 17.9% less than the national standard. But a household in Urban Honolulu needs a reported income of about $56,250, or 24.4% more than the U.S. norm, to join the middle class. The income calculator encompasses 260 of some 380 metropolitan areas in the U.S., as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. If you live in an area outside of one of these 260 areas, the calculator reports the estimates for your state. The second part of our calculator asks you more questions about your education, age, race or ethnicity, and marital status. This allows you to see how other adults who are similar to you demographically are distributed across lower-, middle- and upper-income tiers in the U.S. overall. It does not recompute your economic tier. Note: Previous versions of this post and interactive calculator were published Dec. 9, 2015 and May 11, 2016. Both have been updated to reflect the Center’s new analysis. Topics: Middle Class, Global Migration and Demography, Socioeconomic Class, Economics and Personal Finances, Income ||||| Elizbeth Espinoza and her husband, Carlos Arceo, both 38, fall squarely in the middle class, according to Pew. The Downey couple, who have two children, ages 4 and 6, gross about $110,000 between them, not counting benefits, such as healthcare insurance. By Pew's definition, a household of four is in the middle tier if total income is $48,347 to $145,041. But Espinoza, who works as a student programming coordinator at the UCLA Labor Center, sees her family as barely straddling the middle class. The reason: high living costs, including $850 a month for child care and hefty student loan payments. "I'm on the border of middle class, and I feel this way because I feel like being part of the middle class means being comfortable financially, and I think we struggle with that," Espinoza said. "When you look at that expense-to-income ratio, it's just a lot more difficult to have that comfortableness." Espinoza said that she and her husband were hopeful about their future incomes rising, but she doubts that they can move up to the upper-income tier. "I feel like upward mobility keeps getting harder and harder," she said. The Pew study did not address economic mobility — an issue that many economists believe is more important than the change in income distribution. But research on income mobility across generations has found the U.S. as a whole lags behind other Western countries. The declining middle also reflects demographic shifts, such as the arrival of more low-skilled immigrants, which can be seen in the overall slippage of Latinos in the income ladder since 1971. By race, black adults made the biggest strides in income status from 1971 to 2015, although they are significantly less likely to be middle income compared with adults overall. At the same time, the increase of women in the workforce since the early 1970s has tended to boost household incomes, as has higher college education enrollment. And of course, strong gains from stocks and high-tech ventures have fueled incomes for some. As of this year, 9% of Americans are in what Pew called the highest-income category — up from 4% in 1971 and 5% in 1991. A household with three people had to have an income of more than $188,000 last year to be in this highest bracket. In contrast, the share of American adults in the very lowest income category — a three-person household making less than $31,000 — rose to 20% of the U.S. adult population this year from 16% in 1971. "The distribution of adults by income is thinning in the middle and bulking up at the edges," Pew said. Whether this trend continues will depend in large part on how household structures evolve. Soaring numbers of single-parent households since the early 1970s, for example, have increased those at the bottom of the income spectrum. Also, trends in marriage rates, immigration, college education and the labor force participation of lower-skilled men in particular will all have a bearing on the future of the middle class in America, said Harry Holzer, an economist and public policy professor at Georgetown University. The Pew findings, however, are not comforting, he said. "It does suggest, even when you adjust for demographics, it's a little troubling," Holzer said. "We always expect things to be getting better." [email protected] Times staff writer Samantha Masunaga in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

– In 1971, the middle class made up 61% of the US population. That figure has now plummeted to just below half, and analysts are worried about the breakdown of what the Los Angeles Times calls "a pillar of the US economy." A Pew Research Center report released Wednesday culled data from the Census Bureau, Labor Department, and Federal Reserve to determine that 120.8 American adults are in middle-class households, while 121.3 million are in the lower- or upper-class tiers. Pew defined middle class as any household making two-thirds to twice the overall median income; for a family of three, that range is $42,000 to $126,000. What's led to what Pew calls a "thinning in the middle and bulking up at the edges": more low-skilled immigrants to bolster the lower class, and more women in the workforce and increased college enrollment on the upper end. All of the tiers suffered during and after the Great Recession, but the middle class saw the financial gains it had reaped over the last quarter-century virtually wiped out: The median wealth of a middle-class household in 1983 was $95,879, a number that rose to $161,050 by 2007. But after the recession, median wealth for this group was back down to $98,000 in 2010 and remained at that number until at least 2013, the Pew report notes. A recent Gallup poll also shows that people's perceptions are in line with what the Pew report shows: In 2008, 63% of Americans identified as being part of the middle class, while the poll given this spring shows that number has dropped to 51%. (Plug in your own numbers to see where you fall on the income spectrum.)

Courtesy Libby Sander/Facebook This little pinky means everything. A husband whose wife recently lost her pinky in a freak accident supported his spouse last week with a simple gesture that has since gone viral on Facebook. The wife, Libby Sanders, got into an accident with a screen door in February, and ended up having to amputate her finger in March. Last Monday, May 2, she shared two images on Facebook to illustrate her marriage to her husband, Matt Sanders. "This is who I married. ... " Libby wrote, alongside a snap of her hand on top of her husband's. "I was painting my nails and made a comment that I forget I don’t have to paint my pinky nail on my left hand. I simply forget that I lost my pinky, but it is always kind of a bummer when I am reminded." Courtesy Libby Sander/Facebook So, her husband came up with a simple solution. "Matt said 'I will be your surrogate pinky. You can paint my pinky to match your nails for the rest of our lives,'" Libby wrote. "And so we did. ... I cannot image a sweeter, kinder man. No words adequately describe our love." In an interview with BuzzFeed, Libby said losing her finger was a "pretty rough" experience. Luckily, her husband has been incredibly supportive through the whole ordeal. "I tell my friends and family that I have the guy that runs after the girl," she noted. Matt added that they had no intention of going viral. "It's kind of just us being us," he said. "Neither of us thought much of it." Want stories like these delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter! ||||| An Indiana man offered up his own finger to complete his wife's primped and polished manicure after the woman lost her pinky in an amputation. Read: Touching From A Distance: Widow Receives 'Secret' Love Letter Left By Her Late Husband Mom of five Libby Sanders shared a picture of her husband's hand, with only the pinky nail painted green. Beside it was a picture of her own hand on top of his. Because she only had four fingers on her left hand, her husband's painted nail underneath her fingers appears to complete her manicure, the photo that has since gone viral shows. Even as the Jasper couple spoke to InsideEdition.com, Matt Sanders proudly displayed his pinky nail, which was painted burgundy to match hers. Matt Sanders laughed to IE.com that he preferred the green nail polish, adding, "burgundy looks like I smashed my nail." Libby Sanders said that just six weeks ago, she had to have her pinky amputated. She was shutting the screen door when a piece of the handle broke off, and her finger snagged onto the raw edge. "It looked like she bruised it," Matt Sanders said to IE.com. "Then it just kept getting worse and worse," Libby Sanders said. "I ended up having to get it amputated." Even though she might drop her phone or have a hard time putting her hair into a ponytail, Sanders said she was more or less adjusting to life with 9 fingers. But when it comes to painting her nails, "I still reflexively go to paint the pinky nail that's not there. She said she didn't realize she looked sad, until her husband reached his own pinky out and said: "You can paint my pinky, and I can be your surrogate pinky for the rest of our lives." Read: Mom Says Playing With a Pink Toy Stroller Will Not Make Her Son 'Any Less of a Boy' Matt Sanders said that he intends to keep his pinky promise, saying he fully expects to be "the 60-year-old man with a hot pink nail." And even though he often forgets he has a painted nail, he said, "every time I see it, it reminds me of my wife. How cool to see a reminder of her every time." Watch: Working Mom Distressed After Airport Security Confiscates 2 Weeks' Worth of Breast Milk

– Libby Sanders' husband is willing to let her paint one of his pinky nails for life—because she lost hers, US Weekly reports. The Indiana mother of five had her left pinky finger amputated in March after a freak accident with a screen door that seemed mild at first, per Inside Edition, but only got worse over time. Then, last Monday, she posted two photos on Facebook of her hand over husband Matt's; her finger nails are painted light green and so is his pinky, visible where hers is gone. She writes in the now-viral post: "This is who I married.... I was painting my nails and made a comment that I forget I don't have to paint my pinky nail on my left hand. I simply forget that I lost my pinky, but it is always kind of a bummer when I am reminded. Matt said 'I will be your surrogate pinky. You can paint my pinky to match your nails for the rest of our lives.'" "And so we did," she adds. "I cannot image (sic) a sweeter, kinder man. No words adequately describe our love." She says losing her pinky has been "pretty rough" but she describes herself as optimistic and determined to stay that way, Buzzfeed reports. Matt, who named his small ice cream shop after his wife ("Libby's Gourmet Ice Cream") says this is how they are. "It's kind of just us being us," he says. "Neither of us thought much of it."

The leaked info from rent-a-spy agency Statfor both highlights the intel that Israeli forces wiped out Iran's nuclear infrastructure - and casts doubts on the report's validity. ­According to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, both Stratfor's methods and the quality of their information gathering raise eyebrows. Speaking at a press conference in London, Assange drew attention to examples from the company's communications. Over 5 million emails have been released – but one has already caught international attention. In November 2011, Stratfor employees discussed the increasing tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear ambitions and the possibility of a military strike against the Islamic Republic by Israel. The source, who was commenting on the rumors of a ground offensive against Iran, said "I think this is a diversion. The Israelis already destroyed all the Iranian nuclear infrastructure on the ground weeks ago." The intelligence company officials then floated the idea that Israel had sent commandoes into Iran – possibly with the help of Kurdish militants. But in the murky and complex world of intelligence-gathering, Stratfor – known as "the shadow CIA" – seems to be a little lost. Or perhaps overly self-confident. The analysts simply accept the one source and completely ignore a reasonable question raised by their colleague in that same email exchange - “How and when did the Israelis destroy the infra on the ground?” The leaks reveal not only Stratfor's willingness to rely on one source in sensitive matters, but the way that source is controlled. As one analyst was told by the CEO, control – "financial, sexual or psychological control" – must be taken over a source. But according to Assange, a lot of the information was very low-grade- and when it came to the Middle East, Stratfor analysts took control over just one (!) source. The Wikileaks founder went on to highlight the fact that despite all this, the company's so-called intelligence reports were still presented, accepted and acted upon by the US government. Assange also accused Stratfor of running a network of paid informants, monitoring activist groups on behalf of major multinationals and making investments based on its secret intelligence. "What we have discovered is a company that is a private intelligence Enron", he told reporters, referring to the Texas oil giant whose spectacular bankruptcy turned the company's name into a byword for corporate misconduct and fraud. Statfor has refused to comment on the information made available by Assange, and it is unclear whether their partnership with the US government and other clients is likely to be redefined after the leaks. Wikileaks, meanwhile, is working with its partners, such as Rolling Stone, ARD, La Reppublica and dozens more around the world, to spread the information it obtained…allegedly, with the help of a new partner. Collective hacktivist group Anonymous have confirmed they gave the emails to Wikileaks. "YourAnonNews", the hacker group's news service, have posted the statement on Twitter. "To clarify to all journalists – YES, Anonymous gave the STRATFOR emails obtained in the 2011 LulzXmas hack to WikiLeaks.” Leaking the Global Intelligence Files represents a new, much closer type of relationship between the two groups, with WikiLeaks actively distributing and promoting the fruits of Anonymous’ work. It’s certainly not the first time that WikiLeaks has published documents that were explicitly hacked rather than leaked by an insider–its past publications have included the stolen “Climategate” emails from East Anglia University and the hacked emails of Sarah Palin. But in September 2010, Wikileaks did not have a dropbox for insider info – and a collective of nameless hackers might be their most prolific new source. ||||| Wikileaks emails indicate Stratfor discovered Israel already destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities By Andrew Jones Monday, February 27, 2012 12:38 EDT Growing concerns over Iran’s nuclear facilities may prove to be all for naught. Officials from the global intelligence company Stratfor allegedly discussed that Israel may have already destroyed the Iranian nuclear facility, according to one of the emails released by Wikileaks Monday. In one of the over five million emails leaked, the conversation centered on Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak praising the news of deadly munitions blasts at a base of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. “I think this is a diversion. The Israelis already destroyed all the Iranian nuclear infrastructure on the ground weeks ago,” one intelligence official wrote in an email dated November 14, 2011. “The current ‘let’s bomb Iran’ campaign was ordered by the EU leaders to divert the public attention from their at home financial problems. It plays also well for the US since Pakistan, Russia and N. Korea are mentioned in the report. ” One other Stratfor official allegedly indicated a similar finding. “Israeli commandos in collaboration with Kurd forces destroyed few underground facilities mainly used for the Iranian defense and nuclear research projects,” he wrote on November 13, 2011. “Even if the Israelis have the capabilities and are ready to attack by air, sea and land, there is no need to attack the nuclear program at this point after the commandos destroyed a significant part of it.” Stratfor released a statement on Monday condemning the leaks. “This is a deplorable, unfortunate – and illegal – breach of privacy,” the company said. “Some of the emails may be forged or altered to include inaccuracies; some may be authentic. We will not validate either.”

– A tasty nugget from today’s Wikileaks release: the notion that Israel has already blown up Iran’s nuclear facilities, RT reports. According to a Stratfor email, a source said that rumors of a pending Israeli attack are “a diversion. The Israelis already destroyed all the Iranian nuclear infrastructure on the ground weeks ago." The November 14, 2011 email suggested that Israel had sent commandos into Iran, possibly with Kurdish militants, to blow up the plants. The emailer added that the "let's bomb Iran" campaign "was ordered by the EU leaders to divert the public attention from their at home financial problems," Raw Story reports. But Julian Assange is calling the email proof that Stratfor’s Middle East intelligence is low-grade. Speaking to reporters in London, the Wikileaks founder slammed Stratfor for writing reports based on just one Middle East source. He also accused the intelligence-gathering firm of spying on activist groups for multinationals and making investments using its private intelligence. "What we have discovered is a company that is a private intelligence Enron,” said Assange. (For another angle, see what Anonymous recently did to the firm.)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie covered their tracks to keep double mastectomy surgeries secret Pair used untraceable cars, early-morning appointments during medical odyssey Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have played spies and assassins on the big screen, and in real life they covered their tracks during Jolie's preventive double mastectomy surgeries. The couple used untraceable rental cars and early morning appointments to avoid discovery during Jolie's secret three-month medical odyssey, People magazine reports. "They really wanted Angie to be able to recover and rest before they shared the story," an unidentified family insider told People. In a stunning op-ed in the New York Times last week, Jolie revealed that she underwent the elective, preemptive double mastectomy in February and reconstructive surgery on April 27. She said that as a carrier of a "faulty" gene, she had an 87% chance of developing breast cancer and a 50% risk of getting ovarian cancer. RELATED: BRAD PITT: I WAS ON DRUGS, ‘WASTING' MY LIFE WITH JENNIFER ANISTON After her surgery, she said her risk of developing breast cancer has dropped to less than 5%. "I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer," she wrote. Jolie, 37, and Pitt, 49, have six young children together — Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne. The couple of seven years is often spotted taking the brood to museums, toy stores and movie sets around the world. The kids even visited Pitt on the set of his upcoming zombie flick "World War Z." Nick Ut/AP RELATED: BRAD PITT TO ESQUIRE: 'I HAVEN'T KNOWN LIFE TO BE ANY HAPPIER' "He would light up when his family showed up. It's just a very cool thing to see," Jeremy Kleiner, a longtime exec at Pitt's Plan B production company and a producer on "World War Z," told People. Kleiner said Pitt and Jolie's devotion to each other is equally evident. "They are very loving and inspiring to each other, exchanging ideas," he said. Pitt was by Jolie's side whenever she snuck out for one of the three surgeries involved in her case, according to the Pink Lotus Breast Center in Beverly Hills. For her first "nipple delay" surgery on Feb. 2, Pitt "was on hand to greet her as soon as she came around from the anesthetic, as he was during each of the operations," Dr. Kristi Funk wrote on the Pink Lotus website. RELATED: MASTECTOMIES TRANSCEND ANGELINA JOLIE BEYOND PAST IMAGE "I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive," Jolie wrote in her op-ed piece. In the new issue of Esquire magazine, Pitt admits his laser focus on his family means he has little time for outside friendships. "I have very few friends," the actor told Esquire. "I have a handful of close friends and I have my family and I haven't known life to be any happier. I'm making things. I just haven' t known life to be any happier." He said he embraces the "chaos" of his domesticity. "I always thought that if I wanted to do a family, I wanted to do it big," he said. "There's constant chatter in our house, whether it's giggling or screaming or crying or banging. I love it. I love it. I love it." [email protected] ||||| Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used early-morning medical appointments and rental cars to keep her recent health crisis secret, it’s been revealed. According to a new report, “Brad did everything he could to keep things secret and protect Angie,” a family insider told PEOPLE. PHOTOS: Angelina & The Kids On The Maleficent Set And Jolie’s doctor, Kristi Funk, told the magazine the 49-year-old actor was at Jolie’s side for every surgery. They even “managed to find moments to laugh together,” she said, as Jolie wrote her op-ed for the New York Times titled, My Medical Choice. In the article, the the Academy Award-winning actress revealed that between early February and late April she completed three months of preventive surgical procedures to remove both breasts. PHOTOS: Brad Pitt Shows Off A Different Side In Interview Magazine Pitt’s strength and devotion to Jolie, 37, has highlighted to unflagging bond between the pair, who met in 2004 and engaged in April, last year, much to the delight of their children — Maddox, 11, Pax, 9, Zahara, 8, Shiloh, 7, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 4. “In my mind, he’s already married,” Pitt’s friend and furniture-design partner, Frank Pollaro, said in a new interview. “This is an admirable person, a man with a deep love for his family.” PHOTOS: Hollywood’s Best Kept Secrets “They are very loving and inspiring to each other,” another colleague, Jeremy Kleiner, who is a long time executive at Pitt’s Plan B production company and a producer on his upcoming movie World War Z, told PEOPLE. “He would light up” on set “when his family showed up,” added Kleiner. “It’s just a very cool thing to see… Brad is passionate about his family. They’re a great source of happiness for him.” PHOTOS: Angelina Jolie Shows Off Her Sparkler At LACMA Though Jolie is leaning on her family at this time, there is little rest, however: She’s already planning to direct a movie, Unbroken, and was reportedly laboring over storyboard at home just a few days after her mastectomy. ||||| Talk about teamwork.In the weeks surrounding Angelina Jolie 's preventive double mastectomy and subsequent reconstructive surgery, her fiancé, Brad Pitt , served as her No. 1 support.At the bustling home they share with their six kids in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, "Brad did everything he could to keep things secret and protect Angie," a family insider tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story.Using early morning appointments and rental cars to avoid discovery, "They really wanted Angie to be able to recover and rest before they shared the story," says the insider.The actress's medical ordeal only deepened the bond between Jolie, 37, and Pitt, 49, a couple for seven years. Those close to them say the pair's teamwork is always on display, in public and private."They are very loving and inspiring to each other, exchanging ideas," says Jeremy Kleiner, a longtime exec at Pitt's Plan B production company and producer on his upcoming movie World War Z.On-set, "He would light up when his family showed up. It's just a very cool thing to see."For much more on this story, including Angelina's next surgery and how Brad's family has supported her, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE

– How did Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie manage to keep her double mastectomy a secret for so long? By making early morning doctor's appointments and not driving their actual cars to any of them, according to People. So what type of cars did they use? The New York Daily News calls them "untraceable cars," while Radar goes with the more conventional "rental cars." "Brad did everything he could to keep things secret and protect Angie," says a family insider. "They really wanted Angie to be able to recover and rest before they shared the story." PopSugar notes that Pitt even did an interview with Esquire during this time period and didn't reveal anything, though he did call Jolie "the best person" and revealed that he has "very few friends" outside of his family. (Angie has expressed a similar sentiment before.)

Alix Tichelman, the so-called ‘Harbor Hooker’ whose heroin shot killed her Google executive client Forest Hayes on his boat in the Santa Cruz Harbor on Nov. 23, 2013, was picked up by ICE last week after completing her jail sentence in Santa Cruz. Tichelman has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Canada, according to a Santa Cruz County court documents related to her bail amount. (Dan Coyro — Santa Cruz Sentinel file) SANTA CRUZ >> Alix Tichelman, the heroin addict and prostitute convicted of felony involuntary manslaughter in 2015, was detained by Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after she was released from a Santa Cruz jail on March 29, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. Tichelman has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Canada, according to a Santa Cruz County court documents related to her bail amount. Tichelman, who the media sensationalized with names such as the “Harbor Hooker,” made headlines in 2015 when she was found guilty of felony involuntary manslaughter and administering drugs to a 51-year-old Google executive from Santa Cruz who died from a heroin overdose on his yacht. “A month after she was sentenced in 2015, ICE sent a hold for Ms. Tichelman. On March 27 of this year, ICE requested we detain her for 24 hours longer than her sentence,” said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Sgt. Chris Clark. Pursuant to the California TRUST Act, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office refused to hold Tichelman any longer than her sentence dictated. The TRUST Act, which went into affect on Jan. 1, 2014, prohibits law enforcement from detaining an individual on the basis of immigration status. Pursuant to the California TRUTH Act, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office notified Tichelman and her attorney that ICE had requested the hold and intended to detain her. The TRUTH Act, which went into affect on Jan. 1, 2017, requires local law enforcement agency to provide notification to the individual and their attorney if that agency provides ICE with notification of an individual’s release date and time. “ICE agents were on hand at 5 a.m. March 29 when Ms. Tichelman was released,” said Clark. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement Public Affairs Officer James Schwab said his office was preparing a press release that would address the specifics of Tichelman’s detention. He said he could not address Tichelman’s immigration status until the department’s legal team was consulted. At the time of her release, Tichelman had served nearly two years in the Santa Cruz County Jail for the 2014 incident. On Nov. 23, 2014, Tichelman was aboard Google executive Forrest Hayes’ yacht, “Escape” in the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. Tichelman injected herself with heroin, prepared a second needle and consensually injected it into Hayes’ arm. Advertisement When Hayes clutched his chest and lost consciousness in the boat’s cabin, video surveillance shows Tichelman appear to coolly clear evidence of the drug use and later closed blinds to conceal him from outside view, as he lay unconscious and dying. The video shows her in the cabin for seven minutes after Hayes’ death, stepping over him with a glass of red wine in hand. Hayes’ body was found the next morning by the ship’s captain. ||||| The ex-call girl convicted in a Google executive’s heroin overdose death is now in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Federal immigration agents were waiting for Alix Tichelman, who holds dual citizenship with Canada, as she left a California jail just before dawn on March 29. She had just completed a nearly two-year sentence on an involuntary manslaughter charge. The 30-year-old prostitute injected her repeat customer, Google employee Forrest Hayes, with an accidental, but fatal dose of heroin during their maritime romp in 2014. Alix Tichelman was detained by ICE agents after ending her manslaughter sentence last week. (Shmuel Thaler/AP) She tried to revive the dying 51-year-old, but gave up as he slipped into unconsciousness. She finished her red wine and left his yacht parked in the Santa Cruz harbor. Cops reopening second death linked to escort in exec’s overdose ICE requested a 24-hour hold on Tichelman a month into her imprisonment in 2015 — and again two days before she ended her sentence, early, cops said. Tichelman was slapped with a five-year sentence but was released earlier for good behavior. Alix Tichleman served a nearly two-year sentence in the acidental overdose death of Google executive Forrest Hayes. (forrest hayes memorial) “ICE agents were on hand at 5 a.m. March 29 when Ms. Tichelman was released,” Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Clark said in a statement to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office refused to honor ICE’s request, citing the state’s TRUST Act. The measure prohibits law enforcement from using immigration holds to keep inmates behind bars beyond their sentence. Clark added that this is the fifth time ICE agents have staked out jail waiting to detain inmates upon release. Fla. college students cuffed in prostitution sting at Miami hotel ICE, which is under the Department of Homeland Security umbrella, started shaming dozens of defiant local jails for refusing to honor immigration detainers with weekly lists in February. So far, only two weeks’ worth of "Declined detainer outcome reports" is online. In May 2014, the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office issued a memo stating that law enforcement agencies require a valid arrest warrant to merit a hold. With News Wire Services Sign up for BREAKING NEWS Emails privacy policy Thanks for subscribing! ||||| Alix Tichelman, the woman who made international headlines as the "harbor hooker" and "call girl killer," was taken away by Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after she was released from a Santa Cruz jail last week, sources told KSBW. ICE had requested that deputies place Tichelman on an immigration hold, but they refused, because doing so went against the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office policies with handling inmates who are illegal immigrants. ICE agents were still able to find Tichelman as soon as she was freed and took her into federal custody, sources told KSBW's Phil Gomez. KSBW Alix Tichelman Tichelman was born in Canada and she is not an American citizen. "We had denied the request. ICE came to the Santa Cruz County Jail at about 5 a.m. and took custody of Miss Tichelman," Sheriff's Sgt. Chris Clark said. She could end up being deported. Tichelman pleaded guilty in May of 2015 to felony involuntary manslaughter and administering drugs, and she served nearly three years in the Santa Cruz County Jail. "Anyone with a felony is put in a very special category, and there's virtually no way of preventing their deportation," Santa Cruz County Immigration Project director Doug Keegan said. "Given the seriousness of the conviction, even the notoriety from that, I believe it would be classified as an aggravated felony and her ability to somehow defend against that in deportation (hearings) is very, very slim," Keegan said. --- Download the KSBW news app for breaking news Facebook Tichelman At the time of her arrest, Tichelman had been living with her wealthy parents in Northern California. Tichelman's father is the CEO of a California technology company. She spent most of her childhood growing up in Georgia. It's unclear when her family moved to the U.S. VIDEO: Who is Alix Tichelman? Tichelman holds a U.S. green card. Bail documents erroneously state that she is a duel citizen of Canada and the U.S. ICE spokesman James Schwab said federal authorities would never detain or consider deporting anyone who is an American citizen. Santa Cruz police said Tichelman, 29, was responsible for the death of a millionaire Google executive, Forrest Timothy Hayes. The 51-year-old married father of five lived on the westside of Santa Cruz before he died from a heroin overdose on his yacht in the Santa Cruz harbor on Nov. 23, 2013. Police said Hayes hired Tichelman several times for drug-fueled sex after they met on the website SeekingArrangement.com. Surveillance video from the yacht showed Hayes extending his arm as Tichelman injected him. Police said it was obvious he was dying as he collapsed to the floor, but Tichelman never called 911. Defense attorney Larry Biggam said Tichelman injected herself with heroin before she injected Hayes, and the drugs clouded her judgement at the time. Forrest Timothy Hayes "This case is about two adults who were engaged in mutual consensual drug usage in the context of a sexual encounter initiated and encouraged by Mr. Hayes. There was no intent to harm or injure, much less kill, Mr. Hayes. Why would she? He was a lucrative source of income to her," Biggam said in 2014. "To demonize, and sensationalize, and totally blame Alix Tichelman for his death is misplaced, unfair, and simply wrong. She's like a wounded bird." She pleaded guilty to two felonies before the case went to trial, and a judge sentenced her to serve six years in jail. KSBW Alix Tichelman According to her Facebook profile, Tichelman went to high school in Atlanta, Georgia, majored in journalism at Georgia State University, and worked as a dancer, makeup artist, and model. A YouTube video uploaded in 2012 shows Tichelman giving a makeup tutorial. Her ex-boyfriend, 53-year-old monkey trainer Dean Riopelle, died from a heroin overdose in Georgia two months before Hayes' death. Riopelle's death was ruled as accidental. Tichelman completed drug rehab programs during her time in jail because she was addicted to heroin. But once she is walking free, whether in the U.S. or Canada, some are worried she will struggle with staying clean, her public defender said. For now, Tichelman remains in ICE's custody and is scheduled to appear before a U.S. immigration judge in San Francisco Wednesday. "She will remain in DHS/ICE custody pending removal proceedings," Schwab said. AlertMe

– The prostitute who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and administering drugs in the 2013 death of a Google executive aboard his yacht has been released from custody early due to good behavior—but she might not be hanging around the US for long. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office says Alix Tichelman was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials immediately upon her release from Santa Cruz jail on March 29, reports the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Agents had filed a 24-hour hold request a month after she was sentenced in 2015 and again days before her release, reports the New York Daily News. However, jail officials refused to hold Tichelman since the law prohibits them from detaining a person for immigration reasons. Instead, ICE agents arrived to take Tichelman into custody at her release around 5am. ICE officials haven't commented—a rep tells the Sentinel that a press release is in the works—but the director of the Santa Cruz County Immigration Project says "anyone with a felony is put in a very special category, and there's virtually no way of preventing their deportation." Tichelman was born in Canada but spent much of her childhood in Georgia, reports KSBW. She was living in California at the time of her arrest.

Blake Lively is officially a mom, as Baby Reynolds has arrived a bit ahead of schedule. While we don’t know the baby’s sex and weight nor do we know his or her name just yet, my sources have confirmed that Lively’s bundle of joy, her first with husband Ryan Reynolds, is here. Pop open a bottle of bubbly — even if it’s just ginger ale — and raise a glass, because it’s time to celebrate. The baby supposedly arrived around the holidays, just before the New Year, so he or she was born in 2014 and was quite the Christmas gift for mom and dad. Lively reportedly gave birth near the pair’s home in Bedford, N.Y, and both mom and baby are in good health, despite the early arrival, which is the best news of all. “The Bedford house is all prepared,” a source spills. “They’re going to stay up there for the baby’s first days.” How delightfully precious. I can’t say I blame the pair for wanting to nuzzle and protect their genetically blessed newborn — and cherish the privacy for as long as they can. Oh my lovelies, I cannot wait to find out the baby’s name, gender, and to see a photo. The excitement and anticipation is almost too much! Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds’ Cutest Moments Skip this Ad ADVERTISEMENT ||||| Blake Lively gave birth to her and Ryan Reynolds’ first child over the holidays, Page Six can exclusively reveal. The 27-year-old actress gave birth to their child near their home in Bedford, NY, just before the new year. Lively and Reynolds, 37, married in 2012. The child arrived earlier than expected, but we’re told that mom and baby are both healthy and doing well. Lively, who has looked stunning as an expectant mom, said in October that pregnancy was a dream come true for her. She told Us Weekly, “It’s something that I’ve always wanted ever since I was a little girl … I knew I wanted to have a lot of kids because I had come from a big family so it was always important to me. So it’s just the excitement of that finally being here.” A rep for Lively, Leslie Sloane, repeatedly declined to comment, claiming the actress and Reynolds could not be reached.

– If Page Six's sources are to be believed, Blake Lively has already given birth after a pregnancy that did not last nearly so long as, say, the seemingly interminable pregnancies of either Kim Kardashian or Jessica Simpson. After announcing they were expecting in October, Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds welcomed their first baby "earlier than expected," Page Six says, with 27-year-old Lively reportedly giving birth near the couple's Bedford, NY, home late last month. She and the baby are both said to be doing well. Gossip Girl, of course, also confirms the news.

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter might play a significant role in the second coming of Christ, evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham says. "The Bible says that every eye is going to see [the second coming]," Graham told "This Week" anchor Christiane Amanpour. "How is the whole world going to see [Jesus Christ] all at one time? I don't know, unless all of a sudden everybody's taking pictures and it's on the media worldwide. I don't know. Social media could have a big part in that." Graham said he believes that when Jesus returns to earth from heaven, he will come on the clouds and the world will record the event using cell phones and cameras. "Just look at what's happening in Libya or Egypt," said Graham, 58, who recently faced criticism for saying that the Japanese tsunami might foretell the second coming of Christ. "Everybody's got their phone up and everybody's taking recordings and posting it on YouTube and whatever and sending it to you, and it gets shown around the world." Amanpour's interview with the Rev. Franklin Graham will air Sunday on ABC's "This Week." ||||| Sponsored Links The Rev. Franklin Graham says he knows what could be the ultimate trending topic on Twitter: the second coming of Christ.Graham, son of the prominent and politically connected Christian evangelist Billy Graham, gave an Easter prophecy of his own on Sunday, telling ABC's "This Week" host Christiane Amanpour that social media could be the way in which Jesus Christ's second coming could be revealed to the world."The Bible says that every eye is going to see [the Second Coming]," Graham said. "How is the whole world going to see [Jesus Christ] all at one time? I don't know, unless all of a sudden everybody's taking pictures and it's on the media worldwide. I don't know. Social media could have a big part in that."Graham, 58, noted the role that social media like Facebook and Twitter have played in revolutions across North Africa and the Middle East."Look at what's happening in Libya or Egypt. Everybody's got their phone out and everybody's taking recordings and posting it on YouTube or whatever and sending it to you, and it gets shown around the world," he said.Last month, Graham garnered criticism for saying he believes natural disasters like Japan's devastating earthquake could be a sign that Armageddon is near."What are the signs of [Christ's] Second Coming? War and famine and earthquakes ... escalating like labor pains," Graham told NewsMax . "Maybe this is it, I don't know."He repeated that prediction Sunday in his interview with ABC. "I believe there's no question, I believe we're in the latter days of this age," Graham said.Graham also added some predictions when it comes to U.S. politics, saying that he doesn't believe Sarah Palin will run for president in 2012 and that he finds Mitt Romney a "capable" politician.As for Donald Trump, Graham said, "I first saw that he was getting in, I thought, Well, this has got to be a joke," the evangelist said. "But the more you listen to him, the more you say to yourself, You know, maybe this guy's right."

– If you want to make sure you know about Christ's second coming the moment it happens, better get on Twitter and Facebook. The Rev. Franklin Graham says social media could play "a big part" in Christ's return, because the Bible says that "every eye" will see it, he told Christiane Amanpour on ABC's This Week yesterday. "How is the whole world going to see [Jesus Christ] all at one time? I don't know, unless all of a sudden everybody's taking pictures and it's on the media worldwide," he said. Graham, son of well-known evangelist Billy Graham, pointed out that social media has played a large role in the uprisings going on around the Arab world. "Everybody's got their phone out and everybody's taking recordings and posting it on YouTube or whatever and sending it to you, and it gets shown around the world," he said. He added that he does believe "we're in the latter days of this age" and the second coming is near, notes Aol News. Click for more, including Graham's thoughts on the 2012 presidential contenders.

Chastened Bloomberg fights to save reputation after string of snow-removal snafus Ward for News Mayor Bloomberg briefs the press about the city's response to the blizzard at OEM Headquarters in Brooklyn. A testy Mayor Bloomberg fended off criticism of the city's failure to clear hundreds of snow-choked streets Tuesday as an avalanche of critics attacked his reputation as a supermanager. "This mayor prides himself on saying the buck stops with him, and it should. We hold him responsible for what we're calling theBloomberg Blizzard," said CityCouncilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn). "The whole world is laughing that the greatest city in the world cannot manage to clear the streets. New York today looks like a Third World country." Greenfield, normally a backer of the mayor, said every side street - and some larger avenues - in Borough Park were waiting for a plow 30 hours after the storm's end. Similar and worse complaints were heard from much of the snow-buried city outside Manhattan. A Queens woman's death Monday was blamed on the backlog of911 calls and on snow-clogged streets that delayed first responders from reaching her Corona home, said state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Queens). "Like many New Yorkers, I woke up two days straight to an unplowed street outside my frontdoor," said city Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. "This is not business as usual, and frustration is mounting." Bloomberg asked for patience. "This storm is not like any other we've had to deal with," he said. "We are doing everything we canthink of, working as hard as wecan." He traveled to hard-hit Brooklyn and acknowledged the anger of people whose streets hadn't been plowed. "I'm angry, too," he said. Bloomberg insisted city workers were doing their best. "We won't get to everybody every time," he said. "Yelling about it and complaining doesn't help." Still, the chorus of complaints about the city's sluggish response was just getting revved up. "This is unacceptable," said CityCouncil Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan), who set a Jan. 10 hearing on how the storm was handled. "The mayor has to stop acting like 'Baghdad Bob' saying the streets are fine. No they aren't. Where the hell are the plows?" Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Queens) wrote on Facebook. "Seniors are trapped at home with little or no food. Emergency vehicles aren't able to respond to emergencies," said Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn). "This lack of response from the city cannot go unanswered." Mike for President? Ha! Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said city residents outside Manhattan scoffed at Bloomberg's vaunted management skills. "He wants to run for President? Can you imagine a national catastrophe or crisis if hecan't even plow the streets ofthe Bronx?" Diaz said. ||||| Have you ever watched a child play with toy trucks? Like, backhoes and front-end loaders and other heavy machinery made of plastic? They love to drive and smash them around, as if the light toys were actually causing serious damage, or at least doing some heavy lifting. Well, that's what it's like to watch these Sanitation Department workers attempting to pull a snowplow out of an embankment on Joralemon Street in Brooklyn Heights yesterday. Except the massive machines that are floundering about are very much real, and they are very much destroying a white Ford Explorer and the cars around it. If you watch the video with the sound turned off (which we kind of recommend at first because the guy who filmed it is firing off expletives left and right), it almost looks innocent and silly. But then when you listen to the crunching noises, you realize what kind of damage these things are actually doing. The kicker? The Ford that received the brunt of the damage was a city-owned vehicle. [via NYP]

– Rough day for Mayor Bloomberg, who faced the media to plead for patience with storm cleanup. He was at various times "chastened" (Daily News), "testy" (New York Post), "conciliatory" (New York Times) and even sarcastic—as when he replied, "I regret everything in the world" after being pressed on the city's response amid mounting criticism. Scores of streets remain unplowed, and the mayor said he couldn't guarantee crews would get to them in the next 24 hours. "This storm is not like any other we’ve had to deal with,” he said. “We are doing everything we possibly can.” At another point, he interrupted a question to say, "I'm angry, too." The overall tone was a marked contrast to yesterday's news conference, notes the Times, the one in which he declared: “The world has not come to an end. The city is going fine.” Click here to see street crews destroy a Ford Explorer, and not on purpose.

NEW YORK (AP) — Four teenagers were taken into police custody in connection with an alleged group rape of an 18-year-old woman at a Brooklyn playground, an incident that the mayor called a "horrific attack." Police said Sunday two teenagers surrendered and two were apprehended. Charges were pending against a 14-year-old, 17-year-old and two 15-year-olds. A fifth suspect is still being sought. Authorities said the woman was accosted just after 9 p.m. Thursday as she and her father walked inside Osborn Playground in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. Police said there were five suspects, and one pointed a gun at the father and told him to leave. Each man raped the woman, police said. The father returned with two police officers, but the attackers fled. The woman was treated at Kings County Hospital and released. "I am disgusted and deeply saddened by the horrific attack," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement released Sunday. He added, "Every New Yorker in every neighborhood deserves to feel safe and protected, and we will not stop until the perpetrators of this disturbing attack are held accountable for their actions." Elected officials, residents and activists spoke out against the alleged assault on Sunday, offering a reward for information leading to an arrest. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams released a statement saying he was "sickened" by reports of the attack and called on the New York Police Department to conduct a full investigation "not only to identify all those responsible for this horrific attack, but also to determine if everything possible was done to protect the victim and the public." An NYPD police spokesman said there was no delay in the police response. "A patrol car from the 73rd Precinct was approached on the street and told about the attack by the victim's father, who directed the officers to the scene," police spokesman Stephen Davis said. "The police officers immediately responded and located the victim," Davis said. "The suspects had already fled." Adams on Sunday also questioned why the police waited until Saturday night, 48 hours later, to alert the public of the crime when it released surveillance video they said showed the men in a bodega before the alleged incident. Davis said the commanding officer of the precinct began contacting local community leaders about the alleged rape on Friday. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the site of the attack is a playground, not a park. ||||| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites.

– Two teenagers accused of taking part in a gang rape that shocked New York City were turned in by their own mothers, police say. Two other suspects were apprehended and another is still at large, according to police, who say that two of the teens in custody are 15 years old, one is 17, and one is 14, reports the New York Daily News. In a statement Sunday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was "disgusted and deeply saddened" by the horrific Thursday night attack on an 18-year-old girl who had been in a Brooklyn playground with her father, the AP reports. "Every New Yorker in every neighborhood deserves to feel safe and protected, and we will not stop until the perpetrators of this disturbing attack are held accountable for their actions," the mayor said. Police have denied that there was any delay in responding to the attack, saying that there was no 911 call after the attack and they "immediately responded and located the victim" after being alerted by the father, who flagged down a police car after being ordered to leave by a teen with a gun, the New York Times reports. A bodega owner near the scene of the attack in Brownsville tells the Daily News that the father came into his store first, asking to use the phone to call 911, but he refused because he didn't believe the father's story. The victim, who was treated at Kings County Hospital after the attack, is "OK," her mother told the Daily News on Sunday. “I want them to get caught and go to jail for a long time," she added. "I feel bad, horrible."

A Los Angeles-bound American Airlines flight carrying 188 people was forced to return to London’s Heathrow Airport after several flight attendants and crew members fell ill mid-flight, the airline told ABC. One flight attendant "literally just fainted... just fell forward, put her hand out and hit the floor," passenger Kris Evans told ABC News. "It was crazy." The Boeing 777, which took off at 12:05 p.m., landed safely in London about five hours later, where it was met by ambulances, American Airlines said. Paramedics examined, then discharged, six patients who complained of feeling unwell, according to the London Ambulance Service. It was unclear what caused the patients to feel sick, but crews investigating the plane found no evidence of hazardous substances, according to the London Fire Brigade. ABC News' Matt Hosford, Becky Perlow, Daniel Steinberger, and Rashid Haddou contributed to this report. ||||| An American Airlines flight to Los Angeles was forced to return to London Heathrow after seven flight staff and many passengers collapsed due to mysterious illness. Passengers were shocked to see flight attendants collapse in the aisles, sparking fears about contamination in the air conditioning. When Flight AA109 was airborne near Keflavik in Iceland, an announcement in the passenger cabin asked for any doctors onboard to come forward. One passenger, Lee Gunn, told the Mirror: "About 2.5 hours into the flight just as we were passing Iceland we had a tannoy announcement asking for any doctors, nurses or medical professionals on board to report to the boarding doors to assist with unwell passengers. "The lights then came on in the cabin and there was lots of commotion. "It was also reported that seven of the crew - 13 on board in total I believe - had fallen ill, along with 'many passengers'." The welcome into Heathrow earlier! #AA109... What a day! pic.twitter.com/qg0ge99Zvi — Lee Gunn (@gunn_lee) January 27, 2016 Another passenger, Alan Gray, told MailOnline: "One of the flight attendants was walking down the aisle when she collapsed. Then up to six other cabin crew members said they felt light-headed and as though they were going to faint. "It was at that point the captain said he was turning the plane around. He said he wasn't willing to take the risk to keep going and hadn't got the crew to do it. "It was just a bit mad. We didn't really know what was going on." Why you need to watch the in-flight safety briefing The American Airlines flight landed at Heathrow airport, five hours after it had left. Passengers were not allowed to disembark while the plane was surrounded by police cars, ambulances and fire crews. London Ambulance crews checked over six patients who were feeling unwell and discharged them on the scene. A spokesperson for American Airlines confirmed the plane turned round due to a medical emergency and said it was not security-related. ||||| Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Mystery surrounds an unknown illness which has spread though a passenger jet and forced it to turn round. Up to seven of 13 crew members and "many passengers" were struck down with the strange disease - but at this stage no one knows what it is. A British passenger has described panic on board the American Airlines flight from London Heathrow to LAX a when crew asked if there was a doctor on board. A spokesman for the airline said there was "medical emergency" and people on the flight were "ill" but had no other information. Read more: Doctor describes burning smell on mystery illness plane Flight AA109 was close to Keflavik, a town in southwest Iceland, when crew declared a medical emergency and decided to head back to London. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now Passengers were asked if there was a doctor on board before the decision to abort the flight was taken at approximately 2.50pm. Read more: British passenger describes panic on American Airlines flight as '7 of 13 crew and many passengers taken ill' Paramedics and fire crews surrounded the plane as it landed at Heathrow moments ago. Lee Gunn, who was on board the flight, told the Mirror Online: "About 2.5 hours into the flight just as we were passing Iceland we had a Tannoy announcement asking for any doctors, nurses or medical professionals on board to report to the boarding doors to assist with unwell passengers. (Image: Lee Gunn) "The lights then came on in the cabin and there was lots of commotion. "I'm a bit of a plane geek myself so thought 'here we go, Reykjavik here we come' but it was announced about 20 minutes after we were going to divert back to LHR. "It was also reported that 7 of the crew - 13 on board in total I believe - had fallen ill, along with 'many' passengers." (Image: Lee Gunn) The flight was met by Paramedics as it touched down at Heathrow just moments ago - five hours after it first took off. It is thought the passengers luggage may have been retained for checks by the carrier. Read more: American Airlines flight attendants taken to HOSPITAL after hitting bad turbulence on way to Manchester Airport A statement from American Airlines said: "American Airlines Flight AA 109, a Boeing 777-300, operating to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from London Heathrow, is returning to Heathrow due to a medical emergency. "The aircraft departed London Heathrow at 1205 local time and is expected to land at Heathrow at 1700 local time. "We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience to their travel plans."

– An American Airlines flight bound for Los Angeles had to return to London on Wednesday after passengers and crew fell ill on board. One flight attendant "literally just fainted ... just fell forward, put her hand out and hit the floor," one of 188 passengers on board tells ABC News. "It was crazy." Another passenger tells the Daily Mirror there was "lots of commotion" as crew members asked if there were any doctors on board to treat the ill, which included at least two passengers and four crew members, some of whom said they felt light-headed. (The numbers are all over the map: The Independent, for instance, says seven members of the crew and "many passengers" initially fell ill.) The flight was near Iceland when the pilot made the decision to return to Heathrow Airport, making an emergency landing about five hours after takeoff. "There were police cars, ambulances, and firefighters who escorted us down the runway and then we were held for 45 minutes before docking," a passenger says, per the Telegraph. Crews searched the plane but found no hazardous substances. All unwell passengers and crew members were examined and released. Officials say the plane was being inspected by maintenance engineers.

Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) In the savannah of Alatash National Park, the lion sleeps tonight. This remote part of north-west Ethiopia was considered a possible habitat for lions, but it is seldom visited by people. Now an expedition by the University of Oxford’s Conservation Research Unit has discovered that lions are indeed alive and well in the park – a rare extension of their known range. Advertisement “During my professional career I have had to revise the lion distribution map many times,” says Hans Bauer, who led the expedition. “I have deleted one population after the other. This is the first and probably the last time that I’m putting a new one up there.” To spot the lions, Bauer and his team set up camera traps on a dry river bed. “While I was walking to find some trees to put the camera on, I already saw some footprints,” says Bauer. “That was the eureka moment when I was sure that there really are lions.” Caught on camera Then it was a case of catching them on film, and on the second night, the lions obliged. Alatash is adjacent to a much larger national park in Sudan, Dinder National Park. Bauer believes it’s likely there are lions there as well, with perhaps 100 to 200 individuals in the two parks combined. About 20,000 lions are left in the wild across Africa. Lion populations in west and central Africa are declining, and may halve in 20 years. Bauer thinks the lions of Alatash face fewer threats than many populations. “The situation is fairly positive,” he says. “I think the fact that the Ethiopian government recently made it a national park is a giant leap forward. Now we have to support them in improving park management, but I think they’re taking it very seriously.” Read more: Last of the lions ||||| JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Conservationists say they have confirmed the existence of lions in a remote national park in Ethiopia, a rare piece of good news for a threatened species whose numbers have plunged in many parts of Africa. Born Free, a charity based in Britain, said in a statement Monday that the discovery was made in Alatash National Park in northwest Ethiopia, on the border with Sudan. The charity says conservationists obtained camera trap images of lions and also identified lion tracks, confirming reports from local residents that lions were in the area. Born Free funded the research, which was carried out by a team led by Hans Bauer. He works for the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at Oxford University in Britain.

– Conservationists say they have confirmed the existence of lions in a remote national park in Ethiopia, a rare piece of good news for a threatened species whose numbers have plunged in many parts of Africa, the AP reports. Born Free, a charity based in Britain, said in a statement Monday that the discovery was made in Alatish National Park in northwest Ethiopia, on the border with Sudan. The charity says conservationists obtained camera trap images of lions and also identified lion tracks, confirming reports from local residents that lions were in the area. "During my professional career I have had to revise the lion distribution map many times," lead researcher Hans Bauer tells New Scientist. "I have deleted one population after the other. This is the first and probably the last time that I’m putting a new one up there." Alatish borders on Sudan's Dinder National Park, which Bauer thinks is also home to lions—with a combined population of 100 to 200.

A former swimwear model told a Spanish court on Monday that she did not murder her British former boyfriend in his Costa del Sol mansion, claiming she shot him dead in self-defence. Maria Kukucova, normally known as Mayka Kukucova, wept as she told the jury on the first day of her murder trial in Malaga that there had been a struggle with Bristol-based millionaire Andrew Bush and the revolver in his hand had gone off accidentally. “I didn’t want to cause him any harm,” the 26-year-old Slovakian model said of the night of April 5, 2014 that ended the 48-year-old jeweller’s life. “The gun just went off. I just wanted to break free from his grasp." ||||| MALAGA, Spain (AP) — A Slovakian model on trial in the fatal shooting of her British millionaire ex-boyfriend tearfully testified Monday that he pulled out a pistol and it went off while they struggled for it. Prosecutors say Maria Kukucova shot Andrew Bush twice in the head and once in the shoulder at his home in the southern beach resort of Estepona on April 5, 2014, and are seeking to have her imprisoned for 20 years. Kukucova, 26, testified she didn't know how many shots were fired because the first one was so loud that she went temporarily deaf, hearing nothing just after it. "I didn't want to cause him any harm," Kukucova said, sniffling and trying to hold back tears. "The gun just went off. I only wanted to break free from his grasp." Her jury trial in Malaga started Monday and is expected to last at least three days. Bush was 48 and owned a jewelry store in Britain where Kukucova had worked before he moved to Spain. The two broke up about a month before the killing following a relationship of more than two years. Kukucova testified she spent two days alone inside his house and that he arrived after a trip with a Russian girlfriend, Maria Korotaeva. Bush told Korotaeva to go outside the home and get into his car after finding Kukucova in his home, and he and Kukucova started fighting, the suspect testified. She said he pointed the gun at her and that it went off during their struggle. After the killing, Kukucova ordered Korotaeva to get out of the car and drove away, according to court testimony. The suspect is also charged with stealing Bush's car. Kukucova fled to Slovakia and turned herself in to police four days after the killing. She was extradited to Spain a month later. Bush's sister and niece were present in the courtroom, as well as Kukucova's parents, and Korotaeva. ___ Alan Clendenning reported from Madrid. ___ A previous version of this story has been corrected to show that the suspect's first name is Maria, not Mayka.

– A Slovakian model on trial in the fatal shooting of her British millionaire ex-boyfriend tearfully testified Monday that he pulled out a pistol and it went off while they struggled for it, the AP reports. Prosecutors say Maria Kukucova shot Andrew Bush twice in the head and once in the shoulder at his home in the southern beach resort of Estepona on April 5, 2014, and are seeking to have her imprisoned for 20 years. Kukucova, 26, testified she didn't know how many shots were fired because the first one was so loud that she went temporarily deaf, hearing nothing just after it. "I didn't want to cause him any harm," Kukucova says, sniffling and trying to hold back tears. "The gun just went off. I only wanted to break free from his grasp." Her jury trial in Malaga started Monday and is expected to last at least three days. Bush was 48 and owned a jewelry store in Britain where Kukucova had worked before he moved to Spain. The two broke up about a month before the killing following a relationship of more than two years. Kukucova testified she spent two days alone inside his house and that he arrived after a trip with a Russian girlfriend, Maria Korotaeva. Bush told Korotaeva to go outside the home and get into his car after finding Kukucova, and he and Kukucova started fighting, the suspect testified. Kukucova claims Bush grabbed her and said he'd kill her and her family, then locked the door and pointed the gun at her, the Telegraph reports. Kukucova fled to Slovakia and turned herself in to police four days after the killing. She was extradited to Spain a month later.

Donald Trump delivered Saturday on his plan to use historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as the setting for a closing argument in his Republican presidential campaign -- but not before lashing out again at familiar targets including rival Hillary Clinton, a “rigged” America and female accusers whom he branded ”liars.” Trump vowed after the election to sue the nearly one dozen women who have recently gone to the media with allegations about his sexual misconduct, a situation that Trump says has rigged the election against him. “Every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign -- total fabrication,” Trump told the crowd. The events never happened. Never. All of these liars will be sued after the election is over.” In what Trump billed as a “Contract with the American Voter,” the first-time candidate vowed to within the first 100 days of office to take six majors steps -- including putting term limits on members of Congress. “It is a contract between myself and the American voter and begins with restoring honesty, accountability and change to Washington,” Trump said. As part of the contract, Trump wants to impose the term limits through a Constitutional amendment and have a 5 year-ban on White House and congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service. And he wants to impose a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government; “I am not a politician,” Trump also said Saturday. “But when I saw the trouble our country was in, I felt I had to act.” Trump also said that if elected his administration would try to undo an emerging deal in which AT&T will buy Time Warner, which would create a major media conglomerate. With Election Day now just 17 days away and Trump trailing Clinton in essentially every poll, the GOP nominee is working to assure voters that he is as capable and knowledgeable about policy as he is about rough-and-tumble electoral politics. "Trump will use the historic setting of Gettysburg where the country was saved,” a senior campaign source told Fox News before the speech. “He will lay out a concise program that he will commit to execute from the first day in office.” Gettysburg is where Republican President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address in November 1863 in an attempt to unify Americans amid the Civil War. Clinton has had a clear policy advantage over Trump since Day One of the 2016 White House race, considering she is a former first lady, New York senator and secretary of state. Throughout the campaign, and particularly in the candidates’ third-and-final debate Wednesday night, Trump has argued that Clinton, in her 30 years in politics, has failed to solve any major domestic or foreign issues for the United States. On Saturday, Trump again suggested Clinton lied to the FBI and Justice Department in their investigations into her use of a private server system as secretary of state because she said during the probes 36 times that she couldn’t recall what she had done. Trump is making several stops this weekend in Pennsylvania, one of a handful of battleground states that he must win to become president. He trails Clinton in Pennsylvania by 6 percent points, according to the RealClearPolitics polls average. However, Trump appears in the past few days to be cutting into Clinton’s lead, in part with his repeated message that the liberal media has rigged the election. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday showed Trump having cut Clinton’s lead in half. “The media refuses to talk about the three new national polls that have me in first place,” Trump tweeted overnight. “Biggest crowds ever -- watch what happens!” ||||| Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks to The Associated Press during an interview in Boston, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016. (Josh Reynolds/Associated Press) WASHINGTON — The Latest on the presidential campaign (all times EDT): 2:45 p.m. Donald Trump’s running mate is getting a warm welcome in small-town Ohio. Mike Pence delighted thousands Saturday at the Circleville Pumpkin Show. He walked the streets, greeted supporters and climbed atop a flatbed trailer to examine prize-winning 1,500-pound pumpkins. It was among several unannounced stops for Pence before his evening rally with Trump in Cleveland. Circleville is reliable Republican territory. Mitt Romney won 58 percent in surrounding Pickaway County four years ago. Trump is trying to maximize his advantage outside Ohio’s largest cities in hopes of flipping a state President Barack Obama won twice. ___ 2:30 p.m. Hillary Clinton’s campaign says Donald Trump has given the country an unvarnished look at what a Trump presidency might look like. Trump’s advisers billed his Saturday speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as a preview of the agenda for his first 100 days in office. But the GOP nominee went after the women who’ve accused him of sexual assault or other inappropriate behavior. He’s threatening to sue them and he accuses Democrats of orchestrating the allegations. Clinton spokeswoman Christina Reynolds says Trump’s “new policy was to promise political and legal retribution against the women who have accused him of groping them.” ___ 2 p.m Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine is voicing optimism that a Democratic White House could work with Republicans, despite the divisiveness of the campaign. He tells The Associated Press that he and Hillary Clinton have not been running a broad-brush race against Republicans, but rather against the nominee, Donald Trump. He also predicts the Democratic ticket will get a lot of Republican votes, and that will help bring the country together if Clinton becomes president. ___ 1:45 p.m. By most accounts, Hillary Clinton bested Donald Trump in three debates. She leads in many preference polls of battleground states across the country. And barring a significant shift in the next two weeks, she is in a strong position to become the first woman elected president. But Clinton will probably end the campaign still struggling to change the minds of millions of Americans who don’t think well of her. While many Americans see her as better prepared to be commander in chief than Trump, she’s consistently viewed unfavorably by more than half of potential voters. Most also consider her dishonest. Clinton’s advisers spent months trying to overhaul that perception. But as Clinton starts making her closing argument to voters, her advisers appear to have come to terms with that unfulfilled mission. ___ 1:15 p.m. Donald Trump is taking a quick tour of the Gettysburg National Military Park after delivering a speech near the historic Civil War site. Trump was greeted by park visitors and spent time speaking with a park ranger. He was joined by campaign staff as well as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The visit follows Trump’s speech laying out policies he’d seek to enact during his first 100 days as president. ___ 12:45 p.m. Donald Trump is laying out a 100-day plan he says will guide him if he makes it to the White House in 2017. In the symbolic setting of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the Republican nominee on Saturday summarized the policy proposals he’s introduced over the course of the campaign. Trump says he’ll clean up corruption by pushing for new congressional term limits and by increasing restrictions on lobbying by former government officials. He says that he’ll deport without delay immigrants who are imprisoned for violent crimes. And he says he will cancel visas for countries that refuse to take such people back. ___ 12:40 p.m. Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine has hired a transition director to help him prepare to take office should he and running mate Hillary Clinton win the election. Kaine tells The Associated Press he’s tasked Wayne Turnage to help with transition planning. Turnage was Kaine’s chief of staff when Kaine was governor of Virginia. Turnage now is director of the District of Columbia’s Department of Health Care Finance. Kaine says he asked Turnage to help because in recent weeks, “the prospect of winning is such that we better start doing some thinking about practicalities.” ___ 12:30 p.m. Donald Trump is threatening to sue all of the women who have come forward in recent days accusing him of groping and sexual assault. Trump says in a speech intended to make his closing argument to voters that the women are “liars” attempting to undermine his campaign. And he says all will be sued once the election is over. Trump spoke in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday to lay out his earliest priorities should he become president. He’s continuing to make the case that the election is rigged against him, and complains that “corrupt” media are fabricating stories to make him look “as bad and dangerous as possible.” ___ Noon Mike Pence is delivering the hard sell on Donald Trump to conservative Christians in presidential battleground Ohio. The Republican vice presidential hopeful told a Faith and Freedom Coalition gathering in Circleville that Trump is the right man to pick Supreme Court justices. He emphasized that Trump supports overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Pence says Democrat Hillary Clinton would empower more “unelected judges” to use “unaccountable power” to make “unconstitutional decisions.” The Indiana governor also says Trump would roll back a longstanding federal ban on churches engaging in explicit political activity, including endorsing candidates. Some polls suggest Trump is falling short of GOP presidential nominees’ usual performance among white evangelicals. Pence told his listeners they would be “the difference makers in Ohio and all across America.” ___ 11:15 a.m. Evangelical leader Ralph Reed says the political arm of his Faith and Freedom Coalition is engaged in an unprecedented outreach to conservative Christians in presidential battlegrounds. Reed told a gathering Saturday at Crossroads Church in Circleville, Ohio, that coalition volunteers already have knocked on 772,000 doors in 10 states. He says a digital campaign has placed 32 million online ads on the devices of voters. Reed told the audience to pray before the election “like it all depends on God” but “work like it all depends on you.” Reed was speaking at an event headlined by GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence. The Indiana governor is a favorite of evangelicals and sought to reassure them about GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. ___ 10:20 a.m. Early voting is surging less than three weeks before Election Day. As of Saturday, more than 5.3 million votes have been cast, far ahead of the pace at this time in 2012. Balloting is underway in 34 out of 37 early-voting states, both in person and by mail. Hillary Clinton so far appears be showing strength in pivotal states such as North Carolina and Florida. Donald Trump has shown promise in Iowa and Ohio. In all, more than 46 million people are expected to vote before Election Day — or as much as 40 percent of all votes cast. ___ 9:50 a.m. A new GOP ad in the Missouri Senate race acknowledges that Hillary Clinton is likely to be president and warns against sending a Democratic senator to join her. It’s the latest example of an ad strategy that Republicans have begun employing as Donald Trump’s defeat looks increasingly likely. Here’s the message: Elect Republicans to be a “check and balance” against Clinton. The ad backing GOP Sen. Roy Blunt is by from the Senate Leadership Fund. It’s a well-funded Senate campaign committee run by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. The ads shows the Democratic candidate in Missouri, Jason Kander, morphing into Clinton and claims the two are identical on issues including immigration and liberal Supreme Court justices. The narrator says: “One Hillary in Washington would be bad enough, reject Jason Kander.” ___ 9:35 a.m. Mike Pence is praising agriculture as an economic and cultural pillar of the United States. The GOP vice presidential nominee is appearing at the Future Farmers of America convention in Indianapolis. Pence — Indiana’s governor — was speaking in his official capacity and didn’t mention running mate Donald Trump. Pence received an enthusiastic ovation from 10,000 high school students when he mentioned “the extraordinary opportunity my little family has today” on “a national ticket.” Pence noted that U.S. agriculture and related enterprises employ 21 million people. According to federal data, that includes about 740,000 crop laborers who are immigrants working in the U.S. illegally. Those workers and their employers could be affected by Trump’s immigration proposals. ___ 9 a.m. Look for Donald Trump to lay out his to-do list for the first 100 days of a Trump administration. The Republican presidential nominee is set to give what’s being billed as a major speech on Saturday morning in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Trump is trying to shift attention back to his priorities after weeks of campaign controversy. Aides say the address is a first glimpse at the closing argument he’ll being making in the final two weeks of the race. ___ 8:30 a.m. Hillary Clinton’s campaign says four people have been examined by medical personnel after a white powdery substance arrived in an envelope at a New York campaign office — and no health issues have been reported. Campaign spokesman Glen Caplin says federal and local officials have determined the substance wasn’t hazardous. Police say preliminary tests showed the substance found Friday in an envelope at Clinton’s Manhattan office, where mail is received, wasn’t harmful. A police spokesman declined to identify what the substance was. The envelope arrived late Friday afternoon. It was taken to Clinton’s Brooklyn headquarters and the 11th floor there was evacuated. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ||||| Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (CNN) Donald Trump on Saturday offered what his senior campaign aides billed as his "closing argument" in the presidential race just 17 days from its conclusion, rehashing his campaign's key policy planks to give voters a sense of his top priorities as president. Trump began his remarks here near the site of President Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" by urging the country to follow Lincoln's example to "heal the divisions" the US now faces. But he quickly slipped into his combative rhetoric, slamming a "totally rigged" system and raging against establishment politicians and the media for seeking to sink his campaign. He slammed Hillary Clinton as an insider politician and accused her of "running against change" and "all of the American people. "Hillary Clinton is not running against me, she's running against change. And she's running against all of the American people and all of the American voters," Trump said. And before getting to what he would seek to accomplish in the first 100 days of his presidency -- which campaign aides said Friday evening would be the focus of his speech -- Trump went on to again attack women who have accused him of sexual assault or misconduct, saying, "every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign" and vowing to sue them after the election is over. Finally, 15 minutes later, Trump pivoted to his plan for the first 100 days of his presidency should he be elected in terms of "measures," "actions" and legislative bills -- terms that gave his policies a more concrete and realistic flair. "I am asking the American people to dream big once again. What follows is my 100-day action plan to make America great again," he finally said, calling it "a contract between Donald J. Trump and the American people." Trump offered no new major policy announcements, instead mostly reiterating key plans of his presidential campaign and offering sparse new details. He promised to propose a constitutional amendment to impose congressional term limits, vowed again to begin renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement of the 90s and announce his intention to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and promised to take a tough approach to countries like China that he believes are abusing free trade laws. He promised to cancel out every "unconstitutional executive action" enacted by President Barack Obama, cut federal funding to "sanctuary cities," begin deporting undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes in the US and "suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur." And that litany of proposals -- and several more -- is only what Trump vowed to accomplish on his first day in office, raising questions about the number of executive orders he would need to sign in order to uphold his promises. Trump said his priorities would be to tackle corruption in Washington, protect American workers through protectionist trade measures and prevent illegal immigration and terrorism. He proposed up to 10 bills addressing those issues that he said he would work to pass in this first 100 days in office. As he laid out a bill to "end illegal immigration," Trump offered up new details on how he would look to disincentive undocumented immigrants from crossing into the US, calling for a two-year mandatory minimum federal prison sentence for those who illegally re-enter the US and a five-year minimum sentence for those with prior felony convictions, multiple misdemeanors or two or more previous deportations. Currently, there is no mandatory minimum sentence, but undocumented immigrants who seek to re-enter the US can face up to two years in prison and those with felonies can face up to 10 years in prison. Trump also called for a hiring freeze on all federal employees -- except military and public health and safety officials -- as part of his "six measures to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington," though he did not say how long the freeze would last. The Republican nominee has also previously called for a freeze on new federal regulations and repeated Saturday that he would require federal agencies eliminate two federal regulations for every new one. 'A time of division' While Trump opened his remarks by recognizing a former Republican president Lincoln's leadership "at a time of division like we've never seen before," Trump quickly abandoned that hopeful tone in favor of blistering attacks on the media and establishment politicians in Washington, and once again cast doubt on the US democratic system by arguing that there could be rampant voter fraud on Election Day, despite evidence to the contrary. Trump accused the FBI and Department of Justice of having "covered up" Clinton's "crimes" given the Justice Department's decision not to pursue criminal charges after investigating Clinton's use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state. Christina Reynolds, a Clinton campaign spokeswoman, said Trump's speech presented a "troubling view." "Today, in what was billed as a major closing argument speech, Trump's major new policy was to promise political and legal retribution against the women who have accused him of groping them," Reynolds said in a statement. "Like Trump's campaign, this speech gave us a troubling view as to what a Trump State of the Union would sound like—rambling, unfocused, full of conspiracy theories and attacks on the media, and lacking in any real answers for American families." Trump also accused the "dishonest mainstream media" of being "a major part of this corruption," accusing the press of fabricating stories to make him look "as bad and even as dangerous as possible," before complaining about the media's insufficient coverage of the crowd sizes at his rallies. Trump took his complaints further, promising action to prevent AT&T from buying Time Warner, the parent company of CNN, which he argued would concentrate too much power in one company. And he also slammed Comcast's purchase of NBC. "We'll look at breaking that deal up and other deals like it," he vowed. "They're trying to poison the mind of the American voter." As he sought to draw a heavy contrast with Clinton, who is leading Trump in most recent national and battleground state polls just over two weeks from the election, the Republican nominee urge voters to "dream big once again" and take a chance on his unconventional -- and controversial -- candidacy. "I'm asking the American people to rise above the noise and the clutter of our broken politics and to embrace that great faith and optimism that has always been that central ingredient in the American character," he said. ||||| Republican presidential contender Donald Trump laid out a multi-pronged vision for his presidency on Saturday, saying in a speech that he opposed the proposed merger of AT&T and Time Warner while staking out opposition to China, illegal immigration and the current tax code. In a high stakes speech billed as a "closing argument to voters," Trump used the speech to lay out a plan for his first 100 days in office, if he's elected. It functioned as a substantive laundry list of policies that the Republican vowed to address in the Oval Office, including ethics reform and stemming the flow of undocumented immigrants. "On November 8, Amereicans will be voting on this 100 day plan to restore prosperity to our country, secure our communities and [restore] honesty to our government," Trump told an audience in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—an historic site where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Civil War address. The GOP nominee struck familiar themes on a broad range of subjects, including tax reform, free trade and regulation that served as red meat to his base and a blueprint for his initial months in office. He also reiterated his support for building a wall on the border of Mexico, vowing that "Mexico would pay for a wall." Down in most national polls and with his campaign overshadowed by accusations of sexual improprieties, the real estate mogul vowed to take a tough line on trade deals and struck a number of populist themes. He said he would brand China as a currency manipulator and would renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In addition, he vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare, which is currently in trouble as premiums soar and insurers bolt the insurance program. Trump also pledged to cancel "unconstitutional" executive orders issued by President Barack Obama, and said he'd find a suitable nominees for the Supreme Court. On Friday, news broke that the cellular carrier AT&T and entertainment giant Time Warner were nearing agreement on a deal that could be announced this weekend. Trump said under a potential GOP White House, his administration would not approve the deal. AT&T told CNBC it has no comments on Trump's remarks. In a shift, Trump mostly refrained from directly attacking his Democratic challenger, Hillary Clinton, but enumerated several policy differences between the two. His Gettysburg appearance came days after the final presidential debate, in which he pointedly lashed out at Clinton as a "nasty woman," reinforcing criticism that he was insensitive to women. In that vein, Trump also vowed that he would sue the litany of women who have come forward to accuse him of inappropriate behavior after the election, branding them as "liars." "This is my pledge to you, and if we follow these steps we will once more have a government of, by and for the people, and more importantly we will make America great again," Trump stated.

– With 17 days left before the election, Donald Trump was set to give a "closing argument to voters" near the site of President Lincoln's most famous address at Gettysburg, CNBC reports. Instead, CNN states Trump spent the first 15 minutes of his speech railing against the corrupt media, rigged elections, Hillary Clinton, and every woman who has accused him of sexual assault. And that was after he promised to "heal the divisions" in America. “Every woman lied," Fox News quotes Trump as saying about his nearly dozen accusers. "All of these liars will be sued after the election is over.” He also said Clinton is "running against all of the American people." Trump eventually turned to his plans for his first 100 days in office, listing six major steps he'll take once elected—in addition to suing his accusers, presumably—that he called a "contract between myself and the American voter." Those plans include congressional term limits and more restrictions on government officials becoming lobbyists, the Washington Post reports. Trump said he would immediately deport immigrants in prison for violent crimes and cancel visas for countries that won't take them back. He said his administration wouldn't approve of the AT&T/Time Warner merger announced today. He would also implement a hiring freeze on all federal employees outside public health, safety, and the military. According to CNN, there were few policies or details laid out Saturday that Trump hadn't already discussed elsewhere.

Karl Martin’s toothbrush holder. Courtesy Hansons Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd During the Bronze Age, around 4,000 years ago, in what is now Afghanistan, an artisan from the Indus Valley (or Harappan) civilization made a ceramic pot. The four-inch-tall vessel was distinguished by a doe-eyed antelope painted across its flank. We’ll never know who used it, or for what—at least before 2013. That’s when Karl Martin, a valuer at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire, England, purchased the pot at a car boot sale, a kind of English flea market. And why not? He got it and another pot for a total of £4—or, £1 for every thousand years since it had been made. Of course Martin didn’t know at the time that he was buying an authentic artifact from one of the cradles of civilization. All he knew, he said in a Hansons release, was that he “liked it straight away,” so he gave it a place of honor in his household where he would see it every day. It was in the bathroom, where it held his toothbrush and toothpaste. There it sat for years. And there it would have stayed, if not for the fact that Martin often encounters antiquities in his line of work. One day, he was helping a Hansons colleague unload some items headed for the block when he spotted some familiar-looking pottery, coated with patterns and animals like those on his toothbrush-holder. He brought his holder to the colleague, James-Seymour Brenchley, Hansons’ Head of Ancient Art, Antiquities & Classical Coins. Brenchley was able to link the pot’s painting style to that of other Indus Valley artifacts. He speculates that the pot had arrived in the United Kingdom via British tourists. Martin decided to put it up for auction at Hansons, where it sold this week for £80—“not a fortune,” Martin admits, but still a 1,900 percent profit, not adjusting for inflation. Mohenjo-Daro, a major Indus Valley city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quratulain/CC BY-SA 3.0 The Indus Valley Civilization flourished in the northwestern part of South Asia between 2600 and 1900 BC, across parts of modern-day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Its most distinctive artifacts are probably carved seals used to mark trade goods with symbols that may or may not represent one of mankind’s earliest written languages. (The Indus script is the subject of much heated scholarly debate.) But the Indus Valley pot is not the only antiquated item in the United Kingdom that had been unintentionally repurposed for modern times. Earlier this week, researchers realized that Henry VII’s unidentified bed was used to decorate film and television sets between the 1970s and 1990s. That’s at least two items for a first-class master bedroom suite. ||||| A piece of pottery snapped up for a song at a Midlands car boot sale has turned out to be a genuine ancient antiquity made in 1900 BC – making it 4,000 years old. The pottery jar, featuring a painting of an antelope, was spotted on a stall at Willington car boot sale five years ago by Derby man Karl Martin – and he bought it along with another pot, £4 for the pair. “I liked it straight away,” said Mr Martin, 49, a keen collector who followed his passion for all things old, quirky and collectable by joining the team at Derbyshire’s Hansons Auctioneers seven years ago. “I used it in the bathroom to store my toothpaste and toothbrush – it even ended up getting a few toothpaste marks on it. “I suspected it might be very old but forgot all about it.Then, one day at work, I was helping Hansons’ antiquities expert James Brenchley unload a van and noticed some pottery which was similar to my toothbrush pot. The painting style looked the same and it had similar crudely-painted animal figures. “I rescued the pot from my bathroom and asked him to examine it for me. He confirmed it was a genuine antiquity from Afghanistan and dated back to 1900 BC. “That means it’s around 4,000 years old – made 2,000 years before Christ was born. It’s amazing, really. How it ended up at a South Derbyshire car boot sale, I’ll never know. “I like the pot but decided to sell it at Hansons’ November antiquities auction just to see how it would do. There was interest straight away with advance bids placed and it eventually sold for £80 – not a fortune but a decent profit. Perhaps I should have held on to it. I feel a bit guilty about keeping my toothbrush in it now.” James Brenchley, head of antiquities at Hansons Auctioneers, said: “This is an Indus Valley Harappan Civilisation pottery jar dating back to 1900 BC. This was a Bronze Age civilisation mainly in the north western regions of South Asia. “Along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was one of three early cradles of civilisations of the Old World, and of the three, the most widespread. The civilisation was primarily located in modern-day India and Pakistan as well as Afghanistan.” “I do come across items like this from time to time and was familiar with the painting technique. It was probably brought back to the UK years ago by wealthy travellers.” The pottery was sold at Hansons Auctioneers on November 26. Entries are now invited for its next Antiquities and Historica Auction on February 25. To arrange a free valuation, email [email protected].

– Some people might use an old mug to hold toothbrushes and toothpaste. A man in England used a 4,000-year-old piece of pottery, by accident. Karl Martin picked up the pot along with another at a flea market for all of $5, reports Atlas Obscura. Martin is a valuer at Hansons Auctioneers, but the pot didn't strike him as that special, so he stuck it in his bathroom and used it as a toothbrush holder. There it sat for a few years until Martin noticed similar-looking pottery while helping a colleague unload a van. He asked the colleague to inspect his own pot and, voila, turns out it was made around 1900 BC in the Indus Valley Civilization in what is now Afghanistan. "I feel a bit guilty about keeping my toothbrush in it now," says Martin in a news release from Hansons. The pot features the image of an antelope, and the style is consistent with Indus Valley work, according to the chief of antiquities at Hansons. The piece recently sold at auction, and while Martin won't get rich on the $102 it fetched, it's still not a bad return on his investment. (This piece of pottery is twice as old, and it suggests that those who made it enjoyed their wine.)

Emergency-room visits are climbing, despite predictions that the Affordable Care Act would lead to less traffic. WSJ’s Stephanie Armour joins the News Hub. Photo: Getty Emergency-room visits continued to climb in the second year of the Affordable Care Act, contradicting the law’s supporters who had predicted a decline in traffic as more people gained access to doctors and other health-care providers. A survey of 2,098 emergency-room doctors conducted in March showed about three-quarters said visits had... ||||| Despite expectations, emergency room visits have increased under Obamacare. (Photo: Matt Goins for USA TODAY) Three-quarters of emergency physicians say they've seen ER patient visits surge since Obamacare took effect — just the opposite of what many Americans expected would happen. A poll released today by the American College of Emergency Physicians shows that 28% of 2,099 doctors surveyed nationally saw large increases in volume, while 47% saw slight increases. By contrast, fewer than half of doctors reported any increases last year in the early days of the Affordable Care Act. Such hikes run counter to one of the goals of the health care overhaul, which is to reduce pressure on emergency rooms by getting more people insured through Medicaid or subsidized private coverage and providing better access to primary care. A major reason that hasn't happened is there simply aren't enough primary care physicians to handle all the newly insured patients, says ACEP President Mike Gerardi, an emergency physician in New Jersey. "They don't have anywhere to go but the emergency room," he says. "This is what we predicted. We know people come because they have to." Experts cite many root causes. In addition to the nation's long-standing shortage of primary care doctors — projected by the federal government to exceed 20,000 doctors by 2020 — some physicians won't accept Medicaid because of its low reimbursement rates. That leaves many patients who can't find a primary care doctor to turn to the ER — 56% of doctors in the ACEP poll reported increases in Medicaid patients. Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Obama: Beau Biden made you want to be a better person | 2:13 President Obama gave the eulogy at Beau Biden's funeral. He remembers the 46-year-old as a compassionate and caring man, one who makes you want to be a better person. VPC 1 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Female sex pill moving closer to market | 1:45 Food and Drug Administration advisers voted 18-6 Thursday in favor of Sprout Pharmaceutical's daily pill to boost sexual desire in women. (June 5) AP 2 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Woman says Hastert sexually abused her brother | 1:33 A Montana woman says her brother was sexually abused by former House Speaker Dennis Hastert during the years when the GOP leader was a wrestling coach at a suburban Chicago high school. (June 5) AP 3 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Top Aide to Saddam Hussein Dies in Hospital | 0:53 Tariq Aziz, the debonair Iraqi diplomat who made his name by staunchly defending Saddam Hussein to the world during three wars and was later sentenced to death as part of the regime that killed hundreds of thousands of its own people. USA TODAY 4 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS These are the most (and least) valuable states in America | 2:02 Douglas McIntyre of 24/7 Wall Street on the most and least valuable states in America based on value of land per acre. Michael Monday 5 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Josh Duggar's sisters speak out in defense of brother | 1:06 Two of Josh Duggar's sex-abuse victims, sisters Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald, told their stories in the second part of an exclusive interview with Fox News. VPC 6 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Random act of kindness by waitress will melt your heart | 1:59 A moving gesture by a Fort Worth waitress will never be forgotten by the Riddle family. See what happened to bring this couple to tears. VPC 7 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Obama eulogizes Beau Biden at Del. funeral | 1:53 Mourning a loss that touched people from the streets of Delaware to the White House and beyond, President Barack Obama joined Vice President Joe Biden in bidding farewell Saturday to the vice president's eldest son, Beau. (June 6) AP 8 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Beau Biden's brother, sister tearfully say goodbye | 2:32 Hunter and Ashley Biden, the brother and sister of the late Beau Biden, both spoke at his funeral. The pair shared special memories of the time they spent with Beau. VPC 9 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Manhunt underway in New York for escaped killers | 0:55 A manhunt is underway for David Sweat and Richard Matt, two convicted killers who escaped from a New York state prison overnight. USA TODAY 10 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS S. Korea vows to curb growing MERS outbreak | 0:58 South Korea reports its fifth death from MERS as the government vows "all-out" measures to curb the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia, including tracking mobile phones of those in quarantine. Video provided by AFP Newslook 11 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Obama highlights alliances ahead of G-7 meetings | 0:48 President Obama is calling the current partnership between the U.S. and Germany "one of the strongest alliances the world has ever known." (June 7) AP 12 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Senate passes USA Freedom Act | 1:03 The Senate overwhelmingly voted Tuesday to end the National Security Agency's controversial bulk collection of the phone data of millions of Americans who have no ties to terrorism. Wochit 13 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Snakes take over home, couple sues realtor for $2M | 1:39 A Maryland couple is suing their realtor after discovering their home is infested with snakes. The couple alledges the realtor failed to disclose the problem and provide pest inspection documentation. VPC 14 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Local Prosecutor: No reports of Hastert misconduct at school | 0:49 The chief local prosecutor whose jurisdiction includes the Illinois high school where Dennis Hastert taught and coached for 16 years, said the office has no record of alleged criminal conduct reported to the office involving the former House speaker. USA TODAY 15 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS 3-year-old beaten to death for not being 'potty trained' | 1:32 A Texas man has been charged with capital murder after allegedly hitting his son so hard it caused a skull fracture. VPC 16 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Report shows frequent TSA failures | 3:20 According to a new report, the TSA failed about 95 percent of Homeland Security tests, but TSA officials said that figure was taken out of context. Video provided by Newsy Newslook 17 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Man arrested after dog found with snout taped shut | 1:07 A puppy was found with her snout taped tightly shut. She's being treated by the Charleston Animal Society while North Charleston Police have a man in custody in connection. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) has the rest. Buzz60 18 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS NTSB report on Philadelphia Amtrak train derailment released | 1:33 National Transportation Safety Board report released on Philadelphia Amtrak train derailment 19 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Bosnian catholics await Pope's visit with great hope | 1:07 Bosnian Catholics are waiting for the visit of Pope Francis in Sarajevo on June 6, hoping the event will give them strength and courage after the war. Video provided by AFP Newslook 20 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS How France got its own Republican party | 1:33 As part of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy's return to the political scene, he's rebranded his UMP party. Video provided by Newsy Newslook 21 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Families of americans held in Iran call for their release | 1:02 The families of US citizens held or missing in Iran called for the release and return of the four men on Tuesday, questioning how Iran could consider the United States "hostile" while simultaneously conducting nuclear talks. Video provided by AFP Newslook 22 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Americans With Disabilities 'striving to Work' | 0:54 More than two-thirds of American adults with disabilities are "striving to work." That's according to a national employment survey being released just before the landmark legislation protecting their rights turns 25. USA TODAY 23 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Death toll rises to 2,300 from India's heatwave | 1:29 As of Tuesday, more than 2,300 people have reportedly died from the heatwave stretching across India. Video provided by Newsy Newsy 24 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Solar impulse unscheduled landing amazes Japan | 0:27 Nagoya residents comment after Solar Impulse 2 made an unexpected stop in Japan to avoid bad weather. Video provided by AFP AFP 25 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Iconic 'love locks' being removed from Paris bridge | 1:05 After approximately 45 tons of padlocks damaged the Pont Des Arts bridge, Paris began to bid adieu to its famous love locks, and with them, years of lovers' memories. 26 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Sirens sound in Israeli school as part of nationwide drill | 0:47 Sirens sounded across Israel on Tuesday as part of a nationwide drill to practice emergency responses to security situations such as air or missile attacks, with schools participating in the exercise. Duration: 00:47 Video provided by AFP Newslook 27 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS What states with the lowest unemployment have in common | 1:35 Find out why Nebraska, North Dakota and Utah have the lowest unemployment rates. Douglas McIntyre of 24/7 Wall Street has the details. Michael Monday 28 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Hash oil explosions increase in states with 'legal pot' | 2:21 The number of hash oil explosions in Oregon is on the rise and emergency responders worry that the legalization of marijuana could spark more fires. VPC 29 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Okinawa governor is on a quest to stop U.S. base | 2:03 Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga is traveling to the U.S. to prevent an American military base from being relocated to the Japanese island. Video provided by Newsy Newslook 30 of 31 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE VIDEO: THE DAY IN NEWS Fighting rages on in Yemen's southern city of Aden | 0:39 Fighting continues in Yemen's southern city of Aden between Houthi rebels and Popular Resistance committees, anti-rebel forces made up of pro-government fighters, Sunni tribes, and southern separatists. Video provided by AFP Newslook 31 of 31 Last VideoNext Video Obama: Beau Biden made you want to be a better person Female sex pill moving closer to market Woman says Hastert sexually abused her brother Top Aide to Saddam Hussein Dies in Hospital These are the most (and least) valuable states in America Josh Duggar's sisters speak out in defense of brother Random act of kindness by waitress will melt your heart Obama eulogizes Beau Biden at Del. funeral Beau Biden's brother, sister tearfully say goodbye Manhunt underway in New York for escaped killers S. Korea vows to curb growing MERS outbreak Obama highlights alliances ahead of G-7 meetings Senate passes USA Freedom Act Snakes take over home, couple sues realtor for $2M Local Prosecutor: No reports of Hastert misconduct at school 3-year-old beaten to death for not being 'potty trained' Report shows frequent TSA failures Man arrested after dog found with snout taped shut NTSB report on Philadelphia Amtrak train derailment released Bosnian catholics await Pope's visit with great hope How France got its own Republican party Families of americans held in Iran call for their release Americans With Disabilities 'striving to Work' Death toll rises to 2,300 from India's heatwave Solar impulse unscheduled landing amazes Japan Iconic 'love locks' being removed from Paris bridge Sirens sound in Israeli school as part of nationwide drill What states with the lowest unemployment have in common Hash oil explosions increase in states with 'legal pot' Okinawa governor is on a quest to stop U.S. base Fighting rages on in Yemen's southern city of Aden Emergency room usage is bound to increase if there's a shortage of primary care doctors who accept Medicaid patients and "no financial penalty or economic incentive" to move people away from ERs, says Avik Roy, a health care policy expert with the free market Manhattan Institute. "It goes to the false promise of the ACA," Roy says, that Medicaid recipients are "given a card that says they have health insurance, but they can't have access to physicians." Complicating matters, low-income patients face many obstacles to care. They often can't take time off from work when most primary care offices are open, while ERs operate around the clock and by law must at least stabilize patients. Waits for appointments at primary care offices can stretch for weeks, while ERs must see patients almost immediately. "Nobody wants to turn anyone away," says Maggie Gill, CEO of Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, Ga. "But there's no business in this country that provides resource-intensive anything and can't even ask if you're going to be able to pay." Some people who have been uninsured for years don't have regular doctors and are accustomed to using ERs, even though they are much more expensive. A 2013 report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation says going to an ER when a primary care visit would suffice costs $580 more for each visit. Damian Alagia, chief physician executive for KentuckyOne Health, says he's seen the trend play out in his large hospital system. There are more than a half-million people in the state newly insured through Obamacare. Many who put off care in the past now seek it in the place they know — the ER. "We're seeing an uptick pretty much across the system in our ERs," he says, calling the rise "significant" in both urban and rural hospitals. Gerardi acknowledges that some people come to the ER for problems that would be better handled in a primary or urgent care office. But he says the ER is the right place for patients with vague but potentially life-threatening symptoms, such as chest pain, which could be anything from a heart attack to indigestion. ER volumes are likely to keep climbing, and hospitals are working to adapt. Alagia says his ERs have care management professionals who connect patients with primary care physicians if they don't already have them. Gill says her Georgia hospital has a "whole staff in the emergency room dedicated to recidivism," who follow up with patients to see whether they've found a primary care doctor, are taking their medications or need help with transportation to get to doctors. Still, seven in 10 doctors say their emergency departments aren't ready for continuing, and potentially significant, increases in volume. Although the numbers should level off as people get care to keep their illnesses under control, Alagia says, "the patient demand will outstrip the supply of physicians for a while." Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1I6QEcd

– Backers of ObamaCare have said it would reduce the number of visits to emergency rooms, the Wall Street Journal notes, but in fact, a poll of ER doctors finds that number has been climbing. "Visits are going up despite the (Affordable Care Act), and in a lot of cases because of it," a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians tells the Journal. The findings come from a March poll of 2,098 doctors, three-quarters of whom said they'd seen ER visits increase since January 2014. Last year, less than half of doctors polled noted an increase in the number of visits. The ACEP says people who have gained Medicaid insurance under the law are heading to the ER because they have a hard time getting appointments otherwise; many doctors won't accept their insurance, ACEP notes. There is also the problem of hospitals and ERs closing. The president of ACEP tells USA Today that there is also a shortage of primary care doctors given the number of people now insured. US officials have predicted that by 2020, the country will be 20,000 primary care doctors short of its needs. "(Patients) don't have anywhere to go but the emergency room," he says. "This is what we predicted. We know people come because they have to."

Country’s politicians warn against fake news after Breitbart website said group chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ vandalised church on New Year’s Eve German media and politicians have warned against an election-year spike in fake news after the rightwing website Breitbart claimed a mob chanting “Allahu Akbar” had set fire to a church in the city of Dortmund on New Year’s Eve. After the report by the US site was widely shared on social media, the city’s police clarified that no “extraordinary or spectacular” incidents had marred the festivities. The local newspaper, Ruhr Nachrichten, said elements of its online reporting on New Year’s Eve had been distorted by Breitbart to produce “fake news, hate and propaganda”. The justice minister of Hesse state, Eva Kühne-Hörmann, said that “the danger is that these stories spread with incredible speed and take on lives of their own”. The controversy highlights a deepening divide between backers of German chancellor Angela Merkel’s liberal stance toward refugees and a rightwing movement that opposes immigration, fears Islam and distrusts the government and media. Tens of thousands clicked and shared the Breitbart.com story with the headline “Revealed: 1,000-man mob attack police, set Germany’s oldest church alight on New Year’s Eve”. It said the men had “chanted Allahu Akbar (God is greatest), launched fireworks at police and set fire to a historic church”, while also massing “around the flag of al-Qaida and Islamic State collaborators the Free Syrian Army.” The local newspaper said Breitbart had combined and exaggerated unconnected incidents to create a picture of chaos and of foreigners promoting terrorism. Stray fireworks did start a small blaze, but only on netting covering scaffolding on the church and it was put out after about 12 minutes, the paper reported. The roof was not on fire and the church is not Germany’s oldest. Dortmund police on Thursday said its officers had handled 185 missions that night, sharply down from 421 the previous year. The force’s leader judged the night as “rather average to quiet”, in part thanks to a large police presence. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily said Breitbart had used exaggerations and factual errors to create “an image of chaotic civil war-like conditions in Germany, caused by Islamist aggressors”. It said the article “may be a foretaste” of what is to come before parliamentary elections expected in September as some websites spread “misinformation and distortion in order to diminish trust in established institutions”. Justice minister Heiko Maas warned in mid-December that Germany would use its laws against deliberate disinformation and that freedom of expression did not protect “slander and defamation”. Bild, Germany’s top-selling daily, also predicted trouble ahead – pointing to the fact that Breitbart’s former editor Steve Bannon had been appointed as US president-elect Donald Trump’s chief strategist. It warned that Breitbart – which plans to launch German and French language sites – could seek to “aggravate the tense political climate in Germany”. Breitbart has declined to comment. ||||| Germany on Friday reacted to an unsubstantiated news report published by American right-wing publication "Breitbart" that claimed a "mob" chanting "God is great" in Arabic had set fire to a Dortmund church on New Year's Eve. Under the headline "Revealed: 1,000-man mob attack police, set Germany's oldest church alight on New Year's Eve," the news site claimed that "more than 1,000 men chanted 'Allahu Akhbar,' launched fireworks at police and set fire to a historic church." However, local newspaper "Ruhr Nachrichten" said that parts of its reporting on New Year's Eve had been taken out of context and distorted to produce "fake news, hate and propaganda." "Breitbart" reported that the men seen in a video posted by "Ruhr Nachrichten" reporter Peter Bandermann had amassed "around the flag of al-Qaeda and 'Islamic State' collaborators, the 'Free Syrian Army.'" However, the flag seen in the video is widely used by various elements of the Syrian opposition, and dates to Syria's independence from French occupation. In the tweet, Bandermann wrote that the Syrians had been celebrating an "armistice in their country." 'Rather average' night Meanwhile, netting over scraffolding near a historic church in the city had witnessed a small fire due to wayward fireworks. Authorities said the fire had been put out within 12 minutes and did not damage the structure. Listen to audio 04:17 Now live 04:17 mins. Share France calling for Breitbart News? Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2UO0O WorldLink: France calling for Breitbart News? Police said the evening had passed "rather average to quiet," noting that the number of reported incidents fell sharply compared to last year. Eva Kühne-Hörmann, justice minister of Hesse state, on Friday warned of the consequences disinformation could have in Germany. "The danger is that these stories spread with incredible speed and take on lives of their own," she said. The story published by "Breitbart" comes amid reports that the right-wing publication seeks to expand in Europe, specifically Germany and France, which are preparing for a momentous election year. The publication's influence has expanded since its creation in 2007 after US President-elect Donald Trump nominated Steve Bannon, a former "Breitbart" editor, as his chief strategist. ls/se (AFP, DW)

– German police say they're "in disbelief" over a false story published by Breitbart, which a local publication claims was trying to create "an image of chaotic civil war-like conditions in Germany, caused by Islamist aggressors." The AFP reports Breitbart ran a story titled "1,000-man mob attack police, set Germany's oldest church alight on New Year's Eve." The article claimed a mob gathered "around the flag of al-Qaida and Islamic State collaborators the Free Syrian Army" while chanting "Allahu akbar." The story also claimed people threw fireworks at families, children, and police, heavily suggesting Muslim migrants were the culprits, according to the Washington Post. It was a strange report considering police in Dortmund, where the events supposedly took place, say it was an "average to quiet" New Year's Eve. A local newspaper says Breitbart created its story by twisting and combining unrelated events in its coverage to create "fake news, hate, and propaganda." A firework started a small fire on netting covering some scaffolding on the church. The fire was put out in 12 minutes and caused no damage to the church, which is not Germany's oldest. The people gathering around the flag, which is used by various groups opposed to the Syrian government, were celebrating the cease-fire in that country, Deutsche Welle reports. "Allahu akbar" is common in Muslim celebrations and prayers. Police say two people threw a single firework each at the feet of police in separate incidents; one was a migrant, the other was German. German authorities are increasing warnings about fake news impacting the country's elections similarly to what happened in the US. (These were the 5 biggest fake news stories of 2016.)

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Sue York told Joanna Gosling that injecting herself would cause her to shake and vomit A British woman has become the first person in the world to have a pancreas transplant because of a severe needle phobia, her doctors have said. Sue York - who has had type-1 diabetes since she was seven - would shake uncontrollably and vomit when injecting herself with insulin. Ms York told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme the operation had "completely altered my life". Doctors said her life expectancy had now doubled. 'Full of energy' Ms York, 55, from Lincoln, told the programme that, following the operation, at Manchester Royal Infirmary, she felt "incredible" and full of energy. "No longer am I struggling to walk up a flight of stairs, getting breathless walking into the wind. No longer is my skin yellow or grey. No longer do I look constantly exhausted," she said. "I've had to get new glasses because my eyesight has improved and feeling has returned to areas on my feet where I'd begun to lose sensation." Ms York said her phobia had reached a critical point in 2012, when the DVLA had changed its regulations in relation to diabetic drivers, insisting they checked blood glucose levels - requiring her to prick her skin - before driving and once every two hours behind the wheel. "It was just too many needles, too many invasions into the flesh," she said. Ms York had decided to give up driving, she said, but her body had been too weak to walk long distances - leaving her at risk of becoming housebound. She had tried hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy in an attempt to cure her phobia, but without success. And injecting herself with insulin would frequently take 20 minutes. Questions raised It took more than two years for Ms York to be placed on a waiting list for the transplant, during which time she said she appeared in front of a panel three times to discuss her eligibility. She said questions had been raised over her need for the transplant, given that she did not have any kidney complications, and over whether her phobia was a strong enough reason to undergo major surgery. Surgeon Dr Raman Dhanda said guidelines were currently in place nationally and internationally to ensure those with the greatest need received transplants. In Ms York's instance, he added: "It was a very hard decision to make, because [her] case was clearly very exceptional." Ms York, who said a phobia of needles was common among long-term diabetics, believes her story could give hope to others. "I don't know who my donor is, but I thank them and their family from the bottom of my heart," she said. The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:15 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel. ||||| Diabetes and needle phobias A British woman with type 1 diabetes has undergone a pancreas transplant because of a serious needle phobia , the first case of its kind.Sue York, 55, from Lincoln has had type 1 diabetes since the age of 7. She told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme that she would shake violently and even vomit when injecting herself with insulin.Ms. York had spent two years trying to get onto a waiting list for a transplant, and appeared in front of a panel three times to discuss her suitability for the procedure. There were questions over her eligibility: she did not have any kidney complications and she had to prove that her phobia was a strong enough reason to justify major surgery.Ms. York finally received the transplant at Manchester Royal Infirmary and now feels "incredible" and full of energy."No longer am I struggling to walk up a flight of stairs, getting breathless walking into the wind. No longer is my skin yellow or grey. No longer do I look constantly exhausted," she said. "I've had to get new glasses because my eyesight has improved and feeling has returned to areas on my feet where I'd begun to lose sensation. [The operation has] completely altered my life."Ms. York's doctors told her that her life expectancy had now doubled. Surgeon Dr. Ramon Dhanda added that her transplant "was a very hard to decision to make, because [her] case was clearly very exceptional," but national and international guidelines are in place to ensure people with the greatest need receive transplants."I don't know who my donor is, but I thank them and their family from the bottom of my heart," Ms. York added.For people with type 1 diabetes , and those with type 2 diabetes who inject insulin , a fear of needles can be exhausting to live with. The thought of daily injections can lead to anxiety, and subsequently avoiding injections.Ms. York had previously tried hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy to cure her phobia, but this was unsuccessful. It could take her up to 20 minutes to inject herself with insulin on any given day.A significant moment occurred in 2012, when the DVLA changed its regulations for people with diabetes, insisting that drivers check their blood glucose levels before driving and once every two hours on long journeys.For Ms. York, the frequency of pricking her skin pushed her phobia to breaking point. "It was just too many needles, too many invasions into the flesh," she said. She decided to give up driving, but as she struggled to walk long distances, she was at risk of becoming housebound.There are several reasons that a needle phobia can develop, such as an upsetting childhood experience. Relaxation exercises can be helpful in building confidence, but the fear of needles may always exist. As a result, diabetes management can become harder.Ms. York's case is an exceptional one due to the severe nature of her needle phobia, and possibly unlikely to be repeated for a very long time. However, her story is inspirational in that someone with type 1 diabetes is now free from a crippling phobia and much healthier as a result.

– It's not too strange to hear about a diabetic undergoing a pancreas transplant. What's unusual here is that the transplant was necessitated by the UK patient's extreme fear of needles—the first time that's happened anywhere in the world, the BBC reports. Sue York, 55, has had Type 1 diabetes since she was 7, but her needle phobia had made dealing with her disease a living hell. Before the transplant, it would often take York up to 20 minutes to inject herself with insulin, an "impossible" process that would typically leave her shaking and vomiting, she tells the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire program. Things only got worse in 2012, when the UK's DMV required diabetic drivers to check their blood sugar levels every time before driving, as well as every two hours once behind the wheel. "It was just … too many invasions into the flesh," York says. Diabetes.co.uk notes that there can be varying reasons for such needle fright, including childhood trauma of some sort, and that it can become a permanent fear. In York's case, she tried different types of therapy to get over her phobia, but ultimately she decided to fight to get on the transplant list—an effort that took more than two years and several panel appearances to justify. She received the transplant at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and now say she feels "incredible," while doctors assert the surgery has doubled her life expectancy. "No longer am I struggling to walk up a flight of stairs," she tells the BBC. "No longer is my skin yellow or grey. No longer do I look constantly exhausted." (These people had needles actually stuck in their bodies—for decades.)

Toxicology experts today challenged the data and the research method of a private report that concluded "Clueless" star Brittany Murphy died from poisoning. The report compiled by The Carlson Company, a lab in Colorado, used faulty methods and cited non-existent standards for heavy metal poisoning, the critics said. Murphy died nearly four years ago of an apparent heart attack when she was 32 years old. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office later ruled that she died of a combination of pneumonia, anemia and prescription drug intoxication. Angelo Bertolotti, Murphy's father, commissioned the Carlson Company to conduct new tests. The Carlson lab also advertises "infidelity DNA testing by mail." Its web site states, "We test suspicious stains related to infidelity for the presence of the other woman or man, e.g. blood, vaginal fluid, hair, DNA, semen, sperm, seminal fluid, saliva, condoms, cosmetics." The lab concluded that Murphy had high levels of heavy metals in her hair samples, citing World Health Organization Standards. "Ten (10) of the heavy metals evaluated were detected at levels higher that [sic] the WHO high levels," the report reads and displays the WHO logo. WHO, a U.N. agency that provides leadership in global health issues, responded today and dismissed Carlson's methods and objected to its logo being included in the report. "WHO does not establish reference ranges for chemicals in hair, therefore, the 'high values' for the chemicals listed in the Carlson Company report are from some other source, and not from WHO, and the laboratory should provide accurate citation for the source or sources of these values," said WHO scientist Joanna Tempowski, who works in the organization's International Programme on Chemical Safety. WHO publishes guidelines for chemicals in food additives and drinking water, but these chemicals are more often measured in blood and urine, said Tempowski. "Hair is not, however, a reliable material for the determination of exposure to many chemicals because it is prone to contamination from the external environment," she said. Tempowski also said the Carlson Company does not have permission to use WHO's logo. When the Carlson Company was asked to clarify the WHO standards it was citing, the Carlson Company manager Denny Seilheimer left ABCNews.com a voice message saying they were referring to "the recommended high value established by the national World Health Organization. I hope I've answered your question. Have a good day." Seilheimer could not be reached to clarifiy his reference to the national World Health Organization or the criticism that the use of hair samples was improper. Toxicologists also dismissed Carlson's method of using hair samples after ABCNews.com asked them to review the report. They said there are additional reasons that it's unlikely Murphy was poisoned. Bruce Goldberger, a toxicologist who directs UF Health Forensic Medicine at the University of Florida, said Murphy lacked the telltale sign of heavy metal poisoning when she died: lines across her fingernails. These lines, called Mees' lines or leukonychia striata, are a key tool for diagnosing heavy metals poisoning, Goldberger said. Without them, it's unlikely heavy metals played a role in Murphy's death. Fatal heavy metal poisoning symptoms can manifest in many different ways, but commonly includes gastrointestinal distress, said Marcel Casavant, the chief of toxicology at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio. Goldberger said this was not noted in the coroner's report. "The bottom line is these hair test results cannot be used to support any allegation of poisoning, and cannot be used to establish a cause and manner of death," Goldberger told ABCNews.com. Read more about Brittany Murphy on our topic page. ||||| Several years after Brittany Murphy’s 2009 death—the cause of which had been ruled at the time the result of pneumonia and a melange of legal medications (prescription and over-the-counter)—the case has resurfaced this week in the headlines after a toxicology report ordered by Murphy’s father discovered high levels of toxins on her hair. This led to his claim that his daughter was poisoned by a third party (these toxins can be found in rat poison), and he is now suing the L.A.P.D. for negligence in its investigation of her death. But now W.H.O. has weighed in, positing that the findings from this private study may not have been valid, as a scientist explained, “Hair is not . . . a reliable material for the determination of exposure to many chemicals because it is prone to contamination from the external environment.” ABC News cited other experts who further discredited the findings, claiming the lab’s methodology was oriented around “faulty methods and cited non-existent standards.” The Post also floats the possibility—in the scenario the test results are accurate—that Murphy could have been exposed to the toxins via drugs such as meth and cocaine given that “L.A. was flush with meth and cocaine that had been mixed with toxins, including rat poison” around the time of her death, according to their “sources.” (Though it should be noted that there has been no evidence illegal drugs were involved.) For now, the Los Angeles coroner’s office says they would need more conclusive evidence before re-opening the investigation. ||||| Brittany Murphy may not have been poisoned, as her father suspects, but in fact may have exposed herself to drugs that had been mixed with chemicals like rat poison. Sources tell us that around the time of the actress’s 2009 death, LA was flush with meth and cocaine that had been mixed with toxins, including rat poison. The coroner at the time said she died from pneumonia and a mix of legal prescription and over-the-counter medications. There was no evidence found of illegal drugs. But a new toxicology report on Murphy’s hair samples commissioned by her father, Angelo Bertolotti, found high levels of toxins such as barium, found in rat poison, on her hair. He suspects his daughter was poisoned and has sued the LAPD, claiming they didn’t properly investigate her death. But experts question the lab’s findings, saying that doesn’t necessarily mean she was poisoned by a third party. Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden questions whether the results came from contamination of the samples. “If the hair was taken at the time of the autopsy and then kept at the coroner’s office for four years, finding the heavy metals can all be an artifact . . . from the container in which it was kept,” he says, adding that the results are “interesting, but do not demonstrate criminality or cause of death.” The Los Angeles Coroner has the new results but says it will not reopen the case unless it gets more details.

– Brittany Murphy's dad thinks she was poisoned—but the evidence he found may point to something else, sources tell Page Six. They say that at the time of Murphy's death, meth and cocaine in the LA area were frequently mixed with rat poison and other toxins—meaning Murphy may have accidentally exposed herself to the chemicals found in her hair, blood, and tissue. But as Vanity Fair points out, there's no evidence illegal drugs played a role in her death. And then there's the fact that those findings may not even be valid: The World Health Organization itself has weighed in to act as the voice of reason, ABC News reports. "Hair is not ... a reliable material for the determination of exposure to many chemicals because it is prone to contamination from the external environment," explains a WHO scientist; a forensic pathologist who spoke to Page Six says the same. Other toxicologists also dismissed the findings; one points out that Murphy did not have lines across her fingernails when she died, which is a key sign of heavy metal poisoning.

Image copyright Historic England Image caption Knife-marks on a rib fragment show attempts to "stop corpses rising from their graves" Human bones excavated from a deserted medieval village in North Yorkshire show people mutilated and burnt bodies to stop them rising from the dead. Knife marks were found on 137 bones dating between the 11th and 14th Centuries, discovered at Wharram Percy. Experts said it was the first evidence of ancient practices to stop "corpses rising from their graves, spreading disease and assaulting the living". The study was conducted by Historic England and Southampton University. Read more about this and other stories from across Yorkshire For more stories about archaeology follow our Pinterest board 'Dark side' Researchers studied the remains of about 10 people and discovered the bodies had been decapitated and dismembered. Knife marks were mostly in the head and neck area but there was also evidence for the burning of body parts and deliberate breaking of some bones after death, the team said. Image copyright Historic England Image caption An illustration of how Wharram Percy would have looked in the late 12th Century Image copyright Historic England Image caption Burn marks on an adult skull showed body parts were also burned Simon Mays, human skeletal biologist at Historic England, said: "The idea that the Wharram Percy bones are the remains of corpses burnt and dismembered to stop them walking from their graves seems to fit the evidence best. "If we are right, then this is the first good archaeological evidence we have for this practice. "It shows us a dark side of medieval beliefs and provides a graphic reminder of how different the medieval view of the world was from our own." The team ruled out a theory the remains were cannibalised by starving villagers because there was no evidence of knife marks clustering around major muscle attachments or large joints. An analysis of teeth revealed the dead grew up near to where they were buried, dispelling a suggestion they were outsiders. The findings have been published in the Journal of Archaeological Science Reports. Image copyright Historic England Image caption Excavations at the abandoned medieval village of Wharram Percy started in the 20th Century Wharram Percy, which lies between Malton and Driffield, in East Yorkshire, was excavated in the 20th Century. It was once a thriving community built on sheep farming, but it fell into steep decline after the Black Death and was eventually completely abandoned. ||||| A study by archaeologists has revealed certain people in medieval Yorkshire were so afraid of the dead they chopped, smashed and burned their skeletons to make sure they stayed in their graves. The research published by Historic England and the University of Southampton may represent the first scientific evidence in England of attempts to prevent the dead from walking and harming the living – still common in folklore in many parts of the world. Facebook Twitter Pinterest One of the excavated human bones with arrows indicating the cut marks. Photograph: Historic England/PA The archaeologists who studied a collection of human bones – including the remains of adults, teenagers and children excavated more than half a century ago, and dated back to the period between the 11th and 14th century – rejected gruesome possibilities including cannibalism in times of famine, or the massacre of outsiders. The cut marks were in the wrong place for butchery, and isotope analysis of the teeth showed that the people came from the same area as the villagers of Wharram Percy in North Yorkshire – a once flourishing village which had been completely deserted by the early 16th century. The archaeologists studied 137 pieces of broken human bones, found in the pits of the village. Their conclusion, published on Monday in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, is that the most plausible explanation for the burn marks and cuts found on the skulls and upper body bones was deliberate mutilation after death. The scientists believe the intention was to keep the dead from walking and spreading disease or attacking the living. The first shovelful: introducing our new archaeology and anthropology blog Read more Simon Mays, skeletal biologist at Historic England, said: “The idea that the Wharram Percy bones are the remains of corpses burnt and dismembered to stop them walking from their graves seems to fit the evidence best. If we are right, then this is the first good archaeological evidence we have for this practice.” He added: “It shows us a dark side of medieval beliefs and provides a graphic reminder of how different the medieval view of the world was from our own.” Medieval sources offer various remedies for dealing with the restless dead, believed to be individuals who were evil or cursed in life and still bore a grudge against the living in death. Solutions included digging up and decapitating or burning the skeletons. The condition of the Wharram Percy bones suggests that the bodies were decapitated quite soon after death, when the bones were still soft, and burned. Only the ruined church, a few cottages, and a series of humps and bumps in the fields remain of Wharram Percy, once a prosperous village with two manor houses and dozens of more humble houses. It was extensively excavated in the 20th century, and is one of the best documented of thousands of villages which were eventually abandoned due to plague, depopulation, or changing agricultural practice. The bones were from at least 10 individuals aged between two and 50, including seven adults, two of them women, and three very young children. They were excavated in the 1960s when archaeologists were investigating the foundations of a house, but had not been studied in detail until now. They were buried in three overlapping pits, between the houses, some distance from the church and graveyard. Facebook Twitter Pinterest An illustration of the medieval village of Wharram Percy in north Yorkshire, where human bones were excavated. Photograph: Historic England/PA The scientists rejected cannibalism – not uncommon in times of famine, and revealed at several English sites including the Ice Age human remains at Cheddar Gorge – as an explanation because those cut marks would typically be at the joints, not clustered around the head. The scientists also wondered if the people represented by their fragmented remains could have been outsiders, regarded with suspicion by the villagers. However analysis of the isotopes in some of the teeth – which can give a distinctive signature revealing where the individual lived in childhood when the teeth grew – showed that they were very local. Alistair Pike, professor of archaeological sciences at Southampton, said: “Strontium isotopes in teeth reflect the geology on which an individual was living as their teeth formed in childhood. A match between the isotopes in the teeth and the geology around Wharram Percy suggests they grew up in an area close to where they were buried, possibly in the village. This was surprising to us as we first wondered if the unusual treatment of the bodies might relate to their being from further afield rather than local.” When the bones were found in the 1960s the archaeologists thought they were probably older than the village, and belonged to early Romano-British settlers whose remains were disturbed and reburied by the villagers. The truth has proved to be more sinister. • This article was amended on 3 April 2017. An earlier version said the study was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

– We humans can be a superstitious lot, and scientists are revealing yet another example of the extremes we'll go to in the fight to keep evil and danger at bay. In this case, experts report in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports that human bones excavated in 1963 and 1964 from the much-studied medieval English village Wharram Percy in North Yorkshire had been chopped, broken, and burned post-mortem. In their study, the researchers note that textual accounts of revenants—that is, "a re-animated corpse that arises from its grave"—in England date back to the 11th century, and they conclude the mutilation was likely done in an attempt to "lay revenant corpses." It would be the first such evidence of the practice in England. Researchers reached this conclusion after studying 137 bones from 10 people (between the ages of 2 and 50) who'd been dismembered and decapitated between the 11th and 14th centuries. They say the revenant-corpse evidence is stronger than that of a competing theory: survival cannibalism. The BBC reports the cut marks were in the wrong places for butchery (not near large joints, for instance) and differed from those made on animals consumed at Wharram Percy. Scientists also seemingly disproved another theory, that the remains were those of foreigners whom the villagers feared. The Guardian reports an isotopic analysis of their teeth indicated they were of the area. "It shows us a dark side of medieval beliefs and provides a graphic reminder of how different the medieval view of the world was from our own," says lead researcher Simon Mays. (See why this woman's heart was cut out of her dead body.)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Navy chief petty officer and mother of three was found dead in her Northside home early Monday morning, hours before a hearing was scheduled on a protective order against her boyfriend. Police said Andrea Washington, 37, was murdered inside her home on Itani Way, near Cedar Point and New Berlin roads. She was found around 12:13 a.m. Monday after officers responded to a medical call. Washington was scheduled to deploy on Wednesday aboard the USS Hue City. "(She) worked hard for 19 years in the military, served her country, had an awesome career," Chris Phantom said. "She was taken from us so soon, and it really hurts. But at the same time, my concern right now is her boys." News4Jax has learned that Washington owned the home and had filed a domestic violence injunction two weeks ago against her boyfriend, claiming he had pushed her to the floor, kicked her in the stomach and threatened her with a gun during an argument over bills. A hearing in that case was scheduled for Monday. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, first responders called to a medical emergency found Washington dead inside the home. Police have released no information about a suspect or an arrest. A First Coast CrimeStoppers sign, asking for anyone with information to report a tip, could be seen outside Washington's home Tuesday. "It’s still under investigation, so I can’t really speak on it. But, at the same time, though, I hope justice prevails," Phantom said. The Navy released a limited statement Tuesday, saying more information might be made available after 24 hours. “A sailor assigned to the guided missile cruiser USS Hue City was found deceased around midnight Sept. 17,” Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson said. “The death is under investigation by local law enforcement. Our thoughts and condolences are with the family, friends and shipmates of the sailor.” Dr. Gail A. Patin, CEO of Hubband House, the domestic abuse shelter for Duval and Baker counties, told News4Jax that leaving an abuser, and the period of separation that follows, is often the most dangerous time for the victim of domestic violence. "To find safety, women, children and men frequently turn to Hubbard House for help," Patin said. "Anyone who needs help is urged to call the Hubbard House 24/7 Domestic Violence Hotline at 904-354-3114." To learn more about domestic violence or get help in other Northeast Florida counties, the following resources are available: • Micah's Place (Nassau County): micahsplace.net or (904) 225-9979 • Betty Griffin Center (St. Johns County): bettygriffincenter.org or (904) 824-1555 • Quigley House (Clay County): quigleyhouse.org or (904) 284-0061 Copyright 2018 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. ||||| Sign in using you account with: {* loginWidget *} Sign in using your wjax profile Welcome back. Please sign in Why are we asking this? By submitting your registration information, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Already have an account? We have sent a confirmation email to {* data_emailAddress *}. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Thank you for registering! Thank you for registering! We look forward to seeing you on [website] frequently. Visit us and sign in to update your profile, receive the latest news and keep up to date with mobile alerts. Click here to return to the page you were visiting.

– A bottle of cognac was waiting for Andrea Washington, along with a friend ready to celebrate Washington's recent pinning as a chief petty officer in the US Navy. That celebration never came: Washington's body was discovered Monday in her Jacksonville, Florida, residence, and while the investigation into her death continues, details are trickling out that suggest a turbulent home life, per WJAX and WTLV. Cops suspect foul play in the death of the mom of three, who'd been with the Navy for nearly two decades. One clue pointing to possible turmoil: a protective order granted to Washington by a Duval County judge just a couple of weeks ago due to domestic violence in the home. In the order issued Sept. 4, a man who lives with Washington—News4Jax identifies him as her boyfriend—was accused by Washington of an incident in which the man chased her, shoved her to the ground, kicked her in the stomach, and threatened her with a gun. Washington had said he turned violent when she asked him to contribute his share of the household bills. Also noted in court documents were allegations that the man had wrecked her iPad, caused damage in her bedroom, and swiped the keys to her car and mailbox. Washington had been set to appear in court regarding the order of protection on the day she was found dead. "If you're dealing with something, somebody should know," the longtime friend who'd bought the Hennessy for her tells WTLV. "I hope justice prevails."

SIRTE, Libya—Dozens of families fled Col. Moammar Gadhafi's hometown on Monday as fighters supporting Libya's interim leadership pushed to capture the city and the loyalist forces' few other remaining redoubts. View Slideshow Reuters Columns of anti-Gaddafi fighters advance towards the front line Monday. Refugees who managed to get out of the coastal city of Sirte, however, had to clear another hurdle: Anti-Gadhafi fighters from Misrata, while distributing food and water to fleeing families, were pulling suspected loyalists from their ranks. Residents in passenger cars and pickup trucks packed with mattresses and blankets waited at checkpoints manned by the anti-Gadhafi forces on the highway on the west side of Sirte. Many refugees said they had to escape through rural back roads after being blocked at gunpoint by Gadhafi supporters holed up in the center of the city. They said some of Sirte's main thoroughfares had been barricaded with sand berms and concrete barriers to prevent residents from leaving and impede the advance of fighters supporting the leaders of the interim government, the National Transitional Council, or NTC. Ali Omar, who escaped with 27 members of his extended family, said fighters loyal to the transitional government were also approaching from the east, from the direction of the city of Benghazi, and blasting their way into the city. "The easterners are exterminating everything in front of them," said Mr. Omar, 42 years old, dressed in pajama pants and a polo shirt. He said he and his family had been pinned down by heavy gunfire for more than seven hours on Sunday in their home on Sirte's east side. Enlarge Image Close Reuters Fighters supporting Libya's transitional government fired at Gadhafi loyalists in a battle near Sirte, Col. Moammar Gadhafi's birth city, on Monday. As refugees gathered, the Misrata fighters checked their names against lists of suspected Gadhafi loyalists. Some men were arrested while others were told to wait on the side of the road with their families. "We're going to punish even those that supported Moammar with words," said a bearded fighter to a man who protested his detention. "We are the knights that liberated Libya." A pro-NTC fighter said his colleagues were following routine security procedures in detaining suspected loyalists. A frantic elderly woman paced on the highway, pleading with the fighters to release her son. She argued that the family had relinquished Kalashnikov rifles given to them and other loyalist tribes by Col. Gadhafi's regime to fight the rebels. "Give me back my son," screamed the woman, Hawa Gargoum. The fighter played down the fierce resistance they have faced for weeks in areas such as Sirte and Bani Walid, southeast of the capital,Tripoli. "Once we get the families out of Sirte, it won't take us three hours," to capture the city, boasted the fighter. But some families weren't being moved. A group of 140 men, women and children had been trapped for over a week at a mosque close to the Sirte front line, guarded by half a dozen Misrata fighters. Another group of fighters, hunkered down at a nearby overpass, fired mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenades toward a loyalist base beyond the mosque. The families at the mosquewere among thousands of residents of Tawergha, a small town 25 miles south of Misrata, who were chased out of their homes when pro-NTC fighters captured the town last month. Misratans accuse their neighbors in Tawergha, which is inhabited mostly by black Libyans, of aiding Col. Gadhafi's troops during their brutalsiege of Misrata this year and committing crimes such as rape. Misrata's fighters have ransacked Tawergha and set many homes on fire, and have pursued their vendetta with Tawergha's displaced families in every area captured by the pro-NTC force so far. Fighters from Misrata said they had orders not to allow families from Tawergha to return home. The NTC's head, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, proposed reconciliation between Misrata and Tawergha, but the Misratans have so far refused. "You will be rewarded by God if you can rescue us," pleaded Najia Saleh, 50, who was huddled at the mosque with six children. About 5,000 Tawergha natives were stuck in Sirte and thousands more were being held in the Jufra region south of the city, according to several displaced families. Some of the Tawergha families that managed to leave Jufra over the weekend didn't escape the Misrata fighters when they reached Tripoli. Women from several families that arrived in Tripoli on Saturday said 10 male relatives were arrested by Misrata rebels at a checkpoint south of the city, adding to hundreds others detained since the fall of the capital last month. "They called us 'mercenaries,' " said Salima Farraj, 34, who said she had two brothers arrested on Saturday. Write to Sam Dagher at [email protected] ||||| 1 of 15. Plumes of thick smoke are seen erupting from inside Sirte September 26, 2011. SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) - Intense sniper and artillery fire from forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi holed up in Sirte kept fighters with Libya's new rulers at bay in the deposed leader's hometown on Wednesday. Sirte, one of the last two bastions of support for Gaddafi, is encircled by forces with the interim National Transitional Council (NTC) and under aerial attack from NATO. NTC fighters have been meeting stiff resistance from Gaddafi loyalists, who have managed to hang on to much of Sirte more than a month after the fall of the Libyan leader's regime. Lack of coordination and divisions at the front have been hampering their attempts to capture Sirte and Bani Walid, which lies 180 km (110 miles) south of Tripoli. A commander leading the attack on Sirte said on Tuesday he was in talks with elders inside the city about a truce, but the head of another anti-Gaddafi unit rejected negotiations. There were clashes at a roundabout 2 km (1.5 miles) east of the center of Sirte, where anti-Gaddafi fighters were pinned down for a second day by sniper and artillery fire. Forces with the new government brought in two tanks and trucks carrying infantry to try to break through. Snipers, though, held up the advance, forcing the attackers to take cover behind metal shipping containers. Medical workers at a hospital in Ras Lanuf, which lies 220 km (137 miles) east of Sirte, said they had received the bodies of six NTC fighters killed in fighting on the city's eastern front. Some 45 fighters were wounded, many from sniper fire. While the fighting continues, humanitarian organizations have expressed alarm at the worsening situation in Sirte. "Our main worry is the people being displaced because of the fighting," said Jafar Vishtawi, a delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), near Sirte. GADDAFIS STILL MAKING WAVES Taking Sirte, 450 km east of Tripoli, would bring Libya's new rulers closer to gaining control of the whole country, something still eluding them more than a month after their fighters seized the capital. It is likely some members of Gaddafi's family are in Sirte but there is no information about the location of the former ruler himself. He is the subject of an Interpol arrest warrant. A Syria-based television station that has been broadcasting audio speeches by Gaddafi, reported on Tuesday that the toppled leader had addressed his supporters and urged them to fight in a speech broadcast on a local radio station in Bani Walid. The report by Arrai television could not be independently verified. Arrai also broadcast footage of what it said was Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam, dated September 20, rallying his forces at an unidentified location. "This land is the land of your forefathers. Don't hand it over," Saif al-Islam, shouted to a crowd of followers. In neighboring Algeria, the government ordered members of Gaddafi's family in exile there to stay out of politics after Gaddafi's daughter Aisha angered the NTC by telling the media her father was still fighting to hold on to power. Aisha Gaddafi, her brothers Hannibal and Mohammed, their mother Safia and several other family members fled in August. In a separate development, a Tunisian court of appeal freed Gaddafi's former Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmoudi, who was sentenced to six months in jail last week after he was arrested near the North African country's border with Algeria. Shortly after the ruling, a source at the Justice Ministry told Reuters that Tunisia had not received any request from the NTC to extradite al-Mahmoudi. Libya's new rulers received an important boost when exports of crude oil -- the country's only major source of revenue -- resumed for the first time in months. The head of Libya's port authority said a cargo of crude oil had sailed on September 25 from the port of Marsa el Hariga, bound for Italy. It was only the third cargo to leave Libya since the rebellion against Gaddafi's rule began in February. "We are working hard to make everything run normally at the ports," Capt. Ramadan Boumadyan said in an interview. "I think everything will be back to normal in a month's time." (Additional reporting by William MacLean and Joseph Logan in Tripoli, Emad Omar in Benghazi, Jonathan Saul and Paul Hoskins in London, Tarek Amara in Tunis, Christian Lowe and Hamid Ould Ahmed in Algiers and Ali Abdelatti and Sami Aboudi in Cairo; Writing by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Robert Woodward)

– Anti-Gadhafi forces, backed as ever by NATO air support, bore down on the loyalist-held city of Sirte today, pressing an assault that’s sent dozens of families fleeing from their homes. “The easterners are exterminating everything in front of them,” one man tells the Wall Street Journal. One commander told Reuters that an elder from Gadhafi’s tribe had called him to ask for a truce, and safe passage for families out of the city. The commander agreed, but so far fighting has not abated. Families who have fled have often found themselves immediately detained by rebels from Misrata armed with lists of suspected Gadhafi loyalists, the Journal reports. “We’re going to punish even those who supported Moammar with words,” one fighter told a protesting detainee. The Misrata fighters have also rounded up people from their neighboring town of Tawergha, keeping them captive in a Sirte mosque. They accuse Tawergha of aiding Gadfhafi’s forces in the siege of Misrata, and have ransacked and burned the town.

Photo: handout Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Image 1 of 15 C.H. Cain and his wife, Suzy Cain, release a dove in memory of their daughter, Jessica Cain, during a tribute site dedication at Highland Bayou Park in 2012, in La Marque. C.H. Cain and his wife, Suzy Cain, release a dove in memory of their daughter, Jessica Cain, during a tribute site dedication at Highland Bayou Park in 2012, in La Marque. Photo: handout Image 2 of 15 Richard Martinez with the Houston Police Department Homicide Division speaks with reporters during the search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Richard Martinez with the Houston Police Department Homicide Division speaks with reporters during the search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle Image 3 of 15 Searchers dig for the remains of Jessica Cain in the 6100 block of East Orem Drive on Friday. Cain disappeared in 1997, and her accused kidnapper, William Reece, has been at the site with authorities. Searchers dig for the remains of Jessica Cain in the 6100 block of East Orem Drive on Friday. Cain disappeared in 1997, and her accused kidnapper, William Reece, has been at the site with authorities. Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff Image 4 of 15 A searcher digs in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. A searcher digs in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Image 5 of 15 Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Image 6 of 15 Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Image 7 of 15 Searchers talk as an excavator digs for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in a field in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Searchers talk as an excavator digs for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in a field in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Image 8 of 15 Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Houston. Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Image 9 of 15 Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Image 10 of 15 Authorities search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Authorities search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Photo: James Nielsen, Staff Image 11 of 15 Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Searchers dig in a field for the remains of Jessica Cain, a teenager missing since 1997, in the 6100 block of E. Orem Dr., Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Photo: James Nielsen, James Nielsen/Houston Chronicle Image 12 of 15 Authorities search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Authorities search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle Image 13 of 15 Authorities search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Authorities search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle Image 14 of 15 Authorities search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Authorities search for body of Jessica Cain in the 6100 of East Orem Friday, March 18, 2016, in Houston. Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle ||||| The remains found in a southeast Houston field last month have been identified as missing teenager Jessica Cain.The Harris County Medical Examiner confirms DNA led to the identification. Cain was 17 years old when she vanished in 1997.led authorities to where he buried her body in a field on E. Orem Road near Hobby Airport."At least we don't have to wonder where she is anymore," said Sue Dietrich-Nance, the former Tiki Island police chief who helped put Reece behind bars on his current 60 year kidnapping sentence.Last week, the remains of Kelli Cox were identified. She was 20 when she went missing in Denton, Texas, in 1997. Her body was found recently after investigators searched a field in Brazoria County, also with Reece's guidance.Reece, who's currently facing a murder charge in a cold case out of Oklahoma, has been cooperating with investigators in exchange for plea deals in at least three murder cases in Texas. He has yet to be charged. His attorney, Anthony Osso, says he wants to avoid trials and keep Reece, whose health is declining, off death row. He also says several agencies have requested to speak to Reece about their unsolved murder cases.News that Jessica Cain had been found after 19 years spread quickly Friday.No one was home at her parents' house near Dayton on Friday. Jessica was their only child."I'm just sorry it had to be 19 years and it's for his own benefit, not because he truly has a conscience," said Dietrich-Nance. "After 19 years, he decided to help these families. Well, what about the girls? He didn't help the girls. He murdered them and he's a monster."

– A Texas family finally knows what happened to their teenage girl. Remains discovered in a Houston field have been identified as those of Jessica Cain, who vanished in 1997 while driving home from a high school party at a restaurant, the Houston Chronicle reports. "We are relieved at the news that Jessica has been found," says Galveston County Criminal DA Jack Roady in a press release. "But while this news brings confirmation, it also brings new sorrow to Jessica's family, friends and those in law enforcement who have mourned her loss." A medical examiner used DNA to identify the 17-year-old's remains, KTRK reports. Convicted kidnapper and suspected serial killer William Reece led authorities to Cain; serving 60 years for kidnapping, he's been helping investigators as part of a plea deal in other Texas murder cases. Authorities found remains of another possible Reece victim in the same area just this week. His attorney says Reece, who's in poor health, is trying to avoid death row. "I'm just sorry it had to be 19 years and it's for his own benefit, not because he truly has a conscience," says a former police chief who helped convict Reese. "After 19 years, he decided to help these families. Well, what about the girls? He didn't help the girls. He murdered them and he's a monster." Friends are leaving messages about Reece on a Facebook page.

Glenn Beck stepped down from his Fox News show on Thursday after two and a half tumultuous, controversial years at the network. He kept the chalkboards to a minimum, and shed no tears. He also shied away from too many specific recollections about his show. Instead, he broadly reminisced about what he said he had learned from the experience, repeatedly praised Fox News for allowing his show to air and professed his excitement for his next step: the Web TV channel known as "GBTV." Beck said that the reason for his departure from Fox News was simple: there was more that he wanted to do. The show, he said, was really a movement "that belongs in your home. It belongs in your neighborhoods. Not really television." He repeatedly directed viewers to his website, where the next chapter of his professional life will be centered. The show featured many of the things that made Beck famous—long monologues, high emotion, mentions of God and Hitler—but, in some ways, was hardly representative of the show that made him, for a few years at least, a cultural icon and a lightning rod. Beck's impassioned, grandiose, often inflammatory style and his embrace of the Tea Party movement sent his notoriety skyrocketing, and made him the most polarizing personality on an already-polarizing network. He drew high ratings (even when his show's popularity fell, it was still the fourth most watched cable news program) and a large following; his rally on the Washington Mall in 2010 was evidence of his ability to move masses. However, Beck often drew equally heated criticism for his highly controversial comments and elaborate, chalkboard-laden explanations of the world. Most famously, he called President Obama a "racist" with a "deep-seated hatred of white people," accused liberal billionaire George Soros of being at the center of a destructive global order, and warned that the so-called "Arab Spring" would lead to a new Islamic caliphate. Scroll down for a recap of Beck's farewell show. Beck and Fox News each benefited from their relationship—his popularity, and its ratings, both grew. But, as the criticism of Beck increased—and as an aggressive campaign caused up to 400 advertisers to drop their support of his show—both sides grew weary. Tensions between Beck's camp and Fox News spilled out in public, and the two groups eventually decided to sever their ties. Now, Beck is setting out on his own, like so many of his media peers these days. He will be starting his own Web TV channel called GBTV. On his Thursday radio show, Beck said that he would immediately launch the channel following the end of his Fox News show. "I'm so sick and tired of being in the system," he said. "I’m not going to play the game anymore.” It remains to be seen how successful Beck's new venture will be. With the vast majority of his income coming from outside Fox News, though, and with a growing media empire, he is more well-positioned than most. ||||| While the first three quarters of Glenn Beck’s last show on Fox News was all about the past (with a brief detour to take shots at Jon Stewart for some reason), he eventually began talking about the future. He talked about a new venture to be revealed later tonight entitled Mercury One (presumably the charity program we first heard about here) and explained why he would choose to leave Fox News, the “best platform” around. Here was his thought process for moving on: “So I’m standing there overlooking the city and I’m overcome with the feeling, ‘If you don’t leave now, you will never leave with your soul.’ As a guy who’s traded my soul before, I will not trade it again. Never want anything to much. Never. It will destroy you. It all comes down to this; I learned the hard way who I was. We as a country now have a chance to learn who we are, what we’re capable of, and what we truly believe before we’re forced to learn the hard way. Now is the time to be part of the solution.” In the very last seconds though, he went back to reflecting on the show ending and, more importantly, the people who made it possible. Beck thanked the crew of his show by showing their names on air in the most fitting way possible; he wrote them on a chalkboard. Watch the clip from Fox News below:

– Glenn Beck is no more on Fox News: He signed off from his show for the final time today. "He kept the chalkboards to a minimum, and shed no tears," writes Jack Mirkinson at the Huffington Post. "He also shied away from too many specific recollections about his show." Beck, though, made sure to remind folks he's not leaving the public stage, notes the Washington Post. “For those members of media who are celebrating ... you will pray for the time I was only on the air for one hour a day," he said. His next big venture is a subscription webcast at GBTV.com, and he also recently launched his own book imprint. His thoughts today on leaving, as recounted by Mediaite: "As a guy who has traded my soul before, I will not trade it again. ... I learned the hard way who I was. We as a country now have a chance to learn who we are, what we’re capable of, and what we truly believe before we’re forced to learn the hard way. Now is the time to be part of the solution.”

The cover of today’s New York Post takes designer John Galliano, fresh from his “apology for anti-Semitic remarks” tour, to task for his outfit, which the Post deems a mockery of the garb worn by the Hasidic faithful. As befitting a tabloid not known for its subtlety, the headline reads “Schmuck!” But not so fast, says the Anti-Defamation League, which issued a statement defending the designer and bashing the Post story. “The New York Post story is a ridiculous, absurd distortion. There is no truth to their accusation that John Galliano was dressed in Hasidic garb, and anyone familiar with the dress of traditional Orthodox Jews should not mistake what Galliano is wearing in the photograph as ‘Hasidic garb,'” wrote the ADL’s Abraham Foxman in a press release. “Hasidim do not wear fedora hats, pinstripe pants, blue jackets or an ascot tie.” Come to think of it, we guess we have never seen any Hasid wearing an ascot. But we also can never remember what exactly an ascot is. In this, we defer to Mr. Foxman’s knowledge of haberdashery. And if the ignorant Post reporters don’t know their ascots from their elbows, well, Mr. Foxman contends, it’s either ignorance or something way worse. “This is John Galliano being John Galliano. His dress is always eccentric and his hair is always worn long,” the press release continues. “This is, at the very least, ignorance on the part of the reporters and editors at the Post, or, at worst, a deliberate, malicious distortion in an effort to sell newspapers.” Whoa, hold on. The Post tries to sell newspapers based on provocative covers. Let’s not make any crazy accusations. But not only is Mr. Foxman defending Mr. Galliano from the Post’s accusation that his style of dress is a deliberate dig at a segment of the chosen people, he defends Mr. Galliano and the efforts the designer has made to learn from his mistakes–including spending hours with Mr. Foxman himself. “For the past year and a half, Mr. Galliano has been on a pilgrimage to learn from and grow from his mistakes. Now people are trying to distort and destroy him,” Mr. Foxman concludes. “He has spent hours with me and with others in the European Jewish community, including rabbis and Holocaust scholars, in an effort to better understand himself and to learn from his past mistakes. He is trying very hard to atone.” Looks like that apology tour is working, if not with the Post, then with the ADL. ||||| John Galliano, what is wrong with you??? OK, we get that you are “obsessed” with your own perceived Jewish heritage, because about 50,000 words in to this Daily Mail profile of you in rehab it talks about how you are “obsessed” with your own perceived Jewish heritage. But after you’ve been fired from your fashion house and stood trial for (and been found guilty of) racism (or “public insults based on race”) for getting GOTCHAed on video slurring about how you love Hitler because the women with “Dirty Jew faces” you are talking to “would be dead,” MAYBE YOU SHOULD NOT SHOW UP TO FASHION WEEK IN PEYOS. (Those blue tights are an entirely different sort of crime.) Also, Oscar de la Renta, it was sweet of you to hire your convicted felon friend, because we are liberals so we know ex-cons need “fresh startsies” or they will never be able to rejoin Society, but now you are in trouble with the Jewishes too. Hmmm, but is it possible we (and everybody) are wrong? That somehow John Galliano, showing up in hat and peyos, was not intending to don the costume of a religious sect for his own batshit purposes? Or is there, like, a reason or something? Asked for comment about Galliano’s get-up, spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg said, “Your accusations are not at all correct.” Rosenberg has apparently been taking communications lessons from the Scientology School of Asserting That A Question Itself Can Be True Or False. Anyhoo, here’s Galliano calling women “dirty Jew faces,” because that never gets old. [NYPost] ||||| Fashion designer John Galliano, who was fired from Dior after being caught on video hurling antisemitic remarks at people next to him at a restaurant, has just gone and maybe insulted Jewish people, and really everyone, once again. On his way to see the Oscar de la Renta show at New York Fashion Week yesterday — which is to say on his way to somewhere very important, because he is a very important person — Galliano was photographed dressed in a getup that could perhaps be described as a modified Hasidic outfit. You know, black coat, hat (not the hat pictured above), payot, the whole deal. His pants were short and he had on blue tights underneath them, but the inspiration seemed pretty clear. Which, normally, whatever. It's just some dumb fashion guy bein' weird. But in light of what Galliano has said to Jewish people, on video — things like "I love Hitler!" — in the past, it seems more than a little prickish to publicly wear an outfit that does seem to be mocking Jewish traditions. I'm not saying that no one but a Hasid gets to wear hats and payot and long black coats in New York City or anywhere else, people can wear what they want, but given the context, the context of this buffoon, then, well, yeah, it seems pretty bad. Why must you be such a jerk, John Galliano? Because you make silly clothes for models and movie stars? Who cares, ultimately? Ugh, the fashion industry. Ugh ugh ugh. [New York Post] It seems that Taylor Swift had to be kept away from Carrie Underwood at last Sunday's Grammy Awards, because the two have beef or something. Well, some chilliness at least. It's cold beef. There's a a cold beef between Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. Apparently the rift exists because Taylor feels that Carrie is never very friendly to her when they do interact, so she's just decided to avoid her entirely. A rep for Underwood says that she's just shy, so who the hell knows? I can't imagine that Taylor Swift would ever perceive someone's shyness as a personal slight to her. It's not as if Taylor Swift has ever given us the impression that she views the entire world as revolving around her own emotional life, so there's no reason to think that she might assume that someone not being the friendliest or bubbliest or outgoingest is entirely about her. We've no reason to suspect such a thing. So, they didn't interact with each other on the red carpet or at the show, and Taylor didn't give Carrie a standing-O after she performed. That's some mighty cold beef, all cool and beefy, pressed between them. Speaking of, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles have beef. A hot beef. Oh, yeah, their beef is really hot. At the very least it's warm. It's possibly just a warm beef. Whatever temperature the beef is, it's palpable. Taylor made reference to her One Directioner ex at the Grammys by way of a bad British accent, and now the two might have to bump into each other at the upcoming Kids' Choice Awards. Though it's hard to imagine how's they'll actually physically bump into each other when there's all that hot beef between them. Who knows? But, yeah, they were both announced as Kids' Choice nominees this morning, so if they decide to go, which they very likely will given that kids are both of their most ardent fans, they'll have to do a delicate dance of avoiding one another. They don't want children to see their hot beef, after all. It just wouldn't be appropriate. [Us Weekly; People] Steve Martin recently welcomed his first child into the world, at 67 years of age. Yes, Martin's 41-year-old wife gave birth back in December, and they're just now informing the public. Sixty-seven years old, huh? So he'll be close to 90 by the time the kid's a sophomore in college. That's... I dunno, man. That's really tough on a kid. And seems kind of cruel. I mean, if that's what they want, that's what they want; it's their DNA. But subjecting a kid to the very real, likely even, possibility that their father will die when they're in their teens or early 20s? And will be in his 70s for most of their childhood? Kinda mean, if you ask me. And I'm someone who has an older dad. Not that old, but older. It can be great and work out fine, as it did for me, but sixty-seven? That's a lot to deal with. Hate to be judgmental about a happy occasion, but what can you do? [Page Six] Lady Gaga — remember her? She's a pop act who was popular in the early 2010s — has had to delay some concerts due to an injury. It seems she's suffering from synovitis, an inflammation in the joints that can cause a lot of pain. So it's not really an injury per se, it's a condition of the joints, found often in people with gout and arthritis. So maybe Lady Gaga has been eating a lot of meat? Someone should tell her to stop eating her dresses. Either that or she just has old bones. I mean, some of us have long suspected that she's actually much older than she says she is, that she keeps herself looking young with a strange regimen of tonics and elixirs and by using several mysterious machines that she had her people steal from Madonna's basement. So she may look young on the outside, but you can't fool bones. Bones know how old you are. Bones always know. And now she's suffering the consequences. We wish her a speedy recovery. [People] Kathie Lee Gifford wants to move to Los Angeles and take the Kathie & Hoda wacky wine hour with her. The show is going out for two weeks as a special kind of a thing, but it's also rumored to be dry run for a permanent move. See, Kathie's son Cody, you remember Cody, he's on the USC football team just like his dad, and so she'd be closer to him. Plus her daughter Cassidy, who could forget Cassidy, she's trying to be a model and actress, meaning L.A. could work well for her. So Kathie's got motive and reason. And we all know that Hoda has nothing going for her, nothing tying her to any one place, so she might as well drift with the current, right? I mean, what's she got that isn't the show? Nothin', that's what. A whole Hodaload of nothing. One thing that doesn't make sense about the move, though, is that they'd have to do it three hours earlier in the morning, wouldn't they? Like, start at 7 a.m. west coast time in order to air here at 10 a.m. Which means their cushy schedules would get a little less cushy. And how many people really want to drink wine at 7 a.m.? That's going to be weird for them. But they can't stop drinking wine! It's their whole shtick, just like Cougar Town. Something to think about, ladies. As usual, I'd advise that you base your decision on what's best for your wine drinking. As most thoughtful people do. [Page Six] Here are some photos of Tallulah Willis smoking a cigarette in a long fur coat. I don't know what else to say about them. She's sitting in a parking lot at one point. She seems deeply invested in whatever is going on on her phone. But mostly the fur coat is what catches the eye. Those Willis girls, man. Those Willis girls sure are something. [Daily Mail] Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at rlawson at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire. Richard Lawson ||||| NEW YORK CITY — Onetime Christian Dior designer John Galliano has stepped into the middle of another anti-Semitic furor, this time over his choice in fashion. Galliano, who gained notoriety in 2011 shouting about his love for Hitler, appeared to again mock devout Jews when he stepped out Tuesday in an outfit replete with a long coat, homburg-style hat and what appear to be peyos — long sidelocks grown to demonstrate faith. Galliano, who was on his way to the Fashion Week showcase for Oscar de la Renta — who's trying to revive the fashion pariah's career — triggered a wave of criticism that he was mocking the clothing of ultra-Orthodox Jews. But the controversial designer found a surprising ally in the head of the Jewish advocacy group the Anti-Defamation League, which rushed to the designer's defense. "There is no truth to their accusation that John Galliano was dressed in Hasidic garb, and anyone familiar with the dress of traditional Orthodox Jews should not mistake what Galliano is wearing in the photograph as 'Hasidic garb,'" Abraham Foxman, the ADL's national director, said in a statement. "Hasidim do not wear fedora hats, pinstripe pants, blue jackets or an ascot tie. This is just John Galliano being John Galliano. His dress is always eccentric and his hair is always worn long." Foxman also blasted the New York Post, which ran a photo of Galliano on the front page of their Wednesday issue, and said "This is, at the very least, ignorance on the part of the reporters and editors," Foxman said. "[Galliano] has spent hours with me and with others in the European Jewish community, including rabbis and Holocaust scholars, in an effort to better understand himself and to learn from his past mistakes," Foxman added. "He is trying very hard to atone." A representative of Galliano also defended the designer Wednesday night, saying Galliano had no intention of mimicking Hasidic garb, according to reports. "Mr. Galliano has worn big hats and has had long curly hair for many years," a Galliano representative told MailOnline. "He was in designer attire from head-to-toe including a Stephen Jones hat and Yohji Yamamoto pants." The sartorial snafu caused a stir on social media. "John Galliano, and anyone, and I mean ANYONE who supports this sick freak should go to Auschwitz," Bradley Scott Reisman said in a 9 a.m. Facebook post. "John Galliano- why? The House that Oscar de la Renta built is giving you a chance- must you mock it?" read a 10 a.m. tweet from Michelle Jones. Some defended Galliano like Steve Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, who said attacks against the designer were "unfair." "That is John's hair and how he dresses and certainly not a mockery of others," Kolb tweeted Wednesday morning before adding, "Lets all take a deep breath, relax and remember it's just clothes!" Others disagreed. Mark Ferdman replied to Kolb tweeting, "Show me [a] few more pics of him dressed like that over the past couple months, years and I'll consider that POV." Some felt that Galliano's wardrobe, whether intentionally offensive or not, was at the very least in keeping with his outrageous reputation. "He's crazy. He's totally nuts," said South Williamsburg lawyer and Hasidic leader Marty Needleman. "The stuff about Hitler was really disgusting, but this is just crazy." The French fashion house Christian Dior, where Galliano was a top designer, fired him in 2011 after a video surfaced of him professing his love for Adolf Hitler in a Parisian bar. "I love Hitler," Galliano slurs in the video while clutching a cigarette. "People like you would be dead today. Your mothers and forefathers would be [...] gassed." After the incident, the fashion community shunned him and a French court convicted him on racism charges and fined him 6,000 euros. Fellow designer Oscar de la Renta recently offered Galliano a residency at his fashion house in a move many saw as an effort to revive the disgraced icon's career. "I said and did things which hurt others, especially members of the Jewish community," Galliano said in a January statement, blaming his racist outbursts on alcoholism. "I have expressed my sorrow privately and publicly for the pain which I caused, and I continue to do so. I remain committed to making amends to those I have hurt."

– John Galliano, who was arrested in 2011 and later fired from Dior after going on an anti-Semitic rant, stepped out yesterday apparently dressed as a Hasidic Jew. He was wearing a long jacket, tall hat, and curly sidelocks, reports the New York Post, which has pictures. Not surprisingly, the world was not amused, considering this is the man who was caught on video talking about his love for Hitler. A few typical headlines: Wonkette: "John Galliano, What Is Wrong With You?" The Atlantic Wire: "John Galliano Continues to Be Terrible" Galliano has been working for Oscar de la Renta recently, in his first return to fashion since Dior fired him, the AP reports. In fact, it's his love for fashion that has some defending him: DNAinfo spotted Steve Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, tweeting, "That is John's hair and how he dresses and certainly not a mockery of others." Even the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, who says he's spent hours talking to the designer and insists he wants to redeem himself, is on Galliano's side. According to the New York Observer, the ADL press release reads, in part: "Hasidim do not wear fedora hats, pinstripe pants, blue jackets, or an ascot tie. This is John Galliano being John Galliano."

North Charleston, S.C. — Donald Trump closed his South Carolina campaign on Friday with a rambling speech highlighted by an enthusiasm for torturing and summarily executing the suspected enemies of America in the name of safety. Speaking about terrorism and national security, Trump repeated an apparent legend about how General John Pershing supposedly ordered the execution of dozens of Muslim prisoners in the Philippines during a guerrilla war against United States forces in the early 1900s. Trump called it "a terrible story." Play Facebook Twitter Embed Trump Tells 'Pig's Blood' Story at Rally 1:10 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog “He took 50 bullets, and he dipped them in pig’s blood," Trump said. "And he had his men load his rifles and he lined up the 50 people, and they shot 49 of those people. And the 50th person, he said, 'You go back to your people and you tell them what happened.' And for 25 years there wasn’t a problem, okay?" The story appears to be a hoax spread via e-mail forwards, according to rumor tracker Snopes.com,with no evidence it occurred. Play Facebook Twitter Embed Marco Rubio on Trump's 'pig blood' tale: It's 'not what the United States is about' 4:35 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog The moral of the tale, according to Trump: "We better start getting tough and we better start getting vigilant, and we better start using our heads or we’re not gonna have a country, folks." Trump downplayed waterboarding, a banned interrogation tactic that he has pledged to bring back for use against suspected terrorists. "Is it torture or not? It’s so borderline," he said. "It’s like minimal, minimal, minimal torture." Play Facebook Twitter Embed Trump Struggles to Defend His Support of Iraq War in 2002 Interview 3:10 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog Trump went on to boast how fears of terrorism had boosted him politically, including in South Carolina where he leads a number of polls by double-digit margins. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll has Trump's lead shrinking to 5 point ahead of Ted Cruz. "When Paris happened, everyone started saying, 'We want Trump!'" he said. "The polls came in, 60 percent, 70 percent, 72 percent. This is 72 percent with 17 people running. Now we’re down to 6, we got rid of all these people. It’s so great. It’s so great." Trump tied the San Bernardino shooting into an argument over gun rights, saying the loss of life could have been minimized if the county health department workers who were fired upon had been armed. Fourteen people were killed in the Dec. 2 attack in California. "If there were guns on the other side pointed at the other direction so the bullets are flying both ways, you wouldn’t have had that happen," he said. Trump supporter Eleanor Crume, 72, told MSNBC afterwards that she agreed with Trump’s stance on waterboarding because terrorists should not be "pampered." "We need someone who can lead the country because people are scared to death," she said. "It’s only a matter of time before terrorists come and start chopping Christian heads off in the United States." Play Facebook Twitter Embed Lester Holt Talks To SC Voters About Issues That Matter to Them 2:03 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog South Carolina Lieutenant Gov. Henry McMaster, Trump’s most prominent endorser in the state, set the tone for the event before Trump came on. “How many of you feel real safe right now?" McMaster asked. “Nooooooooo!” the audience answered. "We’re gonna change that," McMaster replied. This story first appeared on MSNBC.com ||||| In his final campaign rally before the South Carolina primary, Donald Trump repeated an urban legend about John Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I, committing war crimes while serving in the Philippines. Trump seemed to endorse these actions as well. Trump calls for Apple boycott amid FBI feud – then sends tweets from iPhone Read more Trump claimed that Pershing summarily executed “50 terrorists”. In the real estate mogul’s telling, “they were having terrorism problems just like we do. And he caught 50 terrorists who did tremendous damage and killed many people. And he took the 50 terrorists, and he took 50 men, and he dipped 50 bullets in pig’s blood.” Trump continued that Pershing then “had his men load his rifles and he lined up the 50 people, and they shot 49 of those people. And the 50th person he said: you go back to your people and you tell them what happened.” The story seems to stem from Pershing’s stint commanding an American garrison in the Philippines where he helped put down a rebellion in the Muslim region of Mindanao from 1909-1913. Despite Trump’s pledge that “this is something you can read in the history books,” the story has been debunked by the myth-busting website Snopes. Trump also told attendees that the lesson to be learned was “we better start getting tough and we better start getting vigilant, and we better start using our heads or we’re not gonna have a country.” Pershing, a decorated combat veteran who helped lead the US to victory in World War I, is one of the two men to hold the title General of the Armies in American history. The other is George Washington. Pershing’s tenure administrating Mindanao was also marked by his comparative tolerance of Islam and his appointment of Muslims to serve under him as deputy district governors. At the Friday rally, which was held in a packed convention center, Trump also reiterated his support of waterboarding. “It’s borderline,” Trump said. “Minimal, minimal torture.” Trump previously said of the practice, considered torture, he’d approve it even if it didn’t work because “they deserve it anyway for what they do to us”. Trump is currently favored to win South Carolina’s Republican primary and most polls give him a double-digit lead in the Palmetto State. ||||| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

– Is Donald Trump getting campaign material from email forwards? On Friday, he fired up a crowd at an event in South Carolina with a dubious tale of how General John Pershing allegedly treated Muslim terrorists when the US was fighting insurgents in the Philippines early last century, NBC reports. Pershing "took the 50 terrorists, and he took 50 men, and he dipped 50 bullets in pig’s blood," Trump said. The general then "had his men load his rifles and he lined up the 50 people, and they shot 49 of those people," Trump continued "And the 50th person he said: you go back to your people and you tell them what happened. And for 25 years there wasn't a problem." Trump told the crowd that "this is something you can read in the history books," the Guardian reports, though Snopes has found no evidence for it. Trump also told supporters that they should boycott Apple until the company complies with a federal request to help the FBI break into the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook. Apple CEO "Tim Cook is looking to do a big number, probably to show how liberal he is," Trump complained. CNN reports that while Trump was speaking, his Twitter account tweeted a poll—from an iPhone. He later tweeted: "I use both iPhone & Samsung. If Apple doesn't give info to authorities on the terrorists I'll only be using Samsung until they give info." (A Canadian island is fielding queries from Americans who fear a Trump presidency.)

BURBANK, Calif. — For the past few months, Jay Leno’s decided President Barack Obama makes for a good joke. That’s a problem for the White House — one that the president came here Tuesday trying to fix. Text Size - + reset Obama gives Leno car for collection Obama: 'No patience' for Russia's anti-gay laws Throughout his career, Leno’s demonstrated show business’s most accurate sense of what the greatest denominator of people find funny. Leno may make his fellow comedians and the Amtrak corridor groan, but he’s spent 20 years on top of the ratings, and is finishing his run at the “Tonight Show” with them on the rise. (PHOTOS: Obama’s second term) Obama and Leno covered a lot of serious ground — about the threat to U.S. embassies, the troubled relationship with Russia over Edward Snowden and the country’s anti-gay laws, and the NSA’s surveillance activities. And they also covered Obama’s relationships with former rivals John McCain and Hillary Clinton, how the president really does like broccoli, and even added the obligatory joke about getting so old that he and his friends needed ibuprofen after they played basketball and golf together on his birthday. But even in an interview that was the most gracious and substantive he’s conducted in months, none of what Obama said mattered nearly as much as the underlying message of his sober, charming, occasionally smiling display as he sat cross-legged at Leno’s side for most of an hour: He’s campaigning to get back to being Barack Obama again. One Jay Leno interview is unlikely to change perceptions overnight, but as Obama works to reframe himself ahead of the fall budget negotiations with Republicans, he’s got to win back the people and the places where the squeaky-voiced king of late night plays the strongest — those that most readers of Obama’s interview with The New York Times last week might tend to lump together as “middle America.” (Also on POLITICO: Transcript of Jay Leno's interview with President Obama) Hopeful conservatives have eagerly drawn a direct connection between Leno’s Obama jokes and his recent ratings surge, but the jokes seem to demonstrate Leno’s sense of his audience that’s deeper, more poisonous and potentially irreversible for any politician: They’ve heard it all before. And for a man who was propelled by the rhetoric of change, it turns out that Obama’s just like all the rest — a detached politician who makes them only shake their heads and laugh. “The White House announced in the coming days President Obama will be reaching out to Americans who’ve lost their jobs,” Leno said to open the show. “In fact, that’s why he’s here with me tonight; he’s here to talk with me personally — that’s right, we’re going to work something out.” Then Leno said he was excited for a face-to-face conversation, since that would save Obama “the trouble of going through my emails and phone calls.” (Also on POLITICO: Obama: 'No patience' for anti-gay laws) There’s no missing the numbers for Obama, whether that’s Gallup’s 44 to 48 percent approval-disapproval rating, or state-by-state polls. In two swing states he won last year, the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling shows Obama approval and disapproval even at 48 percent in Virginia, and dropped to 46 approval compared with 50 percent disapproval in Iowa as of a month ago. Part of this is the natural attrition of a president working his way through his second term. Part is the unhealed wounds from the spring scandals. Part is the great national distaste for all things Washington. (Also on POLITICO: Obama: Putin still a Cold Warrior) Late-night comedians struggled to make jokes about Obama for five years — for all the time spent on the 2008 and 2012 elections, they never nailed the all-important caricature of him the way Al Gore was wooden or George W. Bush was dumb or John McCain was old (still a Leno joke as of Tuesday) or John Kerry and Mitt Romney were Thurston Howell IV and V. Those days are gone. A George Mason University study released ahead of the Leno taping showed Obama was the most popular subject of late-night comedy of any public figure, prompting more than twice as many jokes as Anthony Weiner, the runner-up. ||||| President Barack Obama, left, talks with Jay Leno during a commercial break during the taping of his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. advertisement President Barack Obama gave an unexpectedly serious and wide-ranging interview to Jay Leno on Tuesday night, weighing in on a terror threat, U.S. tensions with Russia and even his recent lunch with Hillary Clinton on "The Tonight Show" — a venue where he was more accustomed to light-hearted joking. Obama used his appearance on the show – his sixth – to give his first public comments on recent warnings of a possible terrorist attack on U.S. interests in the Middle East. The warnings have prompted the State Department to shutter 19 diplomatic posts across the Middle East and North Africa until Saturday. "Well, it's significant enough that we're taking every precaution," Obama said to Leno, adding that radical violet extremism "is still out there, we've got to stay on top of it." The president also reiterated the White House's warning that the threat was significant and urged Americans to act "prudently" when planning travel and checking in with the State Department and embassies to see what precautions they should be taking. "The general rule is show some common sense and some caution," Obama said, as the first sitting president ever to go on the show, making his fourth appearance since he took office. He also said that Americans have shined in times of danger and peril, pointing out that people kept going to ball games and went on business as usual after the Boston Marathon bombings in April. "That's the right reaction. Terrorists depend on the idea that we're going to be terrorized," Obama said. The president also commented on the case of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, plus the secret government data surveillance programs his leaks to the press uncovered. "We don't have a domestic spying program," Obama said, defending some surveillance as a "critical component to counterterrorism" and saying the information it gathered was "useful." Photos and Videos Audience Members React to President’s "Tonight Show" Appearance President Obama made his sixth appearance on the “Tonight Show” Tuesday. The President spoke to Jay Leno about the economy, his recent lunch with Hillary Clinton, and gay rights in Russia. Beverly White reports from Burbank for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on August 6, 2013. WATCH Audience Members React to... "Tonight Show" Guests Surprised Obama Making Appearance Guests of the "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" were surprised to find out a secret guests was scheduled to be President Barack obama, who was in town for his sixth taping of the show. Toni Guinyard has the report for the NBC4 News at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013. WATCH "Tonight Show" Guests... More Photos and Videos But NBC News' correspondent Andrea Mitchell told "The Rachel Maddow Show" Tuesday said that he also appeared to express some caution about the surveillance, suggesting some level of discomfort with the NSA's programs. Obama didn't comment on the legality of Snowden's leaks. Snowden faces espionage charges for them and has been granted temporary asylum in Russia in the face of them. "We don't know exactly yet what he did," Obama said. "It's important for me not to prejudge something." The president said he was disappointed by Russia's decision to grant Snowden asylum, but maintained that the U.S relationship with Russia is still intact. "There's still a lot of business that we can do with them, but there are times when they slip back into Cold War thinking," Obama said. He confirmed to Leno that he will attend the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg with Russian president President Vladimir Putin — despite some protests that he should not, due to Russia's granting Snowden asylum, and others over Russia's new spate of laws cracking down on gay Russians' civil rights. On Wednesday, however, Obama canceled a meeting with Putin that had been scheduled on the sidelines of the summit. Leno himself told MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell in an interview on his show "The Last Word" Tuesday night, after the Obama taping, that the question of Russia — and of its crackdown on gay rights — was one he had most looked forward to asking Obama. The president said he had no patience for countries that try intimidate or harm gay, lesbian or transgender people and said it was his duty to speak out about basic freedoms. Another topic Leno had most wanted to ask Obama about: The high-profile case of Trayvon Martin and his fatal shooting by George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter last month. Leno praised the president's public comments on the case and on the experiences of black men and boys in America and asked him about his remarks. "I think all of us were troubled by what happened," Obama told Leno. "It doesn't mean Trayvon was a perfect kid. None of us were." Obama said he thought the attention paid to the Martin shooting was indicative of how badly Americans want a fair and just criminal justice system. "What I wanted to explain was why this was a particularly sensitive topic for the African-American community," he continued. "The system should work for everyone, and what I'm trying to do is just make sure that we have a conversation." On "The Last Word" Tuesday night, after taping, Leno said he had been particularly interested in hearing about the comments on the shooting's impact. "He put every American in the shoes of the average black teenage boy," Leno said. Leno also asked the president about the economy and the constant partisan battles in Congress over whether to boost the economy with infrastructure projects and other spending. And it was also pointed out that the president's health care law goes into full effect on Oct. 1. The late-night host also took a few swings at the president for becoming a bit closer to his 2008 presidential rival, John McCain, who was recently instrumental in pushing a comprehensive immigration bill through the Senate. Obama's appearance on Leno's show wasn't all serious, however, and he managed to have at least some fun with the late night host, with the help of some chat about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom he lunched with recently. "Who invited who to lunch?" Leno asked. "I invited her, and we had a great time," Obama said. "She had that post-administration glow — you know, when folks leave the White House, and two weeks later they look great." So was Clinton, a speculated 2016 presidential contender, measuring the Oval Office drapes for a possible future stint there? "She's been there," Obama said of the former first lady. "She doesn't have to measure them."

– President Obama covered a lot of bases—most of them serious—in his fourth Tonight Show appearance as president. Some highlights from the Jay Leno interview, which Politico sees as part of the president's push to "get back to being Barack Obama again" and stop being the butt of late-night jokes: On the global travel warning for US citizens: "The general rule is show some common sense and some caution," Obama said, praising the reactions of Americans who went about life as usual after the Boston Marathon bombing. "Terrorists depend on the idea that we're going to be terrorized," he said. On Trayvon Martin: "All of us were troubled by what happened, and any of us who are parents can imagine the heartache that those parents went through," Obama said after Leno praised his "eloquent" remarks after George Zimmerman's acquittal. "It doesn't mean that Trayvon was a perfect kid, none of us were," Obama said, adding that the issue of having a fair justice system for everybody is a "particularly sensitive topic for the African-American community." On Russia's anti-gay laws and the Sochi Olympics: "I think Putin and Russia have a big stake in making sure that the Olympics work," the president said, "and I think that they understand that for most of the countries that participate in the Olympics we wouldn't tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently." On NSA surveillance and Edward Snowden: "We don't have a domestic spying program," claimed Obama, calling the controversial NSA programs "mechanisms that can track a phone number or an email address that is connected to a terrorist attack." He confirmed that he would attend the G20 summit in St. Petersburg and that the US-Russia relationship is intact, despite disappointment with Moscow's decision to grant asylum to Snowden. There is "still a lot of business that we can do with them, but there are times when they slip back into Cold War thinking," he said. The interview had a few lighter moments, including discussion of Obama's recent lunch with Hillary Clinton, NBC notes. Asked whether Clinton was measuring the Oval Office for drapes, Obama quipped, "Keep in mind she’s been there. She doesn’t have to measure them."

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican majority leader, has started an unusual pre-emptive campaign against the rules, asking governors to refuse to comply. Attorneys general from more than a dozen states are preparing legal challenges against the plan. Experts estimate that as many as 25 states will join in a suit against the rules and that the disputes will end up before the Supreme Court. Leading the legal charge are states like Wyoming and West Virginia with economies that depend heavily on coal mining or cheap coal-fired electricity. Emissions from coal-fired power plants are the nation’s single largest source of carbon pollution, and lawmakers who oppose the rules have denounced them as a “war on coal.” “Once the E.P.A. finalizes this regulation, West Virginia will go to court, and we will challenge it,” Patrick Morrisey, the attorney general of West Virginia, said in an interview with a radio station in the state on Friday. “We think this regulation is terrible for the consumers of the state of West Virginia. It’s going to lead to reduced jobs, higher electricity rates, and really will put stress on the reliability of the power grid. The worst part of this proposal is that it’s flatly illegal under the Clean Air Act and the Constitution, and we intend to challenge it vigorously.” Although Obama administration officials have repeatedly said states will have flexibility to design their own plans, the final rules are explicitly meant to encourage the use of interstate cap-and-trade systems, in which states place a cap on carbon pollution and then create a market for buying permits or credits to pollute. The idea is that forcing companies to pay to pollute will drive them to cleaner sources of energy. Mr. Obama tried but failed to push through a cap-and-trade bill in his first term, and since then, the term has become politically toxic: Republicans have attacked the idea as “cap and tax.” But if the climate change regulations withstand legal challenges, many states could still end up putting cap-and-trade systems into effect. Officials familiar with the final rules said that in many cases, the easiest and cheapest way for states to comply would be by adopting cap-and-trade systems. The rules take into account the fact that some states may refuse to submit plans, and on Monday, the administration will also unveil a template for a plan to be imposed on such states. That plan will include the option of allowing a state to join an interstate cap-and-trade system. ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption President Obama: "I believe there is such a thing as being too late" US President Barack Obama has unveiled what he called "the biggest, most important step we have ever taken" in tackling climate change. The aim of the revised Clean Power Plan is to cut greenhouse gas emissions from US power stations by nearly a third within 15 years. The measures will place significant emphasis on wind and solar power and other renewable energy sources. However, opponents in the energy industry have vowed to fight the plan. "I'm convinced no challenge provides a greater threat to the future of the planet," Mr Obama said. "There is such a thing as being too late." Those opponents say Mr Obama has declared "a war on coal". Power plants fired by coal provide more than a third of the US electricity supply. The revised plan will aim to cut carbon emissions from the power sector by 32% by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. "We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change, and the last generation to be able to do something about it," Mr Obama said. He likened the plan to taking 166 million cars off the road in terms of environmental impact. He called taking a stand against climate change a "moral obligation". Mr Obama brushed off the notion that the plan is a "War on Coal" that will kill jobs and said he is reinvesting in areas of the US known as "coal country". "Scaremonging" tactics will not work to stop the proposal, he said. "If we don't do it nobody will. America leads the way forward... that's what this plan is about. This is our moment to get something right and get something right for our kids," he said. Image copyright AP Image caption US power stations are the country's largest source of greenhouse gases The deal at a glance What does it do to combat climate change in the US? The Clean Power Plan sets standards to reduce CO2 emissions by 32% from 2005 levels by 2030, which is 9% more than the proposed rules previously set forth by the Obama administration. How? It sets carbon pollution reduction goals for power plants and requires states to implement plans to meet goals. States have until September 2016 to submit plans, but must comply by 2022. Why are some US states opposed? Coal mining states such as Wyoming, West Virginia and Kentucky fear their economies would suffer and people would be laid off. Is President Obama trying to set an example? The Administration believes the plan will boost a major climate summit in Paris in December and encourage other countries to submit their own plans. For more, read Breaking down the clean power plan Each US state will have an emission-cutting goal assigned to it and must submit a proposal to the Environmental Protection Agency on how it will meet the target. The BBC's Tom Bateman in Washington says President Obama will hope that Monday's announcement secures his legacy on climate change. The measures, our correspondent says, would give the president the moral authority he needs to argue for global reductions in greenhouse gases at a major conference in Paris later this year. However, several state governors are already saying they will simply ignore the plans. In face of the criticism, the White House said the release of the plan was "the starting gun for an all-out climate push" by the president and his cabinet. Hillary Clinton vow In a video released by the White House, Mr Obama said the new limits were backed up by decades of data showing that without action the world faced more extreme weather and escalating health problems. "Climate change is not a problem for another generation. Not any more," Mr Obama said. "My administration will release the final version of America's Clean Power Plan, the biggest, most important step we have ever taken to combat climate change." Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said she would defend the plan if she was elected to replace Mr Obama. "It will need defending. Because Republican doubters and defeatists - including every Republican candidate for president - won't offer any credible solution," she said. "The truth is, they don't want one." One Republican presidential candidate, Marco Rubio, said the plan would be "catastrophic," while another, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, said the plan was "irresponsible and over-reaching". "The Supreme Court ruled, it's very clear that the EPA has the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, so regulation is inevitable and I think it's very irresponsible for the Republican leadership to go out there and say we don't have any solutions, this is all wrong, we don't believe in the science, so let's throw up our hands and do nothing," Heather Zichal, a former climate and energy adviser to the president and a key architect of the plan told the BBC's Matt McGrath. "This will be an issue in the 2016 election and because the Democrats have a far more responsible policy position, it will allow them to prevail." Correspondents say the emphasis on renewable energy sources marks a significant shift from the earlier version of the plan that sought to speed up a transition from coal-fired power to natural gas plants, which emit less carbon dioxide. It is believed the revised plan will aim to keep the share of natural gas in US power generation at current levels. Power stations are the largest source of greenhouse gases in the US and account for about one third of all such US emissions. Analysis - Matt McGrath, environment correspondent The big question for the president is how to ensure that these carefully crafted rules don't end up in the recycling bin of history. The White House believes that by vesting the power to implement these changes in the hands of individual states, they are pulling the rug from Republican claims that this is another Washington imposed, big government boondoggle. The president is calculating that the courts will uphold the rights of the EPA to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act, as they have done on a number of occasions in recent years. He is also gambling that because of the uncertainty of the courts and the long lead time until the regulations bite, many Republican governors will grasp the nettle and accept the changes. The president sees this plan as the cornerstone of his attempt to secure a global treaty on climate change in Paris at the end of the year. But he needs that conference to succeed almost as much as the beleaguered UN process needs him. Getting a deal in the French capital may help "save the world" from the worst ravages of climate change. It would also make it very difficult for his successor to unravel the Clean Power Plan. ||||| Four weeks before the official rollout, the news for President Obama’s signature regulation on climate change suddenly went from bad to abysmal. Already, the Senate’s top Republican was urging a nationwide boycott of the carbon-cutting proposal known as the Clean Power Plan. Fourteen states had joined in a lawsuit seeking to block the rule even before it became final. Then came a blow from the Supreme Court: a surprise June 29 decision blocking the White House’s previous attempt at curbing pollution from coal-burning power plants. By July 7, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency was testily deflecting questions over whether the Clean Power Plan — a pillar of the White House’s climate-change strategy — could survive the gantlet of legal and political challenges it faced. “We certainly know how to defend against lawsuits, for crying out loud,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy told reporters at a Washington news conference. [White House set to adopt sweeping curbs on carbon pollution] White House officials pressed ahead with the proposal, ultimately deciding on an altered version that will be formally adopted at a ceremony Monday. But while the revised rule expresses lofty aims, the details reflect real, practical concerns about the battles still to come: an expected onslaught of litigation and legislation designed to derail the rule. The final shape of the Clean Power Plan was hashed out over months of often contentious meetings as administration officials debated how to balance two competing objectives. On one side were advocates who pushed for the deepest possible cuts in U.S. greenhouse-gas pollution to help build momentum for international climate talks this December in Paris. On the other were experienced regulators and lawyers who saw trouble ahead as the proposed rule picked up growing numbers of opponents in Congress and in the utilities industry. As expected, some of the opponents went on the attack Sunday, hours after elements of the revised regulation were made public. Critics called the new version badly flawed and liable to be tossed out by judges. “The EPA still has created an untested foundation for the rule,” said Scott Segal, director of the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, an association of power companies that will be subject to the regulation. “It has tread upon established constitutional principles and undermined the sense of federalism that is essential to the Clean Air Act.” But other observers said the administration appeared to have gotten exactly what it wanted. Supporters said the revisions to the regulation undercut the most salient legal and political objections raised by critics, including the claim that the plan will unfairly burden poor people or will lead to disruptions in the power supply. At the same time, the plan appears capable of achieving its goals of encouraging greater adoption of renewable energy as well as dramatic reductions in heat-trapping carbon pollution over the next 15 years, said S. William Becker, executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, an independent group that represents state regulators. “EPA has struck the right balance,” Becker said. “The agency has strengthened its legal defense of the program without sacrificing environmental integrity.” [Clinton promises to build on Obama climate plan as critics weigh in] In this Jan. 20 photo, a plume of steam billows from the coal-fired Merrimack Station in Bow, N.H. (Jim Cole/AP) First proposed a year ago, the Clean Power Plan is the administration’s boldest attempt to date to reduce emissions blamed for climate change. The rule takes aim at coal-fired power plants and requires every state to reduce pollution from electricity generation, the biggest single source of greenhouse-gas emissions. The revised plan sets a goal of cutting carbon pollution from power plants by 32 percent by the year 2030, compared with 2005 levels — a 9 percent jump from the previous target of 30 percent — while rewarding states and utility companies that move quickly to expand their investment in solar and wind power. The original proposal introduced in June 2014 drew skepticism from many states and furious opposition from congressional Republicans, particularly lawmakers from coal-producing states. In March, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wrote a letter to all 50 governors urging them to ignore the EPA rule, calling it “extremely burdensome and costly” and on “shaky legal grounds.” Six states vowed to boycott the rule, and Democratic governors joined Republicans in lawsuits to block its implementation. Against a backdrop of rising criticism, EPA and White House officials convened a series of private meetings to determine whether and how to change the proposal. At the EPA, McCarthy, a former Massachusetts environmental official and veteran of numerous fights over pollution laws, presided over daily meetings in the agency’s wood-paneled Alm conference room to hash out possible revisions with the agency’s air-quality officials and lawyers. Later the sessions moved to the Old Executive Office Building, where White House and State Department officials grappled over the rule’s final form. “It is an understatement to say that the administrator and the agency were under tremendous pressure to get the rule done and, more importantly, to get it right,” said an administration official who attended many of the sessions. While all the participants expressed support for a robust rule, McCarthy would face the additional burden of having to defend the proposal in front of skeptical congressional panels and, ultimately, in court, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations. “She recognized the amount of scrutiny this rule will be under, both politically and legally,” the official said. “She has been leading the charge to ensure that it is airtight, that all the legal t’s are crossed and i’s dotted, and that it adheres strictly to the Clean Air Act.” Among those pushing for the strongest possible rule was Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who will represent the United States in talks later this year on a proposed international climate treaty. Kerry “pushed very hard internally” for a tough regulation, according to a diplomatic official familiar with the private discussions, arguing that the United States needed to set a strong example if it expected other countries to join in a global pact to reduce greenhouse-gas pollution blamed for accelerating Earth’s warming. “He wanted to make the rule as strong as possible to keep the United States on track for meeting its commitments,” said the official, who also spoke about the deliberations on the condition of anonymity. The discussions were nearing the homestretch when the Supreme Court issued its June 29 ruling blocking the EPA’s 2011 regulation curbing emissions of mercury and other toxins from coal-fired power plants. The court’s 5-to-4 decision did not overturn the EPA’s regulation but said the agency erred in failing to properly consider the cost imposed on businesses and ratepayers. The court’s decision cheered opponents of the Clean Power Plan while casting a pall over the now thrice-weekly gatherings of White House and EPA officials to draft the final version of the rule. “While the court decision was hardly a resounding defeat, it made clear what was at stake,” said the administration official who participated in the internal discussions. The court decision was an impetus for a number of changes that softened the rule’s impact on states. In the end, White House officials agreed to extended compliance timelines, giving states an additional two years and increased flexibility to help them meet pollution-cutting targets. A “safety valve” feature was added so states could appeal for additional extensions if disruptions to the power supply appeared likely. Whole sections of the proposal were cut because of concerns that they made the rule vulnerable to court challenges. But while the regulation was softened in some ways, it was strengthened in others. Pollution-cutting goals were toughened, and a new Clean Energy Incentive Program was added to reward states for acting quickly to invest in renewable energy. The end result was a rule that was both technically strong and legally solid, said Paul Bledsoe, who was a climate-change aide in the Bill Clinton White House. “The final regulations clearly show the administration walking a fine line,” Bledsoe said. “For the moment they seem to have struck a remarkable balance, providing a secure position from which to negotiate forcefully with other nations in Paris later this year.”

– President Obama will officially unveil his plan to dramatically cut greenhouse-gas emissions later today—and there is an army of lawyers ready to pounce. The Clean Power plan imposes tough limits on power plant emissions and dozens of corporations are preparing to fight what they call a "war on coal," as well as up to 25 states, reports the New York Times. The measure will give each state an emission-cutting target to meet, with a goal of cutting power-plant emissions by around a third by 2030, but several governors have already said they plan to simply ignore the limit, setting up legal battles expected to end up before the Supreme Court, the BBC reports. The court blocked an emissions-limiting plan in June. The Environmental Protection Agency, however, sounds as if it is ready for the fight. 'We certainly know how to defend against lawsuits, for crying out loud," EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said last month when she was asked about looming challenges to the plan. An administration insider tells the Washington Post that McCarthy was under a lot of pressure to create a legally solid rule—especially after the Supreme Court defeat. "She recognized the amount of scrutiny this rule will be under, both politically and legally,” the source says. “She has been leading the charge to ensure that it is airtight, that all the legal t’s are crossed and i’s dotted, and that it adheres strictly to the Clean Air Act."

MOURNERS have been urged to think about what they place in coffins with their loved ones after items including mobile phones, a bottle of champagne and a coconut ‘exploded’ at a crematorium. Staff at Overdale Crematorium have been surprised by several unusual items in recent months that have caused problems during the cremation process. These have included golf balls, mobile phones, bottles of vodka, whisky or champagne and, in one case, a coconut. Donna Ball, assistant director community services at Bolton Council, said she sympathised with the families but said the items exploding are causing damage to the brickwork in the crematorium as well as issues with the emissions. She said: “It is a time honoured thing that people put memorials in coffins and that is absolutely fine. “But it used to be only things like photographs — things that would not cause so much of a problem. “A little while back at the crematorium, somebody put a coconut in the casket and it exploded. We have had other things like e-cigarettes and even mobile phones, which are really problematic because of the batteries. “Sometimes people might slip in a mobile phone in someone’s jacket. We have had some pretty unusual things like golf balls, which can explode quite badly. “We also have people putting in litre bottles of vodka and whisky as well as a bottle of champagne. “It is affecting the emissions from the cemetery when people put technical equipment in there. “And these items are just exploding and the problem is that the crematorium is made with bricks. So the explosions are damaging the brickwork. “So we are asking people to work with the funeral directors and make sure things do not go in that should not go in.” She wanted to make clear that it is obviously not an issue when people are being buried. And she reiterated that she understood the sentiment but asked people to take care with what they place in the coffins heading to the Heaton facility. Ms Ball added: “I know crematoriums up and down the country are having similar problems. “I know people love their technical appliances. People are fond of things like their phones and I know in some cases they want to be buried or cremated with whatever is special to them. “We really understand the sentiment, but we just want to ask people to speak with their funeral directors about what they are planning on placing in the coffin.” ||||| Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey, is awash in small-town trappings: tree-lined roads, rolling lawns, and street signs at every corner. On this Wednesday midsummer morning, the familiar routine of loss plays out across the acres. A yellow taxi waits at the end of a row of graves for someone paying their respects. Men and women clad in church clothes line up their cars along the curb and make their way to a grave site. A backhoe digs out some earth, another spot for another resident. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This is the textbook way we treat our dead. Someone passes, they’re buried, a headstone marks their place out among the rows in the borough of the departed. But today I’m bound for a different part of the cemetery, one fewer people see—though that fact is rapidly changing. This place is called the columbarium, and at first, the very existence of this vast chamber full of urns can come as a surprise. In the movie version of life and death, a cremated person’s remains sit up on the shelf at home, or friends scatter their ashes in the wind over a sacred locale. In the real world, many cremated people stay in the cemetery, just like their buried counterparts. Rose-colored carpeting covers the floors here. The whir of a vacuum cleaner punctures the silence. Cubby holes or niches line the walls, and the varying sizes and styles of urns within them marks the passing of the eras. Older urns are ornate; one is topped by an eternal flame, while another is shaped like a Bible. One inscribed “Henrietta Leiber, 1866-1933” is shaped like an acorn. Next to it leans a photo of Henrietta, who’s standing behind a chair in a sleeveless white dress and long pearls, her hair fashioned in a bob like a flapper. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below There are certain words you’re not supposed to say in a crematorium. More contemporary urns are boxier and cleaner in style. They’re also larger, and not for vanity’s sake. The cremation process recovers a lot more of the human body than it used to. Some families have packed their niche with flowers, family photos, or pictures of Jesus. Others skipped the niche entirely and entombed the cremated remains behind a marble plaque. It is a curious thing, as if the body was broken down into its smallest organic parts, then surrounded with stone to protect them. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below The doors at the back of the Rose Room. Getty Images Caren Chesler We are seeing a fundamental shift in how we approach death and what comes after. Compared to just a few decades ago, vastly more Americans are foregoing the old-fashioned burial and turning to the alternative of cremation. This is what brought me here to Rosehill, and now my tour with Jim Koslovski, president of the Rosehill and Rosedale Cemetery, is about to go deeper into his world to see how cemeteries are dealing with America’s after-death revolution. As I follow him deeper inside the columbarium, we pass through the Rose Room. Urns here are not hidden in niches behind glass, but instead are on display in the open air. I prefer it this way. The glass cases remind me of the razors at the drug store—the ones you can only access by notifying a salesperson with a key. Deeper still, at the very rear of the room, lies a set of stained glass doors. Koslovski slides them open to reveal a hidden set of spy-movie doors, these made of metal. They are solid for a reason: Behind them lies the crematorium itself. The doors open, and we stroll onto what looks like the floor of a factory, but one dedicated to a certain kind of deconstruction. Socially Acceptable The Nimtala Burning Ghat (Funeral rites) is the oldest and the most famous cremation ground of Kolkata. It is situated in Central Kolkata. Getty Images Back in 1980, less than 5 percent of Americans were cremated when they died. That figure now stands at about 50 percent, according to the National Cremation Association of North America. Changing cultural and religious standards are at play here, for sure. But if you want to see one event that accelerated the change, look no further than the Great Recession. “We saw a big uptick in cremation when there was the economic downturn in 2008, when people were losing their jobs. Cremation is a less expensive alternative,” Koslovski says. “Less expensive alternative” may be putting it lightly. Rosehill charges just $180 to cremate a body, although the urn, flowers, and service are extra. A grave, by contrast, can cost $2,500, plus an additional $1,500 to open the ground with a backhoe. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Rosehill, located about a half-hour from Manhattan, now cremates about 25 bodies per day and has been expanding its facility to meet the growing demand. It already had three cremation machines, but bought an additional unit in 2013, another in 2016, and expects to have a sixth up and running by the end of the year. The cremator’s rule of thumb: 100 lbs. of human fat is the equivalent of 17 gallons of kerosene Of course, burning the dead isn’t a new concept—it was around long, long before the recession forced Americans to start pinching their pennies. Cremation began in the Stone Age, and it was common though not universal in Ancient Greece and Rome. In certain religions such as Hinduism and Jainism, cremation was not only permitted, but preferred. The rise of Christianity put the brakes on the practice in the West. As early as 330 A.D., around the time that Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as the Roman Empire’s official religion, Rome outlawed cremation as a pagan practice. The theological reason for the ban was related to the resurrection—it was good to keep the body whole or in one place. Through the Reformation, the Catholic church frowned on or prohibited cremation, though it was used for punishment and hygiene reasons. Jewish law also banned the practice. By the 5th century, cremation had all but disappeared from Europe. Garinis cremation furnace, Milan, Italy, illustration from LIllustration, Journal Universel, No 1965, Volume LXXVI, October 23, 1880 Getty Images Advertisement - Continue Reading Below The practice saw a resurgence in Europe in the 1870s, mostly because of public health concerns about curbing the spread of disease. The first modern crematory was built in the U.S. in 1876. A second came eight years later. By 1900, there were 20. The practice got another boost in 1963, when the Catholic Church reversed its opinion on cremation during the Vatican II reforms and said cremation was permitted (though ash scattering was not). Today, there are more than 2,100 crematories around the United States, and the cremation resurgence isn’t just about cost. There are other factors including fewer religious prohibitions on the practice and changing consumer preferences, such as the desire for simpler, less ritualized funerals. Our increasingly mobile way of life plays a part, too, says Robert Biggins of Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home in Rockland, Massachusetts “People aren’t growing up in Mayberry RFD and staying there their whole lives, We’re much more mobile. Generation X and Millennials, they stay in a job on average five to seven years.” Americans don’t want to be sedentary in death, either. Simply put, cremation has become socially acceptable. Acceptance varies by state and ethnicity, according to a report by the National Funeral Directors Association, but in places like California, Oregon, and Southern Florida, 60 to 80 percent of the dead are now cremated, while the number is much lower in the Bible Belt and among certain cultures, including Catholics and African-Americans. And there’s one more force pushing cremation as an alternative: Cemeteries are running out of space, Koslovski says. He estimates Rosehill has only 15 years before it’s out of room. It’s no wonder, then, that a lot of cemeteries have applied to build crematoriums—though there’s often opposition, particularly if they’re in a residential area. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below “There’s a stigma,” Koslovski says. “There’s still a segment of society that see cremation as gruesome or ghoulish, and they don’t want it in their backyard.” How Cremation Works Rosehill Crematorium Caren Chesler Koslovski and I pass through the double doors. As we stand on the floor of the crematorium, a bell rings out. “What’s that for?” I ask. “That indicates that there’s a hearse probably backing up to the door,” he says. “So when the guys are in here operating, if they’re doing something and they hear the bell, they know someone is coming.” The bodies arrive in caskets, occasionally made of wood but more commonly cardboard. They remain in these containers during the entire stay. There are health reasons for this, such as protecting the technicians from infectious diseases. There are moral reasons—“the family would want them in something,” Koslovski says. There are logistical reasons, too. “It would be extremely difficult to load a set of human remains without a casket. Just think of a body, and trying to put it into a cremation unit.” The caskets go into the crematorium’s walk-in cooler, which is lined with shelves of them. One casket has a label on it from Delta Airlines that says, “Human Remains," and under it, "Delta Cares." Bodies typically remain a day or two in the cooler, because most states require a 24-hour waiting period between when someone dies and cremation can occur. When something is so final, you want to take a pause. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Five large cremation units occupy the floor, each covered in diamond-plated aluminum like you might see on a fire truck or a high-end tool box. It’s called a cremation unit, by the way, not an “oven.” And don’t call the process incineration, even though it is. There are certain words you’re not supposed to say in a crematorium. Ovens in the crematorium of ’Barrack X’ at the site of the former Dachau Nazi concentration camp in Bavaria, Germany. Getty Images Richard Blanchard “With ovens, you think of Auschwitz, and that definitely has negative connotations, so people shy away from that nomenclature,” says Brian Gamage, director of marketing at U.S. Cremation Equipment in Altamonte Springs, Florida. When a body is ready to be cremated, it is removed from cold storage and placed on a retractable table that looks like a gurney, then wheeled over to one of the machines. Cremation is the kind of business where an error would be catastrophic, unforgiveable, and so Rosehill actually uses two forms of ID to make sure the family gets back the right remains. A copy of the receipt is attached to the outside of the cremation unit, and a metal ID tag, similar to a dog tag, accompanies the deceased inside the unit. While the door can open about 30 to 35 inches wide, most operators open it only a foot or so, enough to accommodate the width of the body. Any more than that will let out too much heat, exposing the operator and the room to fiery temperatures. The body slides in, pushed with a tool or by hand. There are rollers on the gurney and sometimes on the floor of the cremation unit so the casket can slide with ease. A cremation unit has two chambers: the primary chamber, where the body goes, and the secondary or “after” chamber, where the gases generated are burned off. “Cremated remains are typically bone fragments and casket ash. Remember, we’re 75 percent water." The primary chamber has brick-lined walls, and a floor and roof made of high heat refractory concrete. A burner descends from the roof and heats the chamber to about 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, enough to break down a body into gas and bone fragments. The resulting gases and particulates travel into the after-chamber, a 30-foot maze designed to retain the gases for about two seconds. The after-chamber subjects the gases to a temperature of 1,700 degrees F to make sure the particles and odor are negligible before everything goes up the stack and out into the atmosphere. Gamage says you can think of the secondary chamber like the catalytic converter on an old car, which neutralizes the emissions of the exhaust system. “Any solid will turn to gas if heated to the right point. That’s essentially what happens to the body, when the tissue is heated to the point where it’s combustible and turns to gas,” Gamage says. “But just like in any combustion device, whether it’s a car or a backyard grill, when you burn something, there’s going to be emissions generated. The key is to design equipment that consumes most of the emissions so that they fall within the state environmental regulations.” Advertisement - Continue Reading Below The particulates emitted must be less than 0.1 grains per dry standard cubic foot, according to environmental agencies in most states. Problems arise when gases build up in the secondary chamber and begin to overflow. That can happen if the machine isn’t designed properly or if the operator overloads the primary chamber, which can happen for surprising reasons. For example, putting an obese person in the unit at the wrong time of day. As macabre as it may sound, weight is something crematorium operators must worry about. The machine doesn’t know the difference between a person who weighs 150 pounds and a person who weighs 400. It just does its job. The cremator’s rule of thumb is that 100 pounds of human fat is the equivalent of 17 gallons of kerosene. If you have a body that weighs 400 pounds, at least 200 of it will be fat that will burn rapidly. If you put that person into a very hot machine, as the cremation unit tends to be at the end of the day when it’s been running for hours, the chamber may emit smoke and odor out of the stack. “It’s just too much gas for the machine to handle,” Gamage says. “Most experienced operators will do those larger cases as the first cremation of the day, when the machine is colder.” Screens on the Rosehill units. Caren Chesler Inside the Rosehill crematorium, I’m staring at a computer monitor that reduces this ritual into raw data. The body inside is a male, it’s the second case of the day, it’s in a cardboard container weighing 201 to 350 lbs, and it has already been there for an hour and 20 minutes. A diagram on the screen shows the machine’s various chambers. Three little blue flames are illuminated under one of the chambers, indicating that “hearth air” is now being blown in to the chamber to help cool it down. It’s currently between 910 and 1150 degrees inside, but moments earlier, the temperature had been 1600 to 1800 degrees. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Altogether, it takes about an hour and a half to cremate a body, though that varies depending on the person’s weight and the type of casket they’re in. The time-consuming nature limits the number of bodies each can cremate. During my visit, all five of Rosehill’s machines were in various states of operation just to keep up with demand. Each needs to get five bodies done in eight hours. Rosehill’s cremation units run six days a week, standing idle only on Sundays. “For religious reasons?” I ask Koslovski. “No,” he says. “we just need a day off.” Close To Home Getty Images When Lisa Tomasello was growing up in a large Italian Catholic family, the death of a relative was just the beginning of a grueling two or three days. Visitors would sign the guest book in the outer room, and form a line to get to the casket. People would sit in front of the body of the deceased, kneeling and praying and making the sign of the cross, before kissing them on the hand, face or lips. “The closer the relation, the closer to the lips,” she says. The immediate family sat in the front row receiving visitors in front of the dead body. Tearful outbursts and cries in Italian were commonplace. During the breaks in the wake, the family would go out for dinner and laugh and tell stories before returning to the funeral home for several more hours of crying. And all that was all before the funeral, which would start at a funeral home, resume at a church, and culminate at a cemetery before everyone was invited back for lunch. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below But once the body was buried and the headstone placed, then what? Tomasello, who I knew growing up, says it’s a question that nagged at her after every cycle of mourning. Maybe you visit the deceased a few times during the first few years. Maybe you don’t visit them again until another family member is buried in that plot. “My grandparents’ graves haven’t been visited in 30 years,” she says. When Tomasello grew up and her own parents passed away, she wanted something different. She and her siblings decided to have a small service and to cremate their mother’s body when she died. When her father followed a few years later, they dispensed with the formal service and made a toast to him with a shot of Jack Daniels, then had him cremated and divvied up the ashes. “I have my parents in my bedroom and I am comforted with them there,” she says. “There is no pressure or guilt of having to visit them in a cemetery, and they will stay with me until the end of my time.” “My grandparents’ graves haven’t been visited in 30 years.” It’s hard to let people go. We want them in an urn, to keep them near, sometimes even anthropomorphizing these objects as a way of bringing our loved ones back to life. The urn doesn’t contain mom’s ashes. The urn is mom. I bought a bench on the boardwalk in my town to memorialize my father. Now that bench is my father. When I watch the sunrise and see the bench’s silhouette, he is watching it with me. What Is Left Behind Caren Chesler There is no easy way to say it: The physical attributes you picture when you envision a loved one—the eyes, the skin, the hair—disappear during the cremation process. Even after all we’ve been through—our experiences and memories, pain and suffering, tests taken, facts learned—one of the biggest parts of our cremated remains is the coffin. “Cremated remains are typically bone fragments and casket ash,” Koslovski says. “Remember, we’re 75 percent water.” Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Once the heating is over, cremated remains are put onto what looks like a silver baking tray. A technician runs a magnet over them to remove all of the ferrous materials that did not combust during the cremation process. These often come from a person’s staples, screws, hinges, and prosthetic joints. Someone then has to clean by hand any material the magnet missed—say, the bits of glass left behind because someone wanted their father cremated with a bottle of scotch. Those pieces are buried somewhere on the cemetery grounds. “What is that?” I ask, pointing to one of the silver trays of remains. “That’s a bone fragment. Probably a disc vertebrae,” Koslovski says, adding, “You can learn anatomy here.” “These are green,” I say. “I don’t know why. It could be something the person was treated with. It’s hard to say. It could have been cancer.” The crematorium puts the bones and ash that remain into a pulverizer, not unlike a food processor. The remains are then put through a sieve and into a container for the family—but not always. Some Asian cultures want to be able to pick through the unpulverized remains to take bone fragments. A skull or hip bone is prized. They don’t want the bone fragments processed at all. Caren Chesler Hindus often want the eldest son to commence the cremation process as a rite of passage, so he’s allowed down on the crematorium floor to turn on the machine. Other families just want to observe the process—about a dozen make that request each week. Rosehill allows them to do so, from an observation deck. To Koslovski, it’s about making sure people understand the process, that they’re not afraid or skeptical of cremation because of misinformation or rumor. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below “[Some people think] you’re cremating multiple people together. You’re reselling caskets. It can be anything. People watch the news.” I press him on the stories, the urban legends about crematoriums. Is any of it true? Do cremated remains from one person ever wind up getting mixed in with another? He explains that everyone is cremated separately and the units are swept thoroughly after every cremation. However, I remember Barbara Kemmis, the spokesperson for the Cremation Association of North America, telling me that while machines are swept or vacuumed between cremations—and that while operators do their best to remove recoverable remains—it’s possible that minute amounts could get caught in tiny wells and divots in the brick walls or concrete floor of the machinery and inadvertently wind up in another person’s cremated remains. Another part of the process that’s perhaps best not to think about. The Things We Cannot Bury Cardboard caskets Caren Chesler Cremation, like death, is final. But that doesn’t mean you won’t have second thoughts. Susan Skiles Luke, a marketing consultant in Columbia, Missouri, had her mother cremated and buried in a family plot. Now, she wishes it was her mother’s body and not just the cremated remains that was in the grave. “When I go there, which isn't often, I want to feel like her body is under ground, right alongside my grandparents and beloved great aunt, all dressed up in their Sunday best, not some heavy shoebox of something that looks like cigarette ashes,” she said. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below When her older brother, with whom she was very close, died tragically of a drug overdose 13 months later, skipping the old-fashioned burial in favor of cremation was a godsend. It allowed her to skip the whole public ordeal of a funeral. "If you're still pissed—maybe they checked out like my bro did—you don't have to go through the public drama of a casket, dealing with the body, to display it not, discussing the circumstances of his death,” she says. "[You can] deal with the logistics of 'the body' when you're ready." That's one of the advantages of cremation: You can address your emotional issues with the dead on your own terms. The disadvantage? Now you’re left with the remains, this tangible object impressed with memories. After Luke’s brother passed away, she picked up his ashes on the way home from work, as if it were just another weekday errand. The funeral home was on the way home, after all. "I was too stupid to ask someone else to pick (my brother) up, and had never done it before. I wasn't prepared for how personal it would feel,” she said. "I threw my brother's ashes in the trunk with a thump and cried all the way home.” A few years later, when her stepfather passed, she couldn’t even bring herself to pick up the ashes, even as the funeral home kept calling. “I never spoke to them. I listened to one voicemail, politely reminding me to 'come get your dad,' It was the phrase, coupled with the fact 'my dad' was a bunch of ashes stuffed in a box, that just reminded me of that afternoon I picked up (my brother) Tom,” she said. One day, she returned home to find her dad's ashes sitting on her doorstep. She now has two boxes of their remains in storage somewhere, though she doesn’t know exactly where. She asked her husband to hide them somewhere so she didn’t have to look at them. “Not the healthiest reaction,” she admits. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Ellen Herman, who sells digital advertising in Los Angeles, is in a similar situation. About nine years ago, her parents died about a year apart and were cremated. She went to a mausoleum in Florida, where her parents lived before they died, to see if there was a place she could put them in a drawer and honor them with some nice words. She meant to, anyway. She never followed through. Ellen Herman hung onto the remains of her parents. They’re in the bags marked "Neptune Society." Ellen Herman "They are in my house. Actually, in my bedroom! In boxes, under a bunch of other shit,” she says. "I had them in the garage for a little while, but that felt wrong too." Some of their ashes were scattered in various places, individually and combined, and her dad's brother has a bit of her dad, but the bulk are in the box in her house. "Neither of my brothers wanted the stuff in their homes, and I didn't feel right scattering all of them,” she says. “I suppose the fact that families don't live as close together as they once did lessens the significance of a burial plot to visit, but I still find the remains sitting in a box in my bedroom less than ideal and respectful." Sometimes, instead of burying people in the ground, we bury them among our stuff. We lose them among the emotionally charged paraphernalia of our lives. It is just too hard. Back to the Earth Advertisement - Continue Reading Below [video by Gail Rubin We come from the Earth, we return to the Earth. That may be true, but the way we return to the Earth matters on more than an emotional level. It’s an environmental concern. As cremation continues to replace burial as a go-to way of dealing with the dead, the emissions that come along with this process are becoming a serious worry—so much so that people are starting to consider some wild-sounding alternatives for disposing of human remains. There is now a water-based process called alkaline hydrolysis, which is being marketed as a more environmentally friendly postmortem option because it produces less carbon monoxide and pollution. Alkaline hydrolysis involves placing a body in a chamber that is then filled with water and potassium hydroxide and heated to about 320 degrees F at high pressure. After three hours, the body becomes a green-brown tinted liquid and bones are soft enough to be crushed. The bones can be returned to the family, while the liquid can be sent into the sewer system. If this sounds rather dystopian to you, it’s partly because the process was invented as a way to dispose of animals infected with mad cow disease. When farmers in Europe had to put down herds of cattle infected by mad cow disease, their initial answer was to dig trenches, pour gasoline, and set the animal carcasses on fire. When alkaline hydrolysis was introduced in the 1990s, manufacturers made stainless steel vats about 20 feet across into which the carcasses could be thrown. The pressure of the alkaline hydrolysis process would kill the prion—the protein particles in the animal’s brain that are believed to have caused the disease. "People think, wow, you dissolved mom, and you’re putting her in the sewer." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below In the years since them, some companies have proposed alkaline hydrolysis as a more environmentally friendly solution for human remains. “They took the technology and tried to apply it to the cremation side,” says Gamage of US Cremation Equipment. “It’s capitalism at its finest.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, this process has not taken off as a popular post-mortem solution for people. It’s slower. The technology is more expensive: A stainless steel pressurized unit can cost from $175,000 for a basic unit to $500,000 for a high end unit, while a cremation unit costs about $80,000 to $100,000. There are legal issues, too, because the process is prohibited unless a state passes legislation specifically allowing for it. And then there is the “ick” factor: We’re talking about reducing a human body to a soupy mess that goes into the sewer. That may hold some allure for people put off by the idea of burning a body into nothing but bone and ash, but most people haven’t come around to the way byproducts are disposed after alkaline hydrolysis. Koslovski, ever the pragmatist about dealing with death, sees it another way. “People think, wow, you dissolved mom, and you’re putting her in the sewer. I understand that. But my thought is, with embalming, the fluids from your mother are being put in the sewer system as well. It’s the same thing.” The Missing Markers Mexican musicians play next to a columbarium during the Day of the Dead celebration on November 02, 2014 in Morelia, Mexico. Getty Images Jan Sochor Advertisement - Continue Reading Below In the movies, characters are always scattering the ashes of a loved one over the side of a boat or off the top of a mountain. In reality, cremation rarely ends that way. The Cremation Association of North America estimates that 60 to 80 percent of cremated remains go home with people who intend to place them in a cemetery or scatter them at a future date. But while that may be their intent, scattering is not as popular as people think. “Based on recent media coverage of people seeking to recover cremated remains lost in fires, floods and mudslides, I suspect a high percentage of remains are in homes,” Kemmis says. There are actually laws dictating where ashes can be spread. In Massachusetts, for instance, the law says cremated remains may be “scattered with candor.” “What does that mean? It means you can’t just run down Main Street and throw them in the air or sprinkle them in your neighbor’s driveway. But there’s nothing to say you can’t sprinkle them in the golf course where your dad hit golf balls for 40 years,” says Biggins of Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home in Massachusetts. While scattering ashes seems romantic, there’s something to be said about keeping your loved one in one place, and then marking that place with a name. “We mark the graves of our loved ones with a headstone to memorialize them, so we don’t forget them,” Biggins says. He lost his wife tragically when she was 57, and he visits her grave frequently and finds comfort in just seeing her name. “And when I see how many people remember her, they may leave a pebble or a coin, for me to go there on a weekly basis and see dozens of pebbles and coins, it’s heartwarming to see that people remember her.” The law says cremated remains may be “scattered with candor.” Advertisement - Continue Reading Below As I leave Rosehill cemetery, I decide to stop by the grave of my friend, David, who grew up in Harlem and was dealt a bad set of cards. His mother was an alcoholic. His father had left. And while he had a mother and grandparents, he still wound up in the child welfare services system. He was sent to a city-funded boarding school outside New York and managed to graduate with a football scholarship to the State University of New York at Cortland, but he lasted just one semester before landing back in Harlem. And like something out of a bad movie, he met a girl, was introduced to crack cocaine, lost his job, wound up with HIV and ultimately developed kidney issues that landed him on dialysis for well over a decade. He was on the kidney donor list and was near the top when he died of heart failure in 2015. I’d gone to his funeral, but hadn’t made it out to the cemetery—the one in which I now found myself. I decided to visit his grave. I followed the directions I was given, to Section 48, Row 24, Grave 83. It was a large cemetery, but when I finally found the section, it was easy to find the grave. I was surprised to see nothing marking the spot where he was buried. It was just a patch of dirt with a number “83” handwritten in concrete. There were big marble headstones on one side of him and on the other side, a pile of plastic flowers, bits of light blue ribbon and raffia, styrofoam crosses that said, “I Love You,” and a deflated white balloon, all contained in a little wire fence, as if there was a party in the neighboring grave site the night before, and David hadn't been invited. Caren Chesler Advertisement - Continue Reading Below The lack of fanfare for my friend seemed unfair. He’d been so generous, to me, to his addict girlfriend, to his niece in Florida to whom he would send money despite having so little, himself. Without a headstone, no one would even know he was under there – or for that matter, that he’d been up here. Whether it’s a burial or a cremation, the hard part is letting a loved one just float off into obscurity. We need that physical marker, a headstone, a bench, an urn, to show that the person existed, that they once walked this Earth. I went to my car and found a trophy my son had found in the garbage and thrown on the floor of the back seat. It was a football player. I took a black Sharpie from the glove compartment and wrote on the front of the trophy, “David, April 23, 1954 to April 23, 2015.” I walked over to Grave 83 and placed the trophy at the top of the patch of dirt where a headstone might go. I then left a pebble, as people sometimes do, and walked back to my car.

– Visit someone's home nowadays and you may notice their dead loved one—on a shelf, on the floor, or wherever. "They are in my house," says Ellen Herman, an LA ad saleswoman, of her deceased parents. "Actually, in my bedroom! In boxes, under a bunch of other shit." That's because more Americans are being cremated, a shift that reflects changes in our economic and emotional lives and possibly the environment, Popular Mechanics reports. Back in 1980 only 5% of Americans were cremated; now it's 50%, partly because the Great Recession drove people away from expensive burials. The crematorium at Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, NJ, for example, is burning 25 bodies daily to keep up with demand and pauses only on Sunday. "We just need a day off," says the cemetery's president. In Rosehill's crematorium, each body is burned in a brick-lined chamber that's heated to 1,200 degrees; a second chamber then burns off the gas and particulates before it all goes into the atmosphere. Problems do arise in the cremation business, like loved ones slipping in personal items that explode, such as cell phones or even a coconut, the Bolton News reports. Cremation's popularity has also aroused concerns about emissions and sparked interest in a water-based post-mortem process. Mourners are encountering new emotions, from relief at avoiding a funeral to pain or comfort in taking the ashes home. Many leave the urns on cemetery grounds, but others love having them. "There is no pressure or guilt of having to visit them in a cemetery," says a woman who took her parents' remains home. "And they will stay with me until the end of my time."

After more than 20 years of research, Dr. Stephanie Dalley, of Oxford University’s Oriental Institute, has finally pieced together enough evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the famed gardens were built in Nineveh by the great Assyrian ruler Sennacherib - and not, as historians have always thought, by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Dr. Dalley first publicly proposed her idea that Nineveh, not Babylon, was the site of the gardens back in 1992, when her claim was reported in The Independent – but it’s taken a further two decades to find enough evidence to prove it. Detective work by Dr. Dalley – due to be published as a book by Oxford University Press later this month – has yielded four key pieces of evidence. First, after studying later historical descriptions of the Hanging Gardens, she realized that a bas-relief from Sennacherib’s palace in Nineveh actually portrayed trees growing on a roofed colonnade exactly as described in classical accounts of the gardens. That crucial original bas-relief appears to have been lost in the mid 19 century. When it was discovered by the British archaeologist, Austin Henry Layard, in the 1840s, it seems to have already been in such poor condition that its surface was, in all probability, rapidly crumbling away. Alternatively, it may have been amongst a group of Layard’s UK- bound Nineveh carvings which were lost when the boat carrying them sank in the River Tigris. Luckily, however, an artist employed by Layard had already drawn the bass-relief – and that drawing, recently recognised by Dr. Dalley as portraying the garden, had been reproduced in Layard’s book about Nineveh published in London in 1853. Further research by Dr. Dalley then suggested that, after Assyria had sacked and conquered Babylon in 689 BC, the Assyrian capital Nineveh may well have been regarded as the ‘New Babylon’ – thus creating the later belief that the Hanging Gardens were in fact in Babylon itself. Her research revealed that at least one other town in Mesopotamia - a city called Borsippa – was being described as “another Babylon” as early as the 13 century BC, thus implying that in antiquity the name could be used to describe places other than the real Babylon. A breakthrough occurred when she noticed from earlier research that after Sennacherib had sacked and conquered Babylon, he had actually renamed all the gates of Nineveh after the names traditionally used for Babylon’s city gates. Babylon had always named its gates after its gods. After the Assyrians sacked Babylon, the Assyrian monarch simply renamed Nineveh’s city gates after those same gods. In terms of nomenclature, it was clear that Nineveh was in effect becoming a ‘New Babylon’. Dr. Dalley then looked at the comparative topography of Babylon and Nineveh and realized that the totally flat countryside around the real Babylon would have made it impossible to deliver sufficient water to maintain the sort of raised gardens described in the classical sources. As her research proceeded it therefore became quite clear that the ‘Hanging Gardens’ as described could not have been built in Babylon. Finally her research began to suggest that the original classical descriptions of the Hanging Gardens had been written by historians who had actually visited the Nineveh area. Researching the post-Assyrian history of Nineveh, she realized that Alexander the Great had actually camped near the city in 331BC – just before he defeated the Persians at the famous battle of Gaugamela. It’s known that Alexander’s army actually camped by the side of one of the great aqueducts that carried water to what Dr. Dalley now believes was the site of the Hanging Gardens. Alexander had on his staff several Greek historians including Callisthenes, Cleitarchos and Onesicritos, whose works have long been lost to posterity – but significantly those particular historians’ works were sometimes used as sources by the very authors who several centuries later described the gardens in works that have survived to this day. “It’s taken many years to find the evidence to demonstrate that the gardens and associated system of aqueducts and canals were built by Sennacherib at Nineveh and not by Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. For the first time it can be shown that the Hanging Garden really did exist” said Dr. Dalley. The Hanging Gardens were built as a roughly semi-circular theatre-shaped multi-tiered artificial hill some 25 metres high. At its base was a large pool fed by small streams of water flowing down its sides. Trees and flowers were planted in small artificial fields constructed on top of roofed colonnades. The entire garden was around 120 metres across and it’s estimated that it was irrigated with at least 35,000 litres of water brought by a canal and aqueduct system from up to 50 miles away. Within the garden itself water was raised mechanically by large water-raising bronze screw-pumps. The newly revealed builder of the Hanging Gardens, Sennacherib of Assyria - and Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who was traditionally associated with them - were both aggressive military leaders. Sennacherib’s campaign against Jerusalem was immortalized some 2500 years later in a poem by Lord Byron describing how “the Assyrians came down like a wolf on the fold,” his cohorts “gleaming in purple and gold.” Both were also notorious for destroying iconic religious buildings. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem and according to one much later tradition was temporarily turned into a beast for his sins against God. Sennacherib of Assyria destroyed the great temples of Babylon, an act which was said to have shocked the Mesopotamian world. Indeed tradition holds that when he was later murdered by two of his sons, it was divine retribution for his destruction of those temples. Bizarrely it may be that the Hanging Gardens were the first of the seven ‘wonders’ of the world to be so described – for Sennacherib himself referred to his palace gardens, built in around 700BC or shortly after, as “a wonder for all the peoples”. It’s only now however that the new research has finally revealed that his palace gardens were indeed one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Some historians have thought that the Hanging Gardens may even have been purely legendary. The new research finally demonstrates that they really did exist. ||||| The whereabouts of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – the fabled Hanging Garden of Babylon – has been one of the great mysteries from antiquity. The inability of archaeologists to find traces of it among Babylon's ancient remains led some even to doubt its existence. Now a British academic has amassed a wealth of textual evidence to show that the garden was instead created at Nineveh, 300 miles from Babylon, in the early 7th century BC. After 18 years of study, Stephanie Dalley of Oxford University has concluded that the garden was built by the Assyrians in the north of Mesopotamia – in modern Iraq – rather than by their great enemies the Babylonians in the south. She believes her research shows that the feat of engineering and artistry was achieved by the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, rather than the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. The evidence presented by Dalley, an expert in ancient Middle Eastern languages, emerged from deciphering Babylonian and Assyrian cuneiform scripts and reinterpreting later Greek and Roman texts. They included a 7th-century BC Assyrian inscription that, she discovered, had been mistranslated in the 1920s, reducing passages to "absolute nonsense". She was astonished to find Sennacherib's own description of an "unrivalled palace" and a "wonder for all peoples". He describes the marvel of a water-raising screw made using a new method of casting bronze – and predating the invention of Archimedes' screw by some four centuries. Dalley said this was part of a complex system of canals, dams and aqueducts to bring mountain water from streams 50 miles away to the citadel of Nineveh and the hanging garden. The script records water being drawn up "all day". Recent excavations have found traces of aqueducts. One near Nineveh was so vast that Dalley said its remains looked like a stretch of motorway from the air, and it bore a crucial inscription: "Sennacherib king of the world … Over a great distance I had a watercourse directed to the environs of Nineveh …" Having first broached her theory in 1992, Dalley is now presenting a mass of evidence in a book, The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon, which Oxford University Press publishes on 23 May. She expects to divide academic opinion, but the evidence convinces her that Sennacherib's garden fulfils the criteria for a wonder of the world – "magnificent in conception, spectacular in engineering, and brilliant in artistry". Dalley said: "That the Hanging Garden was built in Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar the Great is a fact learned at school and … 'verified' in encyclopaedias … To challenge such a universally accepted truth might seem the height of arrogance, revisionist scholarship ... But Assyriology is a relatively recent discipline … Facts that once seemed secure become redundant." Sennacherib's palace, with steps of semi-precious stone and an entrance guarded by colossal copper lions, was magnificent. Dalley pieced together ancient texts to reveal a garden that recreated a mountain landscape. It boasted terraces, pillared walkways, exotic plants and trees, and rippling streams. The seven wonders appear in classical texts written centuries after the garden was created, but the 1st-century historian Josephus was the only author to name Nebuchadnezzar as creator of the Hanging Garden, Dalley said. She found extensive confusion over names and places in ancient texts, including the Book of Judith, muddling the two kings. Little of Nineveh – near present-day Mosul – has so far been explored, because it has been judged too dangerous until now to conduct excavations.

– There has long been a slight problem with the declaration of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world—there was no proof it actually existed. Now, an Oxford University researcher says she's tracked down evidence the garden did indeed grow in what is now Iraq, just some 300 miles north of where legend placed it. Stephanie Dalley spent roughly two decades pinpointing its location, which she has IDed as being located 300 miles from Babylon in Nineveh, and built by an entirely different king—an enemy one at that, reports the Guardian. Though the story went that Babylonia's King Nebuchadnezzar constructed the gardens to appease his homesick wife, Dalley asserts that it was instead Assyria's King Sennacherib behind them. Using her expertise in the region's ancient language, Dalley translated a number of Babylonian, Assyrian, Greek, and Roman texts, and found what the Independent describes as "four key pieces of evidence." Among them: indications that Nineveh may have been seen as a "new Babylon" after the Assyrians conquered the Babylonians in 689 BC, studies of the topography near the respective locations, and signs that the historians who wrote about the gardens a few centuries later actually visited locations near Nineveh. The Guardian also reports that, by Dalley's translation, a 7th-century BC Assyrian inscription that had been woefully deciphered about a century ago revealed Nineveh was home to an intricate system of waterways that would have transported water 50 miles to the gardens. Recent digs have uncovered signs these aqueducts existed, notes the Guardian, which says the dangerous nature of the area has prevented much exploration of it.

The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad! ||||| President-elect Donald Trump, second from left, accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump, center right, departs after attending a Christmas Eve service at the Church of Bethesda-by-the Sea, in West Palm... (Associated Press) President-elect Donald Trump, second from left, accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump, center right, departs after attending a Christmas Eve service at the Church of Bethesda-by-the Sea, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (Associated Press) WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Days after the United Nations voted to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, Donald Trump questioned its effectiveness Monday, saying it's just a club for people to "have a good time." The president-elect wrote on Twitter that the U.N. has "such great potential," but it has become "just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!" On Friday, Trump warned, "As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th," referring to the day he takes office. The decision by the Obama administration to abstain from Friday's U.N. vote brushed aside Trump's demands that the U.S. exercise its veto and provided a climax to years of icy relations with Israel's leadership. Trump told The Associated Press last December that he wanted to be "very neutral" on Israel-Palestinian issues. But his tone became decidedly more pro-Israel as the presidential campaign progressed. He has spoken disparagingly of Palestinians, saying they have been "taken over" by or are condoning militant groups. Trump's tweet Monday about the U.N. ignores much of the work that goes on in the 193-member global organization. This year the U.N. Security Council has approved over 70 legally binding resolutions, including new sanctions on North Korea and measures tackling conflicts and authorizing the U.N.'s far-flung peacekeeping operations around the world. The General Assembly has also approved dozens of resolutions on issues, like the role of diamonds in fueling conflicts; condemned human rights abuses in Iran and North Korea; and authorized an investigation of alleged war crimes in Syria. Trump's criticism of the U.N. is by no means unique. While the organization does engage in large-scale humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts, its massive bureaucracy has long been a source of controversy. The organization has been accused by some Western governments of being inefficient and frivolous, while developing nations have said it is overly influenced by wealthier nations. Trump tweeted later Monday, "The world was gloomy before I won — there was no hope. Now the market is up nearly 10 percent and Christmas spending is over a trillion dollars!" Markets are up since Trump won the general election, although not quite by that much. The Standard & Poor's 500 is up about 6 percent since Election Day, while the Dow has risen more than 8 percent. As for holiday spending, auditing and accounting firm Deloitte projected in September that total 2016 holiday sales were expected to exceed $1 trillion, representing a 3.6 percent to 4.0 percent increase in holiday sales from November through January. Finally, Trump took to Twitter again late Monday to complain about media coverage of his charitable foundation. He wrote that of the "millions of dollars" he has contributed to or raised for the Donald J. Trump Foundation, all of it "is given to charity, and media won't report." Trump said Saturday he will dissolve his charitable foundation before taking office to avoid conflicts of interest. The New York attorney general's office has been investigating the foundation following media reports that foundation spending went to benefit Trump's campaign. The president-elect is spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. He had no public schedule Monday. ___ Associated Press writer Edith Lederer in New York contributed to this report.

– Days after the United Nations voted to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, Donald Trump questioned the body's effectiveness Monday, saying it is just a club for people to "have a good time." "The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time," he tweeted. "So sad!" On Friday, Trump warned, "As to the UN, things will be different after Jan. 20th," referring to the day he takes office. The decision by the Obama administration to abstain from Friday's UN vote brushed aside Trump's demands that the US exercise its veto and provided a climax to years of icy relations with Israel's leadership. Trump's tweet about the UN ignores much of the work that goes on in the 193-member global organization, though he is far from the first to criticize its massive bureaucracy, the AP reports. Trump tweeted later Monday: "The world was gloomy before I won—there was no hope. Now the market is up nearly 10 percent and Christmas spending is over a trillion dollars!" The AP notes that markets are indeed up since Trump won the election, though not by quite that much (the S&P 500 is up about 6% since Election Day, while the Dow has risen more than 8%.) As for holiday spending, Deloitte projected in September that total 2016 holiday sales were expected to exceed $1 trillion, representing a roughly 4% increase in holiday sales year-on-year.

More than 150 years after six B.C. First Nations chiefs were hanged by colonial authorities, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized and absolved the Tsilhqot'in leaders of any wrongdoing. "Today, we come together in the presence of the Tsilhqot'in chiefs, to fully acknowledge the actions of past governments, committed against the Tsilhqot'in people, and to express the government of Canada's profound regret for those actions," Trudeau said. "We honour and recognize six Tsilhqot'in chiefs — men who were treated and tried as criminals in an era where both the colonial government and the legal process did not respect the inherent rights of the Tsilhqot'in people." In 1864, five Tsilhqot'in chiefs were called to what they thought were peace talks to end what became known as the Chilcotin War. Instead, they were accused of murdering 14 members of a road-building party. They were then tried, convicted and hanged. Five of the chiefs were executed, under Crown authority, near the settlement of Quesnel, B.C., in the province's interior. A sixth chief was later hanged near New Westminster, B.C., after trying to offer reparations. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offers exoneration and an apology for 6 B.C. First Nations chiefs hanged in 1864. 12:47 The chiefs opposed the construction of roads to gold-rich lands and sought to stop the incursion into their traditional territory. "As settlers came to the land in the rush for gold, no consideration was given to the needs of the Tsilhqot'in people who were there first. No agreement was made to access their land. No consent was sought," Trudeau said. The Chilcotin War was also fought in the midst of a disastrous smallpox epidemic which ravaged B.C., wiping out nearly half of all Indigenous peoples in the province in a matter of months. At least 14,000 died in the outbreak and hundreds of others were disfigured, leaving the landscape peppered with mass graves and abandoned settlements. "Some reliable historical accounts indicate that the Tsilhqot'in had been threatened with the spread of the disease by one of the road workers. And so, faced with these threats, the Tsilhqot'in people took action to defend their territory," Trudeau said. There are also allegations that the road-building crew violently took some Tsilhqot'in women hostage and subjected them to sexual abuse. The Tsilhqot'in have long objected to the chiefs being tried as criminals, saying the killing of the colonists was carried out when a state of war existed between the First Nations and the colonial authority in B.C. Trudeau agreed Monday, saying these six chiefs were "leaders and warriors" of the Tsilhqot'in nation, peoples who maintained their land rights had never been ceded. The descendants of six Tsilhqot'in Chiefs on the floor of the House of Commons. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press) "Even though the colonial government did not recognize these rights, the chiefs acted in accordance with their own laws to defend their territory, their people and their way of life," he said. "They acted as leaders of a proud and independent nation facing a threat from another nation. "We confirm without reservation that Chief Lhats'as?in, Chief Biyil, Chief Tilaghed, Chief Taqed, Chief Chayses and Chief Ahan are fully exonerated of any crime or wrongdoing." Six modern-day Tsilhqot'in chiefs were present in the House of Commons for the prime minister's apology Monday. They wore black vests. When Trudeau finished speaking, they stood and turned their vests inside out to reveal their bright red lining — for the Tsilhqot'in Nation, a colour symbolizing rebirth and renewal. The Tsilhqot'in chiefs then received special permission from MPs to perform a drum ceremony on the floor of the House of Commons. Six modern day Tsilhqot'in chiefs and a drummer perform a ceremony in the House of Commons recognizing the Prime Minister's exoneration of their ancestors 5:16 Trudeau to visit Tsilhqot'in territory Trudeau said that while apologies alone can't make right the wrongs of the past, they are an important part of reconciliation and renewing Canada's relationship with Indigenous people. He said he looks forward to visiting Tsilhqot'in territory this summer at the invitation of the nation's leadership to deliver a statement of exoneration directly to the Tsilhqot'in people. Joe Alphonse, chief of the Tsilhqot'in National Government, welcomed what he called an apology for the colonial government's "deceitful" actions in arresting and hanging the chiefs. Tsilhqot'in chiefs scrum in the foyer of the House of Commons after their ancestors are exonerated by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 9:31 "154 years have passed where our truth has gone unrecognized. Under a flag of truce our chiefs were wrongfully shackled, tried and hanged. We have always been proud of the sacrifices made by our chiefs, who are heroes to our people, and continue to inspire and guide the work of the future," Alphonse said. "Today, Canada has finally acknowledged that our warriors did no wrong." Cathy McLeod, the Conservative Indigenous affairs critic, echoed Trudeau's assessment of the chiefs. "Neither criminals nor aggressors, they did what many of us would consider normal. They defended their homes and their families." She said the resulting arrest, after the chiefs had made a peace offering, was a "clear act of betrayal." Guy Caron offered the New Democrats' support for the exoneration and called the apology long overdue. He also called for the creation of a national Indigenous peoples day as a statutory holiday. "Thank you for your patience with our young country as we strive to do better," he said to the Tsilhqot'in leaders. Conservative MP Cathy McLeod, NDP MP Guy Caron and Green Leader Elizabeth May respond to the PM's apology 1:18 Landmark Supreme Court ruling The full exoneration comes after a landmark 2014 Supreme Court of Canada ruling found that the Tsilhqot'in peoples had Aboriginal title to a large swath of their traditional territory — over 1,700 square kilometres — and not just to old village sites, as the provincial and federal governments had argued. It was the first time in Canada that Aboriginal title had been confirmed outside of an Indian reserve. Unlike the case in other areas of the country, few treaties were signed between Indigenous inhabitants and settlers in B.C. Tl'etinqox Chief Joe Alphonse welcomed Trudeau's move to absolve Tsilhqot'in chiefs of any guilt related to the killings in 1864. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press) First Nations leaders insist much of the province's territory is "stolen land," which has resulted in prolonged court battles to assert Aboriginal title rights and extinguish outstanding land claims. The Tsilhqot'in style their tribal authority as the Tsilhqot'in National Government — a community with some 5,000 members — and insist it holds a status equal to both the federal and provincial governments. ||||| Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has exonerated six indigenous chiefs, more than 150 years after they were executed by the colonial government of British Columbia. Members of the Tsilhqot’in Nation have long argued their ancestors were tricked by the promise of peace talks to end a conflict with white road construction workers building a road through their territory – only to be arrested and convicted by the colonial government. In a statement to the House of Commons, Trudeau offered the government’s “profound regret” for the killings. “As much as it is in our power to do so, we must right the wrongs of the past,” he said. “We are truly sorry.” Canada confronts colonial past as Halifax removes statue of city's founder Read more The executions followed the deaths of 14 white road workers who had entered Tsilhqot’in territory without permission. “Our warriors defended our women, our children, our lands,” said Chief Joe Alphonse in a video posted to Facebook. “To come into Tsilhqot’in territory, you had to have Tsilhqot’in permission.” Five chiefs – Telloot, Klatsassin, Tah-pitt, Piele, and Chessus – met colonial officials after receiving assurances of friendship, but were arrested, convicted and executed in the city of Quesnel shortly after the deadly encounter. A sixth chief, Ahan, was hanged the following year in the British Columbia city of New Westminister. The British Columbia government placed a commemorative plaque at the location of the hangings in 1993 and formally exonerated the chiefs in a 2014 speech by the then premier, Christy Clark. “I still feel their spirit. I still hear those songs. I still speak their language,” said Peyal Francis Laceese in the same Facebook video. The move by the Trudeau government comes amid a tense relationship – both federally and provincially – with the Tshilhqot’in Nation. The Nation made headlines in 2014 after a victory against the British Columbia government when the supreme court of Canada granted them title rights to land that was slated for logging. “The first order of business is to exonerate our war chiefs – and then we’ll get to work to bring back our lands to the way they were before [European] contact,” said Alphonse. “It’s time for Canada to step up to the plate. It’s time to get this done. It’s time to make this a better Canada.”

– More than 150 years ago, Canada invited chiefs from the indigenous Tsilhqot'in Nation to take part in peace talks. Instead, the five men were arrested upon arrival, tried hastily, and hanged. A sixth chief met the same fate the following year. On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally exonerated the chiefs and apologized, reports the Guardian. "As much as it is in our power to do so, we must right the wrongs of the past," he said. "We are truly sorry." The chiefs were executed in retaliation for the deaths of 14 white members of a government road-building crew who were ambushed while forging a path through Tsilhqot'in territory in 1864—in the midst of a gold rush—without the tribe's permission, explains the CBC. The Tsilhqot'in Nation saw the killings as a justifiable action in what came to be known as the Chilcotin War. "Our warriors defended our women, our children, our lands," says modern Chief Joe Alphonse. The road workers brought with them the threat of smallpox, which at the time was wiping out indigenous peoples in British Columbia, and some accounts allege the workers also sexually abused Tsilhqot'in women they took hostage. Still, the government viewed the ambush not as an act of war but of murder, notes the Washington Post. The chiefs evaded capture for months until they accepted a peace offering of tobacco and agreed to meet in what they thought would be talks to end the Chilcotin War. "We confirm without reservation that Chief Klatsassin, Chief Biyil, Chief Tilaghed, Chief Taqed, Chief Chayses, and Chief Ahan are fully exonerated of any crime or wrongdoing," said Trudeau.

President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed into a White House meeting Tuesday with the same goal: trying to move the Israelis and Palestinians to resume face-to-face peace talks. It comes after a rocky White House meeting between Obama and Netanyahu in March after Israel's surprise announcement of plans for new construction in east Jerusalem as Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel and preparing for dinner with the prime minister. Netanyahu on Sunday endorsed the U.S. call for direct talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, just days after White House officials said Obama would push during the Oval Office session for those negotiations to get under way sooner rather than later. Addressing his cabinet on Sunday, Netanyahu said the "time has come" for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to get ready to meet with the Israelis "because there is no other way to advance peace. I hope this will be one of the results of the visit to Washington." Aides to Obama sounded a hopeful tone late last week, telling reporters that weeks of shuttle diplomacy between the two sides by George Mitchell, Obama's special envoy to the Middle East, had paid off and "the gaps have narrowed." "We believe there are opportunities to further narrow those gaps, to allow the sides to take that next step to direct talks," added Daniel Shapiro, the senior Middle East director at the National Security Council. Obama and Netanyahu also are expected to discuss Israel's decision Monday to significantly ease its blockade of the Gaza Strip to let in most consumer goods. Israel's ban on exports from Gaza and limits on shipments of construction material remain. Israel came under heavy international pressure, including from Obama and other top U.S. officials, to loosen its 3-year-old land and naval blockade of the seaside territory following Israel's deadly May 31 military raid on a flotilla trying to break the embargo. At the time, Obama said the situation was "unsustainable." He called for a narrow blockade to bar weapons that Gaza's Hamas rulers could use against Israel while admitting items the territory's 1.5 million Palestinians need for daily living and economic development. Obama and Netanyahu also are likely to discuss efforts to end Iran's nuclear weapons pursuit, including sanctions Obama signed into law last week. That legislation followed a fourth round of U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran. Tuesday's meeting will be the fifth between Obama and Netanyahu and would make up for a scheduled June 1 session at the White House that Netanyahu canceled to deal with fallout from the flotilla raid. The session follows meetings Obama held at the White House in recent weeks with key Mideast players, including Abbas and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Getting both sides to resume direct talks, which broke off in December 2008, is a huge challenge. One big sticking point is Israel's continued construction of Jewish housing in east Jerusalem, an area the Palestinians claim as part of a hoped-for future state. The Palestinians have refused to sit down with Netanyahu until he agrees to freeze construction in areas they want for an independent state. Israel recently said it has no intention of doing so. Abbas said last week that the borders of a future Palestinian state and security relations with Israel are the two issues on the table. He said direct talks can resume if an agreement is reached on them. Obama has called on Jerusalem to halt settlement construction and on the Palestinians to show progress on security and inciting violence against Israel. ||||| The result is a surprising juxtaposition: As the American government seeks to end the four-decade Jewish settlement enterprise and foster a Palestinian state in the West Bank, the American Treasury helps sustain the settlements through tax breaks on donations to support them. A New York Times examination of public records in the United States and Israel identified at least 40 American groups that have collected more than $200 million in tax-deductible gifts for Jewish settlement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem over the last decade. The money goes mostly to schools, synagogues, recreation centers and the like, legitimate expenditures under the tax law. But it has also paid for more legally questionable commodities: housing as well as guard dogs, bulletproof vests, rifle scopes and vehicles to secure outposts deep in occupied areas. In some ways, American tax law is more lenient than Israel’s. The outposts receiving tax-deductible donations — distinct from established settlements financed by Israel’s government — are illegal under Israeli law. And a decade ago, Israel ended tax breaks for contributions to groups devoted exclusively to settlement-building in the West Bank. Now controversy over the settlements is sharpening, and the issue is sure to be high on the agenda when President Obama and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, meet in Washington on Tuesday. While a succession of American administrations have opposed the settlements here, Mr. Obama has particularly focused on them as obstacles to peace. A two-state solution in the Middle East, he says, is vital to defusing Muslim anger at the West. Under American pressure, Mr. Netanyahu has temporarily frozen new construction to get peace talks going. The freeze and negotiations, in turn, have injected new urgency into the settlers’ cause — and into fund-raising for it. The use of charities to promote a foreign policy goal is neither new nor unique — Americans also take tax breaks in giving to pro-Palestinian groups. But the donations to the settler movement stand out because of the centrality of the settlement issue in the current talks and the fact that Washington has consistently refused to allow Israel to spend American government aid in the settlements. Tax breaks for the donations remain largely unchallenged, and unexamined by the American government. The Internal Revenue Service declined to discuss donations for West Bank settlements. State Department officials would comment only generally, and on condition of anonymity. “It’s a problem,” a senior State Department official said, adding, “It’s unhelpful to the efforts that we’re trying to make.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Daniel C. Kurtzer, the United States ambassador to Israel from 2001 to 2005, called the issue politically delicate. “It drove us crazy,” he said. But “it was a thing you didn’t talk about in polite company.” He added that while the private donations could not sustain the settler enterprise on their own, “a couple of hundred million dollars makes a huge difference,” and if carefully focused, “creates a new reality on the ground.” Most contributions go to large, established settlements close to the boundary with Israel that would very likely be annexed in any peace deal, in exchange for land elsewhere. So those donations produce less concern than money for struggling outposts and isolated settlements inhabited by militant settlers. Even small donations add to their permanence. For example, when Israeli authorities suspended plans for permanent homes in Maskiot, a tiny settlement near Jordan, in 2007, two American nonprofits — the One Israel Fund and Christian Friends of Israeli Communities —raised tens of thousands of dollars to help erect temporary structures, keeping the community going until officials lifted the building ban. Israeli security officials express frustration over donations to the illegal or more defiant communities. “I am not happy about it,” a senior military commander in the West Bank responded when asked about contributions to a radical religious academy whose director has urged soldiers to defy orders to evict settlers. He spoke under normal Israeli military rules of anonymity. Palestinian officials expressed outrage at the tax breaks. “Settlements violate international law, and the United States is supposed to be sponsoring a two-state solution, yet it gives deductions for donation to the settlements?” said Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator. The settlements are a sensitive issue among American Jews themselves. Some major Jewish philanthropies, like the Jewish Federations of North America, generally do not support building activities in the West Bank. The donors to settlement charities represent a broad mix of Americans — from wealthy people like the hospital magnate Dr. Irving I. Moskowitz and the family behind Haagen-Dazs ice cream to bidders at kosher pizza auctions in Brooklyn and evangelicals at a recent Bible meeting in a Long Island basement. But they are unified in their belief that returning the West Bank — site of the ancient Jewish kingdoms — to full Jewish control is critical to Israeli security and fulfillment of biblical prophecies. Advertisement Continue reading the main story As Kimberly Troup, director of the Christian Friends of Israeli Communities’ American office, said, while her charity’s work is humanitarian, “the more that we build, the more that we support and encourage their right to live in the land, the harder it’s going to be for disengagement, for withdrawal.” Sorting Out the Facts Today half a million Israeli Jews live in lands captured during the June 1967 Middle East war. Yet there is a strong international consensus that a Palestinian state should arise in the West Bank and Gaza, where all told some four million Palestinians live. Ultimately, any agreement will be a compromise, a sorting out of the facts on the ground. Most Jewish residents of the West Bank live in what amount to suburbs, with neat homes, high rises and highways to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Politically and ideologically, they are indistinguishable from Israel proper. Most will doubtless stay in any peace deal, while those who must move will most likely do so peacefully. But in the geographically isolated settlements and dozens of illegal outposts, there are settlers who may well violently resist being moved. The prospect of an internal and deeply painful Israeli confrontation looms. And the resisters will very likely be aided by tax-deductible donations from Americans who believe that far from quelling Muslim anger, as Mr. Obama argues, handing over the West Bank will only encourage militant Islamists bent on destroying Israel. “We need to influence our congressmen to stop Obama from putting pressure on Israel to self-destruct,” Helen Freedman, a New Yorker who runs a charity called Americans for a Safe Israel, told supporters touring the West Bank this spring. Israel, too, used to offer its residents tax breaks for donations to settlement building, starting in 1984 under a Likud government. But those donations were ended by the Labor Party, first in 1995 and then, after reversal, again in 2000. The finance minister in both cases, Avraham Shohat, said that while he only vaguely recalled the decision-making process, as a matter of principle he believed in deductions for gifts to education and welfare for the poor, not to settlement building per se. In theory, the same is true for the United States, where the tax code encourages citizens to support nonprofit groups that may diverge from official policy, as long as their missions are educational, religious or charitable. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The challenge is defining those terms and enforcing them. There are more than a million registered charities, and many submit sparse or misleading mission summaries in tax filings. Religious groups have no obligation to divulge their finances, meaning settlements may be receiving sums that cannot be traced. The Times’s review of pro-settler groups suggests that most generally live within the rules of the American tax code. Some, though, risk violating them by using the money for political campaigning and residential property purchases, by failing to file tax returns, by setting up boards of trustees in name only and by improperly funneling donations directly to foreign organizations. One group that at least skates close to the line is Friends of Zo Artzeinu/Manhigut Yehudit, based in Cedarhurst, N.Y., and co-founded by Shmuel Sackett, a former executive director of the banned Israeli political party Kahane Chai. Records from the group say a portion of the $5.2 million it has collected over the last few years has gone to the Israeli “community facilities” of Manhigut Yehudit, a hard-right faction of Mr. Netanyahu’s governing Likud Party, which Mr. Sackett helps run with the politician Moshe Feiglin. American tax rules prohibit the use of charitable funds for political purposes at home or abroad. Neither man would answer questions about the nature of the “community facilities.” In an e-mail message, Mr. Sackett said the American charity was not devoted to political activity, but to humanitarian projects and “educating the public about the need for authentic Jewish leadership in Israel.” Of course, groups in the pro-settler camp are not the only ones benefiting from tax breaks. For example, the Free Gaza Movement, which organized the flotilla seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, says on its Web site that supporters can make tax-deductible donations to it through the American Educational Trust, publisher of an Arab-oriented journal. Israeli civil and human rights groups like Peace Now, which are often accused of having a blatant political agenda, also benefit from tax-deductible donations. Some pro-settler charities have obscured their true intentions. Take the Capital Athletic Foundation, run by the disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. In its I.R.S. filings, the foundation noted donations totaling more than $140,000 to Kollel Ohel Tiferet, a religious study group in Israel, for “educational and athletic” purposes. In reality, a study group member was using the money to finance a paramilitary operation in the Beitar Illit settlement, according to documents in a Senate investigation of Mr. Abramoff, who pleaded guilty in 2006 to defrauding clients and bribing public officials. Mr. Abramoff, documents show, had directed the settler, Shmuel Ben Zvi, an old high school friend, to use the study group as cover after his accountant complained that money for sniper equipment and a jeep “don’t look good” in terms of complying with the foundation’s tax-exempt status. While the donations by Mr. Abramoff’s charity were elaborately disguised — the group shipped a camouflage sniper suit in a box labeled “Grandmother Tree Costume for the play Pocahontas” — other groups are more open. Amitz Rescue & Security, which has raised money through two Brooklyn nonprofits, trains and equips guard units for settlements. Its Web site encourages donors to “send a tax-deductible check” for night-vision binoculars, bulletproof vehicles and guard dogs. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Other groups urge donors to give to one of several nonprofits that serve as clearinghouses for donations to a wide array of groups in Israel and the West Bank, which, if not done properly, can skirt the intent of American tax rules. Americans cannot claim deductions for direct donations to foreign charities; tax laws allow deductions for domestic giving on the theory that charities ultimately ease pressure on government spending for social programs. But the I.R.S. does allow deductions for donations to American nonprofits that support charitable projects abroad, provided the nonprofit is not simply a funnel to another group overseas, according to Bruce R. Hopkins, a lawyer and the author of several books on nonprofit law. Donors can indicate how they would like their money to be used, but the nonprofit must exercise “some measure of independence to deliberate on grant-making,” he said. A prominent clearinghouse is the Central Fund of Israel, operated from the Marcus Brothers Textiles offices in the Manhattan garment district. Dozens of West Bank groups seem to view the fund as little more than a vehicle for channeling donations back to themselves, instructing their supporters that if they want a tax break, they must direct their contributions there first. The fund’s president, Hadassah Marcus, acknowledged that it received many checks from donors “who want them to go to different programs in Israel,” but, she said, the fund retains ultimate discretion over the money. It also makes its own grants to needy Jewish families and monitors them, she said, adding that the fund, which collected $13 million in 2008, was audited and complies with I.R.S. rules. “We’re not a funnel. We’re trying to build a land,” she said, adding, “All we’re doing is going back to our home.” Support From a Preacher Late one afternoon in March, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. landed in Israel and headed to his Jerusalem hotel to prepare for a weeklong effort to rekindle Middle East peace talks. Across town, many of the leading Israeli officials on Mr. Biden’s schedule, among them Prime Minister Netanyahu, were in a convention hall listening to the Rev. John Hagee, an influential American preacher whose charities have donated millions to projects in Israel and the territories. Support for the settlements has become a cause of some leading conservative Republicans, like Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin. “Israel exists because of a covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob 3,500 years ago — and that covenant still stands,” Mr. Hagee thundered. “World leaders do not have the authority to tell Israel and the Jewish people what they can and cannot do in the city of Jerusalem.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story The next day, Israeli-American relations plunged after Israel announced plans for 1,600 new apartments for Jews in East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as their future capital. Israeli officials said Mr. Hagee’s words of encouragement had no effect on government decision making. And the preacher’s aides said he was not trying to influence the peace talks, just defending Israel’s right to make decisions without foreign pressure. Still, his presence underscored the role of settlement supporters abroad. Nowhere is that effort more visible, and contentious, than in East Jerusalem, which the Netanyahu government says must remain under Israeli sovereignty in any peace deal. The government supports privately financed archaeological projects that focus on Jewish roots in Arab areas of Jerusalem. The Obama administration and the United Nations have recently criticized a plan to raze 22 Palestinian homes to make room for a history park in a neighborhood where a nonprofit group called El’Ad finances digs and buys up Arab-owned properties. To raise money, groups like El’Ad seek to bring alive a narrative of Jewish nationalism in living rooms and banquet halls across America. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. In May, a crowd of mostly Jewish professionals — who paid $300 a plate to benefit the American Friends of Ateret Cohanim — gathered in a catering hall high above Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens to dine and hear John R. Bolton, United Nations ambassador under President George W. Bush, warn of the danger of a nuclear-armed Iran. A few days earlier, the group’s executive vice president, Susan Hikind, had gone on a Jewish radio program in New York to proclaim her group’s resistance to American policy in the Middle East. The Obama administration, she said, did not want donors to attend the banquet because it believed Jerusalem should “be part of some future capital of a Palestinian state.” “And who’s standing in the way of that?” Ms. Hikind said. “People who support Ateret Cohanim’s work in Jerusalem to ensure that Jerusalem remains united.” The Jerusalem Reclamation Project of Ateret Cohanim works to transfer ownership of Arab homes to Jewish families in East Jerusalem. Such efforts have generated much controversy; Islamic judicial panels have threatened death to Palestinians who sell property in the occupied territories to Jews, and sales are often conducted using shell companies and intermediaries. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “Land reclamation is actually sort of a bad name — redeeming is probably a better word,” said D. Bernard Hoenig, a New York lawyer on the board of American Friends of Ateret Cohanim. “The fact of the matter is, there are Arabs who want to sell their homes, and they have offered our organization the opportunity to buy them.” Mr. Hoenig said that Ateret Cohanim bought a couple of buildings years ago, but that mostly it helps arrange purchases by other Jewish investors. That is not mentioned, however, on its American affiliate’s tax returns. Rather, they describe its primary charitable purpose as financing “higher educational institutions in Israel,” as well as children’s camps, help for needy families and security for Jews living in East Jerusalem. Indeed, it does all those things. It houses yeshiva students and teachers in properties it helps acquire and places kindergartens and study institutes into other buildings, all of which helps its activities qualify as educational or religious for tax purposes. The American affiliate provides roughly 60 percent of Ateret Cohanim’s funding, according to representatives of the group. But Mr. Hoenig said none of the American money went toward the land deals, since they would not qualify for tax-deductible donations. Still, acquiring property has been an integral part of Ateret Cohanim’s fund-raising appeals. Archived pages from a Web site registered to the American affiliate — taken down in the last year or so — described in detail how Ateret Cohanim “quietly and discreetly” arranged the acquisition of buildings in Palestinian areas. And it sought donations for “the expected left-wing Arab legal battle,” building costs and “other expenses (organizational, planning, Arab middlemen, etc.)” An Unyielding Stance Deep inside the West Bank, in the northern region called Samaria, or Shomron, lie 30 or so settlements and unauthorized outposts, most considered sure candidates for evacuation in any deal for a Palestinian state. In terms of donations, they do not raise anywhere near the sums produced for Jerusalem or close-in settlements. But in many ways they worry security officials and the Palestinians the most, because they are so unyielding. Out here, the communities have a rougher feel. Some have only a few paved roads, and mobile homes for houses. Residents — men with skullcaps and sidelocks, women with head coverings, and families with many children — often speak in apocalyptic terms about the need for Jews to stay on the land. It may take generations, they say, but God’s promise will be fulfilled. In November, after the Netanyahu government announced the settlement freeze, Shomron leaders invited reporters to watch them shred the orders. Advertisement Continue reading the main story David Ha’Ivri, the public liaison for the local government, the Shomron Regional Council, has positioned himself as a fierce yet amiable advocate. As a leader of an American-based nonprofit, he also brings a militant legacy to the charitable enterprise. Mr. Ha’Ivri, formerly David Axelrod, was born in Far Rockaway, Queens, and was a student of the virulently anti-Arab Rabbi Meir David Kahane and a top lieutenant and brother-in-law to the rabbi’s son, Binyamin Kahane. Both Kahanes, who were assassinated 10 years apart, ran organizations banned in Israel for instigating, if not participating in, attacks against Arabs. The United States Treasury Department later added both groups, Kach and Kahane Chai, to its terrorism watch list. As recently as four years ago, Mr. Ha’Ivri was involved in running The Way of the Torah, a Kahanist newsletter designated as a terrorist organization in the United States. He has had several run-ins with the authorities in Israel over the last two decades, including an arrest for celebrating the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in a television interview and a six-month jail term in connection with the desecration of a mosque. Treasury officials said a group’s presence on the terror list does not necessarily extend to its former leaders, and indeed Mr. Ha’Ivri is not on it. Mr. Ha’Ivri said he no longer engaged in such activism, adding that, at 43, he had mellowed, even if his core convictions had not. “I’m a little older now, a little more mature,” he said. A Sunday in late May found him in New York, on a stage in Central Park, speaking at the annual Israel Day Concert. “We will not ever, ever give up our land,” Mr. Ha’Ivri said. He posed for pictures with the Republican National Committee chairman, Michael Steele, and distributed fliers about the “501 c3 I.R.S. tax deductible status” of his charity, Shuva Israel, which has raised more than $2.6 million since 2004 for the Shomron communities. Although I.R.S. rules require that American charities exhibit “full control of the donated funds and discretion as to their use,” Shuva Israel appears to be dominated by Israeli settlers. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Mr. Ha’Ivri, who lives in the settlement of Kfar Tapuach, was listed as the group’s executive director in its most recent tax filing; Gershon Mesika, the Shomron council’s leader, is the board’s chairman; and Shuva Israel’s accountant is based in the settlement of Tekoa. Its American presence is through a post office box in Austin, Tex., where, according to its tax filings, it has two volunteers who double as board members. “I’ve never been to the board,” said one of them, Jeff Luftig. When asked about his dual status as leader of the charity and an official with the council it supports, Mr. Ha’Ivri said he was no longer executive director, though he could not recall who was. He said he was confident the charity was following the law, adding that the money it raises goes strictly toward improving the lives of settlers. Exacting a Price If Mr. Ha’Ivri has changed tactics, a new generation has picked up his aggressive approach. These activists also receive American support. Their campaign has been named “Price Tag”: For every move by Israeli authorities to curtail settlement construction, the price will be an attack on an Arab mosque, vineyard or olive grove. The results were on display during a recent tour through the Arab village of Hawara, where the wall of a mosque had been desecrated with graffiti of a Jewish star and the first letters of the Prophet Muhammad’s name in Hebrew. In the nearby Palestinian village of Mikhmas, the deputy mayor, Mohamed Damim, said settlers had come in the dark of night and uprooted or cut down hundreds of olive and fig trees. “The army has done nothing to protect us,” he said. Though the attacks are small by nature, Israeli commanders fear they threaten to scuttle the uneasy peace they and their Palestinian Authority partners have forged in the West Bank. “It can bring the entire West Bank to light up again in terror and violence,” a senior commander said in an interview. Israeli law enforcement officials say that in investigating settler violence in the north, they often turn to people connected to the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva in the Yitzhar settlement. After the arson of a mosque in Yasuf in December, authorities arrested the yeshiva’s head rabbi, Yitzhak Shapira, and several students but released them for lack of evidence. Rabbi Shapira denied involvement. He is known in Israel for his strong views. He was co-author of a book released last year that offered religious justification for killing non-Jews who pose a threat to Jews or, in the case of young children, could in the future. Advertisement Continue reading the main story A plaque inside the recently built yeshiva thanks Dr. Moskowitz, the hospitals entrepreneur, and his wife, Cherna, for their “continuous and generous support.” Another recognizes Benjamin Landa of Brooklyn, a nursing home operator who gave through his foundation, Ohel Harav Yehoshua Boruch. Mr. Landa said he donated to the yeshiva after its old building was destroyed in an Arab ransacking. None of the American donations have been linked to the campaign of attacks. The Israeli military has activated outstanding permit violations that have set the stage for the yeshiva’s threatened demolition. And officials have barred some of the yeshiva’s students from the West Bank for months on end. Od Yosef Chai’s director, Itamar Posen, said in an interview that the military was unfairly singling out the yeshiva because “the things that we publish are things that are against their ideas, and they are frightened.” Mr. Ha’Ivri and Mr. Mesika have charged the military with jeopardizing the men’s livelihoods without due process. A settler legal defense fund, Honenu, with its own American charitable arm, has sought to provide a safety net. An online appeal for tax-deductible donations to be sent to Honenu’s Queens-based post office read, “If the 3 men can have their families supported it will cause others at the Hilltops to brave military and government threats against them.” Reached last month, one of the men, Akiva HaCohen, declined to say how much support he had received from American donors; Honenu officials in Israel declined to comment as well. There is no way to tell from Honenu’s American tax returns; none was available through Guidestar, a service that tracks tax filings by nonprofits. Groups that raise less than $25,000 a year are not required to file. But a review of tax returns filed by other charities showed that one American family foundation gave it $33,000 in a single year, enough to have required filing. Asked whether it had ever filed a tax return, Aaron Heimowitz, a financial planner in Queens who collects Honenu’s donations there, responded, “I’m not in a position to answer that.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Opaque Finances Religious charities are still more opaque; the tax code does not require them to disclose their finances publicly. Mr. Hagee is one of the few Christian Zionists who advertises his philanthropy in Israel and its territories, at least $58 million as of last year, distributed through a multimedia empire that spins out a stream of books, DVDs and CDs about Israel’s role in biblical prophecy. Mr. Hagee’s aides say he makes a large majority of his donations within Israel’s 1967 boundaries and seeks to avoid disputed areas. Yet a sports complex in the large settlement of Ariel — whose future is in dispute — bears his name. And a few years ago, according to officials at the yeshiva at Har Bracha, Mr. Hagee donated $250,000 to expand a dormitory. The yeshiva is the main growth engine of the settlement, attracting students who put down roots. (Some are soldiers, and the head rabbi there has called upon them to refuse orders to evict settlers.) After the yeshiva was started in 1992, “the place just took off,” growing to more than 200 families from 3, said the yeshiva’s spokesman, Yonaton Behar. “The goal,” he added, “is to grow to the point where there is no question of uprooting Har Bracha.” Various strains of American pro-settlement activity come together in Har Bracha. The Moskowitz family helped pay for the yeshiva’s main building. Nearby, a winery was built with volunteer help from HaYovel ministries, which brings large groups of volunteers to prune and harvest. Mr. Ha’Ivri’s charity promotes the program. The winery’s owner, Nir Lavi, says his land is state-sanctioned. But officials in the neighboring Palestinian village of Iraq Burin say part of the vineyard was planted on ground taken from their residents in a parcel-by-parcel land grab. Such disputes are typical for the area, as are the opposing accounts of what happened that February day when HaYovel’s leader, Tommy Waller, and his volunteers say they came under attack and the shepherd was shot. “They came up screaming, slinging their rock-slings like David going after a giant,” Mr. Waller said. A Har Bracha security guard came to the rescue by shooting in the air, not aiming for the attackers, he added. Advertisement Continue reading the main story But, in an interview, the shepherd, Amid Qadoos, said settlers started the scuffle by throwing rocks at him as he was grazing his sheep on village land a few yards from the vineyard, telling him, “You are not allowed here.” He and his friends then threw rocks in retaliation, he said, prompting the security guard to shoot him in the back of his leg. His father, Aref Qadoos, added, “They want us to go so they can confiscate the land, through planting.” Though two volunteers were hurt, Mr. Waller said neither he nor his group would be deterred. “People are drawn to our work who believe the Bible is true and desire to participate in the promises of God,” he said. “We believe the restoration of Israel, including Samaria and Judea, is part of that promise.” In the last year, he said, he brought 130 volunteers here. This coming year, he said, he expects as many as 400.

– When President Obama meets with Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House today, he’ll probably pressure the Israeli PM to stop illegal construction in the West Bank. But even as the administration fights those settlements, the US government is giving millions in tax breaks to groups that help build them, the New York Times reports. At least 40 US groups have collected more than $200 million in tax-exempt donations to use specifically for Israeli settlements. Senior State Department officials call the donations “a problem,” saying they undermine administration policy. “It drove us crazy,” says a Bush-era ambassador to Israel. But “it was a thing you didn’t talk about in polite company.” Israel itself stopped offering such tax breaks in 1995. But in the US, paperwork requirements are so scant that groups pretty much do as they please; the Times found some with expenditures that looked suspiciously like illegal real estate purchases or political spending.

Franklin police found a Main Street home in disarray after they found a 7-year-old boy wandering a high traffic area of downtown Franklin. The boy told officers he was trying to sell his stuffed animal for food because he hadn’t eaten for several days. CONTRIBUTED Franklin police found a Main Street home in disarray after they found a 7-year-old boy wandering a high traffic area of downtown Franklin. The boy told officers he was trying to sell his stuffed animal for food because he hadn’t eaten for several days. CONTRIBUTED By Ed Richter Staff Writer “Serve and protect” took on a new meaning recently in Franklin. Officer Steve Dunham found a 7-year-old boy Sunday afternoon in front of a CVS store at Second and Main streets trying to sell his stuffed animal. Police had responded to the scene after dispatchers were contacted by a resident. The boy told Dunham he hadn’t eaten in several days. So the police officer took the boy across the street to a Subway restaurant, where he bought him something to eat before taking him to the police station. Two other officers, Amanda Myers and Kyle O’Neal, went to the child’s home on Main Street, where they reported finding the boy’s two siblings living in a home full of garbage, cat urine and liquor bottles. In her initial report, Myers wrote that the parents created “a substantial risk of health and safety by neglecting the cleanliness in the residence, having a large amount of bugs and spoiled food throughout the residence, not having properly prepared and packaged food for the minor children to eat, and allowing a 7-year-old child to wander from the residence without their permission or knowledge, in an attempt to locate food.” According to the police report, Tammy and Michael Bethel told police they had a 7-year-old son and did not realize he was not in the house. Warren County Children Services did an emergency removal of all five of the Bethel’s children and placed them with relatives. Judge Rupert Ruppert ordered that the parents were not to have any contact with their children. Tammy and Michael Bethel are charged with five counts each of child endangering, all first-degree misdemeanors. Both parents were arraigned Tuesday in Franklin Municipal Court and have pre-trial hearings set for Sept. 16. “Officers see this nationwide everyday and they do go above and beyond to feed homeless, feed children … they treat people like their own family,” said Police Chief Russell Whitman. “You can look at your local police departments wherever you’re at and you can find stories like this.” There have been 11 child neglect reports filed in 2016 with three that warranted investigation in Franklin, according to Whitman. The other eight were unfounded, he said. ||||| After finding a young boy all alone trying to sell his teddy bear for food, Franklin police charged the child’s parents with child endangerment. Officer Steve Dunham found the child in a busy area and went beyond the requirements of his badge to help. Watch this story Officials said they received a call on Sunday afternoon that a young boy was wandering in downtown Franklin alone. HOW TO HELP Police said the 7-year-old was peddling his toy in front of a drug store to get money for food. “It broke my heart,” Dunham said. “He told me he was trying to sell his stuffed animal to get money for food because he hadn't eaten in several days.” Dunham took the child to a nearby Subway to get something to eat, then brought him back to the Franklin Police Department. “(We) said a little prayer and ate dinner together,” Dunham said. Police Chief Russ Whitman said Dunham gave the boy comfort and safety that he didn't have at home. After further investigation, police said the child and his four brothers lived in squalor. Investigators described the home on Main Street as full of garbage, cat urine and liquor bottles. Investigators charged the parents, Tammy and Michael Bethel, with 10 counts of child endangering. “(Police) treated them like their own kids, and that's exactly what law enforcement does in situations like this. How would we want someone to treat our kids?” Whitman said. “Hopefully, these officers’ actions change these kids’ lives and maybe change the lives of the parents to become better parents.” Dunham said he doesn't look at it as anything but just doing his job, and he made a new friend in the process. “I came back to check on him and he was hiding. He jumped out to scare me when I came back in the building; he got me real good,” Dunham said. “(We) would like to go home at the end of the day feeling like (we’ve) done something positive and, you know, had some kind of positive impact." The victim’s advocate sent the Franklin Police Department a thank-you note, commending them for going the extra mile to give a vulnerable child some comfort and safety. Police said the 7-year-old boy and his brothers, ages 11, 12, 15 and 17, have been removed from the home and are now staying with family members. The parents have been ordered to have no contact with them.

– A hungry 7-year-old boy trying to hawk his teddy bear to buy food ran into the right cop: Officer Steve Dunham tells WLWT "it broke my heart" to see the child trying to sell his toy last week outside a drugstore in Franklin, Ohio. The boy told Dunham it had been several days since he'd eaten, and so the cop took him out for a bite before heading to the station, the Journal-News reports. The boy's parents later told police they had no idea their son wasn't at home. Police say the boy and his four brothers lived in squalor in a home that reeked of urine and was littered with garbage, liquor bottles, and "a large amount of bugs and spoiled food." Parents Tammy and Michael Bethel were charged with 10 counts of child endangerment. Besides the 7-year-old, their four other boys, ages 11 to 17, were removed from the house and are now staying with family members. Police Chief Russ Whitman praises Dunham's actions and says it's what police are supposed to do. "How would we want someone to treat our kids?" he tells WLWT. "Hopefully these officers' actions change these kids' lives and maybe change the lives of the parents to become better parents." For his part, Dunham says he was only doing his job: "I would like to go home at the end of the day feeling like I'd done something positive." (Another cop warmed hearts when she was spotted sharing a meal with a homeless guy.)

Does beer make you shlur your wordsh? You're not alone: drunk zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) sing songs that are blurrier and more disordered than those of their sober counterparts. What's more, binge drinking may permanently impair juvenile finches' ability to learn new songs – which could have implications for our understanding of the effect of heavy drinking on adolescents. Having a unique and interesting song is important for zebra finches to mate, and each male develops his own signature tune as he matures, says Christopher Olson of Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. Because zebra finch song is so well studied, Olson and colleagues decided to find out how alcohol would affect it. First, they had to find out whether finches are even interested in alcohol. When they gave a group of adult finches 6 per cent ethanol in their water bottles, the birds drank enough of it that their blood alcohol content sometimes reached 0.8 per cent: the legal limit for drivers in many places. Husky bar voice The birds were also happy to sing while drunk. Using audio analysis software, the researchers determined the degree of "white noise", or disorganised sounds, in their songs. The drunk birds' songs were significantly more broken and disorganised. "It's their husky bar voice," says Olson. Next, the researchers tested how alcohol affects song learning by putting 3 per cent ethanol in the water bottles of birds who were only 40 days old and had just been weaned. They left the spiked water there for 90 days and measured the birds' songs periodically. Almost immediately, significant differences appeared between these birds and controls. Normally, Olson says, young birds "babble" and experiment with disordered noises before settling on their own song, which is inspired by their fathers and cagemates . But the drinking finches experimented less, and settled on a simple song at day 55. It's surprising how early the researchers could see the effects in the adolescent birds, says Ofer Tchernichovski at the City University of New York. He says it is the first study of the effects of a drug on such a well-understood learned behaviour, and adds that he is curious to know what happens when the alcohol is withdrawn. The researchers hypothesise that alcohol might be suppressing the young birds' creativity by hurting the plasticity, or flexibility of their brains to learn. In general, finches are no longer able to learn new songs as adults, Olson says, so the effects could be long-term. They are now following these birds for longer to determine whether adult birds become dependent on alcohol, and whether the young birds' songs develop any further if alcohol is withdrawn. Olson presented the results at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, this week. He says the work may also tell us something about how learning behaviour in the adolescent human brain is affected by binge drinking. If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to. ||||| Scientists Discover That Drunk Birds Sing Like Drunks Enlarge this image toggle caption Liza Gross/Courtesy Public Library of Science Liza Gross/Courtesy Public Library of Science If you've ever listened to karaoke at a bar, you know that drinking can affect how well someone can sing. Christopher Olson and his colleagues at Oregon Health and Science University recently set out to find if the same was true for birds, specifically zebra finches. "We just showed up in the morning and mixed a little bit of juice with 6 percent alcohol, and put it in their water bottles and put it in the cages," Olson told All Things Considered's Arun Rath. "At first we were thinking that they wouldn't drink on their own because, you know, a lot of animals just won't touch the stuff. But they seem to tolerate it pretty well and be somewhat willing to consume it." The finches long have been used as a model to study human vocal learning, or how people learn to communicate using language, Olson said. Obviously, alcohol affects human speech, so Olson and his team checked for similar problems with the birds. The blood alcohol levels achieved — .05 to .08 percent — would be laughed off by many college students, but because birds metabolize alcohol differently it was plenty to produce the effects the scientists were looking for. Listen to the audio, and you'll hear that the finches' song gets a bit quieter and just a little slurred, or as Olson puts it, "a bit less organized in their sound production" — like a roommate calling from a bar to get a ride home. In the future, Olson wants to find out whether alcohol affects not just how birds sing but how they learn new songs — like a roommate partying so late he's still drunk in class the next morning.

– Not many people count getting zebra finches drunk as their job. But researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University did just that to study how alcohol affects the birds' ability to sing—and to learn more about how it affects the human brain, Smithsonian reports. Birds are a great case study for how people use language, and zebra finches in particular are well suited, adds New Scientist. Each male zebra finch has a signature tune, which helps them in the mating game. "We just showed up in the morning and mixed a little bit of juice with 6% alcohol, and put it in their water bottles … They seem(ed) to tolerate it pretty well and be somewhat willing to consume it," researcher Christopher Olson tells NPR. Researchers found the birds loved to sing while drunk—at a BAC of .05% to .08%—but didn't do so well. Their songs were "slurred, quieter ... and disorganized," adds Smithsonian. Olson calls it their "husky bar voice." What most interested researchers was the effect alcohol had on adolescent birds. Month-old birds got 3% ethanol in their water bottles for 90 days and researchers immediately saw the effects. Zebra finches tend to test out different tunes before settling on their own, but birds who drank gave up after only 55 days of trying and opted for a simple tune, New Scientist adds. Researchers think alcohol damaged their brains' ability to learn. And the effect was permanent—adult birds can't learn new songs. Researchers say this could reveal the effect of binge drinking on teenagers. (Songbirds can tell when a tornado is coming.)

Top designer says Middleton looks ordinary "I think she's got a problem with eye make-up" Nicole: Dropped due to 'lack of chemistry' CLOTHING worn by the Duchess of Cambridge often sells out just minutes after she wears it in public, but not everyone thinks she's a style guru. The grand dame of British fashion, Vivienne Westwood has described Kate's look as "ordinary". She told Britain's Sunday Times Magazine: "It seems to me, that her image is 'ordinary woman'. Therefore, High Street shopper. And I just think she should be an extraordinary woman, wherever she gets her clothes from." Kate's makeup, which she famously applied herself on her wedding day, also came under attack. "I think she's got a problem with eye make-up. The sharp line around her eyes make her look hard. Either she should be smudgy or wear none," Westwood said. Last month Dutch fashion duo Viktor & Rolf made similar comments, when asked what changes they think the Duchess should make to her style. "Different make-up and hair, less eyeliner, less hair. It would bring out her natural beauty," they said. Last week Kelly Osbourne caused controversy by criticising Kate's habit of recycling her clothing. She told Jay Leno, "If I am going to be the future bloody Queen of England I'm gonna wear that dress once because I'm giving up the rest of my life, all of my privacy, at least I can get a new dress every day!" ||||| While she's never been shy about speaking her mind, Kelly Osbourne is on a roll lately. The co-host of E!'s Fashion Police dissed Kate Middleton for wearing the same dress twice, calling it a "fashion faux pas." Osbourne appeared on The Tonight Show on Wednesday night and told host Jay Leno, "Well, I’m sorry, but if I had that job, I would only wear it once. If I am going to be the future bloody Queen of England, I’m going to wear that dress once, because I’m giving up the rest of my life, all of my privacy, at least I can get a new dress every day.” Sure, Osbourne's current job involves critiquing the fashion choices of fellow celebs, but she's been particularly mean lately. Just this morning, we reported that Osbourne had some vicious words for singer Christina Aguilera, saying: "Maybe she is just becoming the fat bitch she was born to be. I don't know. She was a c**t to me. And she bought my house!" Perhaps Osbourne's mean girl antics can be explained as her way of grieving for her good friend Amy Winehouse who died July 23rd. Osbourne told Leno that she hadn't really left her apartment since she returned from Winehouse's funeral in London, and said she didn't really want to talk about their friendship because there would be "floods of tears." WATCH:

– Kate Middleton is a style icon, right? Wrong, says fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. The Duchess of Cambridge projects the image of an "ordinary woman," not the "extraordinary woman" she should be, Westwood complains to Britain's Sunday Times Magazine in an interview picked up by Australia's News Network. Not to mention, "I think she's got a problem with eye makeup. The sharp line around her eyes make her look hard. Either she should be smudgy or wear none," Westwood adds. Click to watch another celeb diss Middleton's wardrobe.

Animal rights protesters jumped barricades at a Bernie Sanders rally late Monday in Oakland, California, accusing the candidate of falling short in his efforts to fight "factory farming." The Democratic presidential hopeful was addressing supporters at Frank Ogawa Plaza at City Hall when five people in their 20s and 30s hopped over barricades and attempted to rush the podium before Secret Service agents escorted them away. Agents also surrounded Sanders. Video Sanders Visits Church to Court Black Voters The group identified itself as the Bay Area-based "Direct Action Everywhere," or DXE. Spokesman Zachary Groff, 24, said "roughly two dozen members of the animal liberation network" were present at the rally. The group claims to have participated in demonstrations in 152 cities worldwide, including at least four other Sanders rallies. Groff identified the five group members as Ashley Johnson, of New York City; Rebecca Muniz, of Berkeley; Matt Johnson, of Iowa; Aidan Cook, of Denver; and Amy Halpern-Laff, of Berkeley. They were detained for an hour or two, Groff said, and released without charge. Video appears to show a Secret Service agent striking one of the barricade jumpers several times with a night stick. Groff identified that person as Johnson, whom he said suffered a bloody wound on his hand. Although Sanders is, in many ways, the most progressive candidate campaigning, the group says he is not progressive enough when it comes to animal issues. "Sanders claims to oppose 'factory farming,' but what he hides is that virtually all farms in the United States, including farms he supports, are essentially factory farms," said Groff, a Yale University graduate who is moving to Berkeley. "This was a success. We got the whole country talking about animal rights. You can't really be progressive and oppose animal rights." Protesters Jump Barricade, Interrupt Sanders Rally in Oakland Protesters jumped barricades and interrupted a Bernie Sanders rally late Monday in Oakland. Pete Suratos reports. (Published Monday, May 30, 2016) Activists were not protesting Sanders himself, Groff said, but were trying to pull him in a more progressive direction. The group gave Hillary Clinton higher marks for releasing a campaign platform on animal issues, although the Democratic front-runner also "stops far short of what activists would like to see," Groff said. Activists said they expect Sanders, "the progressive candidate, to support more radical action to provide animals not just with improved conditions but with legal rights to be free from harm." The brief scuffle didn't seem to deter Sanders. "We don't get intimidated easily," the candidate said afterward. The crowd of about 20,000 was otherwise mostly peaceful. They cheered when Sanders donned a Golden State Warriors cap and told the crowd why he would be the best option for Democrats come November. "In virtually every state and national poll, we do much better than Trump than Secretary Clinton does," he said. But Sanders faces an uphill battle, as his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton is about 70 delegates away from clinching the nomination. A large number of those are superdelegates who could change their minds, and that's what Sanders and his supporters are banking on. Sanders believes a win in California, a state with 475 delegates, would be a giant first step in the right direction. "If there is a large voter turnout, we will win and win big," he told the gathering in Oakland. Highlights From the 2016 Campaign Trail Supporters aren't giving up either. "He should stay in to the very last minute," said Joshua Harris, who was at the Oakland rally. "He should stay in as long as he can." Another Sanders supporter, Jeff Nibert, agreed: "If California can send a message to the country next Tuesday, that would be a shocker around the world." ||||| U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign rally in Santa Barbara, California, U.S. May 28, 2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (Reuters) - At least five animal rights activists on Monday rushed the stage as presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke at a rally in Oakland, video posted online showed. The protesters were led away by several Secret Service agents before they were able to reach the Democrat, whose speech was briefly interrupted by the disturbance, a video posted by CNN showed. A Secret Service agent rushed to Sanders’ side, grabbed him and wrapped his arms around the presidential candidate during the ruckus. “We don’t get intimidated easily,” said Sanders, as he resumed his speech. Animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere claimed responsibility for the protest, saying in a statement that it hoped to persuade Sanders to take a tough stance against factory farms. “Bernie Sanders claims to support the ‘good’ farms,” activist Rachel Ziegler said in the statement. “But as our repeated investigations have shown, even the ‘good’ farms are horrific.” The organization posted a video online showing at least five protesters being led away by security personnel after they climbed onto the stage. Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is running far behind Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination for the Nov. 8 presidential election. In March, a man stormed the stage as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump spoke in Vandalia, Ohio before being held by several agents. ||||| Sanders packs Oakland pews, backs Warriors Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ visit to Oakland came with the joyous strains of gospel music, loud cheers in a variety of languages, and a sea of blue posters splashed with the presidential candidate’s name. Not to mention a little shout-out to the hometown fans. After meeting with actor Danny Glover and San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim at the Allen Temple Baptist Church in East Oakland early Monday afternoon, Sanders fired up the crowd at a downtown Oakland rally when he donned a yellow Warriors cap. “Do I have the right hat?” Sanders asked to laughter. When he finished speaking, he took off for the Oracle Arena to catch the second half of the Warriors’ Game 7 victory. But there was plenty of serious talk from Sanders with California’s high-stakes Democratic presidential primary just a week away. “When we began this campaign, the pundits had determined in their never-failing wisdom that our campaign was going to be a fringe campaign,” he told the enthusiastic crowd in Frank Ogawa Plaza, outside Oakland City Hall. “They didn’t think we would go very far. Well, a year has come and gone, and here we are.” Thousands of people, many dressed in blue T-shirts and hats printed with “Feel the Bern,” turned out for the hour-long downtown rally. The line to get into the event wrapped around six city blocks. Issues relevant to Oakland Oakland was the presidential hopeful’s latest stop in a grueling series of high-profile rallies across the state. From the pulpit and the podium, Sanders spoke about unemployment, the cost of living and the country’s dependence on jails. His cries for a political revolution against what he calls corrupt politics sparked cheers and applause at both locales, from churchgoers crammed into the choir pews to young people ringed around City Hall. Sanders discussed issues geared toward Oakland: incarceration rates, police shootings and the need for universal health care. Sanders talked about poverty rates across the nation, noting that while 22 percent of youth are poor, the rate is higher for minority communities. “It might be a little bit smart to be investing in jobs and education for those young people instead of jails,” Sanders said. “Every person in this room and country should be profoundly humiliated by the fact that we have more people in jail in America than any other country on Earth.” Emmy Dissett, 34, of West Oakland waved a poster in the air and cheered. “I love that he is here,” she said, grinning. “He is an amazing guy. He’s in a $99 suit and is so relatable. Other politicians haven’t given much attention to Oakland. He cares about all of us: the women, the minorities, the young people.” Sanders’ California rallies have drawn thousands of enthusiastic supporters, helping tighten the primary race between him and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A poll last week by the Public Policy Institute of California found Clinton with a narrowing 46 to 44 percent lead over Sanders. With Clinton holding a solid lead in pledged and unpledged delegates, California is a must-win state for Sanders if he is to convince delegates at the July national convention in Philadelphia that he is the party’s best hope of beating Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee. A growing number of independent voters could decide the final result, the poll showed. ‘He is going to bring change’ At the church, Sanders fielded questions about police shootings, an issue at the forefront in the Bay Area, especially since San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr was forced to resign in May after an officer shot an apparently unarmed black woman near the Bayview district. Police departments across the country need to provide more diversity and training in de-escalating tense confrontations, Sanders said. “What kind of country are we when mothers are afraid to let their kids go out and play?” he said. “We do not have the culture which says that lethal force, shooting somebody, is the last response, not a first response. Too often the response is killing someone rather than coming up with other ways of dealing with the problem.” Some residents were impressed that Sanders even came to their community, said Annette Haugabook, 56, of Oakland, who sat near a wall of stained glass windows waiting for the senator to arrive. “I am in support of Sanders because he is going to bring change,” she said. “The fact that he would come to East Oakland means a lot to me because a lot of candidates won’t. You have to come to my community so I know you’re serious about change.” Community often ignored Clinton also has paid visits to Oakland in recent weeks, including for a roundtable on urban issues at a Jack London Square restaurant last week. East Oakland is often neglected in the scope of national politics, said Aïdah Rasheed of Oakland, 31, a Muslim woman who said she tries to support other religious communities. “Not a lot of politicians are interested in talking to people from this community,” she said. “I am praying people will come out and support his campaign because he is trying to change the land we live in and the way we deal with politics.” Sanders said his grassroots efforts would infuse energy into the election process and could get him to the White House. “We are trying to run a campaign here in California that, to the best of my knowledge, is unprecedented,” Sanders said. “We have worked at 23 rallies all over the state. I believe we have an excellent chance to win here in California and to win big.”

– Bernie Sanders may be the preferred candidate of birds, but his stance on animal rights wasn't good enough for at least five protesters who rushed the stage at a rally in Oakland, Calif., Monday evening. The protesters were intercepted and taken away by several Secret Service agents before they could reach the candidate. Another Secret Service agent rushed to Sanders' side and wrapped his arms around him when the interruption began, reports Reuters. The animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere claimed responsibility, saying that it wants Sanders to get tough on factory farms. Sanders resumed speaking within minutes, saying: "We don't get intimidated easily." He told the crowd of around 20,000 people that he can win California if turnout is big enough, and that he's the best choice for Democrats because "in virtually every state and national poll, we do much better than Trump than Secretary Clinton does," NBC San Francisco reports. After speaking, he headed for Oracle Arena to catch the second half of the Golden State Warriors' 96-88 Game 7 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

LOS ANGELES — President Trump has finally arrived at Walt Disney World. And, yes, he speaks. After a delay that prompted online conspiracy theories, the most common one being that Disney was trying to silence Mr. Trump, Disney World unveiled an audio-animatronic robot in his life-size likeness on Monday as part of its famed Hall of Presidents exhibit. The revamped 25-minute show finds Mr. Trump, or at least a silicone-skinned version of him, joining his 43 presidential predecessors. He stands next to a seated Abraham Lincoln in the center of the stage with his signature hair, his suit jacket unbuttoned and his tie dangling extra low. “Above all, to be American is to be an optimist — to believe that we can always do better — and that the best days of our great nation are still ahead of us,” the Trump figure says. The Hall of Presidents, in the Liberty Square area of the Magic Kingdom, one of four theme parks in Orlando, Fla., that constitute Disney World, was closed on Jan. 17, three days before Mr. Trump’s inauguration. “Currently being prepared to welcome our new president,” a red, white and blue sign at the entrance has read since. ||||| He nods. He speaks. He talks with his hands. He doesn’t tweet. He looks downright presidential. He’s animatronic Donald Trump, and he has made his debut in the Hall of Presidents at the Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World visitors got a sneak peek of the refurbished attraction with the Trump figure front and slightly off-center this afternoon. The attraction officially opens Tuesday, Disney said. Visitors in the park Monday afternoon were able to see the new figure and film. President Trump’s figure moved his head back and forth during the traditional roll call of leaders, motioned with his arms and gave a brief speech. The first part of his speech was a re-recording of the presidential oath of office. Then, with no small amount of his trademark talking with his hands, Trump — who recorded his words earlier this year — spoke about the spirit of the American people and the U.S. Constitution. “Above all, to be American is to be an optimist — to believe that we can always do better — and that the best days of our great nation are still ahead of us,” Trump concludes. “It’s a privilege to serve as the president of the United States, to stand here among so many great leaders of our past, and to work on behalf of the American people.” Lacking a “Make America Great Again” cap, his figure wears a dark suit and a diagonally striped tie. Trump’s figure stands between Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, whose animatronics are seated. The theater was about half-full for Monday’s first presentation at 4 p.m. There was applause when the curtain rose to reveal the presidents, and again at the end of the show. Rick Buck of Whitesboro, N.Y., said he loved the show and representation of Trump, whom he said he voted for last year. In real life, Buck likes Trump’s goal of ousting corrupt politicians in Washington, he said. At Disney, he liked the animatronic Trump. He said it looked like the president, down to “the tie that goes past the buckle.” But Nathan Cruse, who is visiting Florida from Redmond, Wash., didn’t like Trump dominating the last segment of the show: “I feel like they shouldn’t have the incumbent president speak if he’s not popular nationwide,” said Cruse, who said he did not vote for Trump. While the attraction was closed for refurbishing, there was movement among those who oppose President Trump to exclude him or his voice from the attraction. An online petition gathered more than 15,000 virtual signatures. But this summer, Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger said that Trump had agreed to record for the Hall of Presidents. Every sitting president since Bill Clinton entered office has had a speaking part, Disney has said. The Hall of Presidents, which debuted with the Magic Kingdom in 1971, frequently gets a refurbishment with the change in leadership. This year, the theater received an upgrade in its sound, light and projection packages. A wide-screen production called “The Idea of a President,” which covers national topics from the revolution onward, precedes the animatronics. In particular, it highlights challenges faced by George Washington, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt. It also deals with stickier topics such as race relations and wage disparity. No Disney executives or Imagineers were available for comment Monday. Barack Obama’s animatronic is now adjacent to two of his contemporaries, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The waiting area of the hall has also been enhanced with additional presidential memorabilia (Lyndon Johnson’s monogrammed boots, Gerald Ford’s ski poles, Thomas Jefferson’s pocket watch), a display of how the figures are made, an explanation of Walt Disney’s connection to presidents and two gowns that were worn by first ladies Betty Ford and Grace Coolidge. [email protected] or 407-420-5477; Twitter: @ThemeParks ||||| President Donald Trump is now a permanent fixture at Walt Disney World — or the animatronic version of the president that is. On Monday, the Orlando, Florida, theme park debuted what was meant to be a life-like robot of the 45th president to mark the reopening its famed Hall of Presidents exhibit, which tells the story of the United States and those who have governed it. Trump – dressed in his signature unbuttoned suit jacket and extra long tie – was placed next to a seated Abraham Lincoln near the center of the stage. And similar to his 43 predecessors, Trump also speaks. Disney “Above all, to be American is to be an optimist — to believe that we can always do better — and that the best days of our great nation are still ahead of us,” says Trump, in part, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “It’s a privilege to serve as the President of the United States, to stand here among so many great leaders of our past, and to work on behalf of the American people.” Following the announcement that Trump was added to the historic Hall of Presidents production, social media had an absolute field day with his animatronic’s facial appearance and speech. Mickey Mouse reacts to Trump being added to the Hall of Presidents at Disney World. pic.twitter.com/FH5ubr9cAL — Linda Childers (@lindachilders1) December 19, 2017 Take the family to Disney's Hall of Presidents for nightmares that will last a lifetime pic.twitter.com/Fs4zSjQae4 — Jessie Lahr (@JessieLahrr) December 19, 2017 Disney's Trump robot is as creepy as you'd expect – He's here. Following protracted delays, a robotic version of Trump has been installed into Disney World's Hall of Presidents. The hall was meant to reopen on Jun. 30, but will now be open from Tuesda… https://t.co/NYEeTrEZBX — John Charles (@johncharlesauth) December 19, 2017 Some even pointed out a resemblance to Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight. Disney gave the job of Trump in the Hall of Presidents to Jon Voight and I can’t stop laughing. pic.twitter.com/dtu4PnqPv4 — Wil Spillane 🚀 (@2xUEss) December 19, 2017 It's weird how the Trump robot at the Hall of Presidents is Trump from an HBO movie five years from now where he's played by Jon Voight pic.twitter.com/7GtizFfELR — Jason Bailey (@jasondashbailey) December 19, 2017 While others dubbed over Trump’s Disney audio with his infamous Access Hollywood tape. And many noted the other presidents’ “reactions” to Trump joining them on stage. all the other presidents in Disney's new Hall of Presidents look like they can't believe Donald Trump is president either pic.twitter.com/eMP9UX1bM8 — Matt Binder (@MattBinder) December 18, 2017 Disney finally put Trump in the Hall of Presidents and the others are all “can you believe this schmuck” pic.twitter.com/cpn3N3kxfe — shauna (@goldengateblond) December 19, 2017 The Hall of Presidents, located in the Liberty Square area of the Magic Kingdom, closed on Jan. 17, three days before Trump’s inauguration. The attraction was scheduled to reopen in late June, in time for the Fourth of July, but Disney was forced to push back the updated version due to Trump not recording the script dialogue for his robot. Weeks before his inauguration, rumors of silencing the robotic version of Trump circulated in part due to a Change.org petition signed by over 15,000 people who demanded that Disney break with precedent. The overall argument to muzzle Trump was because of his history of making “degrading, insulting and demeaning” comments throughout the election about “misogyny, racism and xenophobia.”

– Disney World's revamped Hall of Presidents is set to reopen Tuesday, with Barack Obama shifted to the side and a new robot with an extra-long tie center stage. The animatronic President Trump figure, which stands between Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant, moves its hands as it recites dialogue Trump recorded for the Florida attraction earlier this year, the Orlando Sentinel reports. "Above all, to be American is to be an optimist—to believe that we can always do better—and that the best days of our great nation are still ahead of us," says the robo-Trump. The attraction has featured a speech from every sitting president since Bill Clinton. The attraction, which made its debut in 1971 and features all 45 presidents, had been closed since a few days before Trump's inauguration for refurbishing, the New York Times reports. When Disney said it wouldn't reopen in late June as originally scheduled, there was speculation that Trump had been omitted or at least denied a speech, as a 15,000-signature demanded. Reviews from visitors who got a preview of the animatronic Trump on Monday were mixed, with those who voted for the flesh-and-blood Trump most impressed by the robotic version. On social media, meanwhile, some called the figure "creepy," while others said it looks a lot more like Jon Voight than the president, People reports.

The State Department followed its proper conflict-of-interest guidelines, when it selected the contractor responsible for conducting its environmental review of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, the agency's watchdog said on Wednesday. The Office of Inspector General report found the State Department "substantially" followed "prescribed guidance" when selecting the private contractor Environmental Resources Management (ERM). The firm took the lead on State's environmental analysis of the $5.4 billion Keystone project, which will carry crude oil from Alberta to refineries in the Gulf Coast region. ERM has previously done work with TransCanada, the company behind Keystone. ADVERTISEMENT The inspector general also found that the process State "used to assess organizational conflicts of interest was effective," adding further fuel to pipeline advocates' arguments that the path is clear for State to finish it's 90-day national determination test. That's the final piece before Secretary of State John Kerry sends his recommendations on Keystone to President Obama.While the reports says State's determination that ERM was objective in the environmental review of Keystone XL is a reasonable conclusion, the inspector general found areas in which State can "improve" its process for selecting contractors and its conflict of interest review when doing so.The watchdog also said State's public disclosures on the conflict of interest review need tidying. The lack of "effective documentation" hurt State's ability to "reduce potential misperceptions" on transparency, the watchdog said. It cited State's failure to fully document its process of choosing a contractor and its conflict of interest review of ERM. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) criticized the report, arguing it didn’t dive into the deeper concerns that ERM's previous work for oil companies like Exxon, and ties to industry groups swayed the outcome of the environmental review dropped earlier this year. “The inspector general was only asked to examine whether the State Department followed its own flawed process for selecting a third party contractor," Grijalva said in a statement. "The fact that the answer is ‘yes’ doesn’t address any outstanding concerns about the integrity of ERM’s work, the State Department’s in-house ability to evaluate its quality, or whether the process itself needs to be reformed,” he said. “This report isn’t evidence that there’s no problem here. This is evidence of the problem.” Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), an outspoken supporter of the pipeline said the report "clears" the way for State to finish its process. "Today’s Inspector General report makes clear that the Department of State did not violate its conflict of interest procedures in selecting ERM to conduct its environmental review of the Keystone XL pipeline project," Hoeven said in a statement. "After more than five years, and five exhaustive environmental reviews, the Keystone XL pipeline project is perhaps the most thoroughly studied and long-delayed project of its kind in U.S. history." ||||| WASHINGTON — WHEN I was elected to Congress in 2002, George W. Bush was president and big business wrote environmental policy. We all remember Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy task force — a who’s who of mining and oil interests — and the administration’s constant questioning of climate science. President Obama won the White House by running as an agent of change: change from Mr. Bush’s way of doing business with business, and change from Washington’s habitual corporate favoritism. I was an enthusiastic supporter of the president then and I still am — I consider his environmental record a tremendous improvement over his predecessor’s. But that record is still being written, and it is heading in the wrong direction. If the president approves the Keystone XL pipeline on the basis of the lobbying and bad science that has been offered to support it, much of his good work will be undone and a business-as-usual atmosphere will settle back on Washington like a heavy cloud. It would be a bad end to what could still be a very strong environmental legacy. The pipeline has drawn more critical attention than its corporate sponsors seemed to expect, and it is important to understand why that happened. Keystone is a bad deal for the American taxpayer on the merits, but that’s not the only reason. More important, environmentalists have decided that enough is enough. We saw plenty of important decisions made during the Bush era in the name of “streamlining,” “cutting red tape” or “using sound science” — that is, science funded by an industry that wanted less oversight. In November 2008, millions of Americans breathed a sigh of relief and told themselves those days were over. Keystone has rallied the entire environmental community because it is a visible and sometimes painful reminder of the way things were done under Mr. Bush. The administration’s approach to the pipeline is a throwback to the time when endangered species were defenseless in the face of corporate moneymaking. It is a reminder that even though our environmental laws use science, not profits, as the basis of our environmental decisions, any company with bottomless pockets used to be able to game the system and get away with it. That’s why Keystone is about more than one pipeline. It is about establishing once and for all whether we have moved on from the disastrous Bush-Cheney view of environmental policy. President Obama’s own Environmental Protection Agency has said in no uncertain terms that the pipeline will contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. That should be the end of the conversation. The fact that it isn’t — that we’re left hanging and hoping — is more than disappointing. It is a very troubling sign for the future. As the news media has reported widely, the contractor chosen by the State Department to assess the pipeline’s environmental impacts violated federal conflict-of-interest rules to get the job, and nothing has been done about it. That company, Environmental Resources Management, did work for TransCanada, Keystone’s parent company, in the recent past and told the State Department the exact opposite on disclosure forms that anyone in the world can now read for herself. A report on Wednesday from the State Department inspector general, which many outlets covered as though it exonerated the department and E.R.M. of wrongdoing, is actually an important example of the problem. The I.G. only looked at whether the department followed its existing process for choosing a contractor. It should have looked at whether that process produces reliable outcomes. If E.R.M.’s decision that Keystone does not pose any environmental risks is allowed to stand, it will not just move Keystone closer to an unjustified approval; it will re-establish the Bush-era habit of tipping the scales in favor of corporations that want special treatment. Anyone who believes it is unfair to make Keystone a litmus test of Mr. Obama’s environmental record is looking at recent history backward. The environmental community did not make any of this happen. If E.R.M. had come clean, we wouldn’t be in this position. But it didn’t, and we are. At some point we have to decide that it won’t happen again. Depending on the outcome, I worry that the American public won’t just lose faith in Keystone. It will lose faith in the government’s ability to fund, carry out, understand and implement scientifically based environmental policy. President Obama doesn’t want that to be his legacy. Neither do I. And I am hardly alone.

– President Obama's environmental record is a "tremendous improvement" from the Bush-Cheney days, but he's on the verge of destroying it with the Keystone XL oil pipeline, writes Democratic congressman Raul Grijalva in the New York Times. The proposed pipeline is a perfect example of how such projects came to be in the bad old days, when politicians trotted out phrases like "streamlining" and the industry could "game the system" with huge infusions of money, writes the Arizona lawmaker. Take the obvious conflict of interest with the contractor that concluded the pipeline posed no environmental risks—Environmental Resources Management previously worked for pipeline parent TransCanada. The recent report by the State Department's inspector general on ERM's selection should not be interpreted as an exoneration but as an "important example of the problem," argues Grijalva. This is about more than a proposed pipeline, he writes. If ERM's decision stands, "it will re-establish the Bush-era habit of tipping the scales in favor of corporations that want special treatment." And it will ruin Obama's environmental legacy. Click for his full column.

FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2007, file photo, NASCAR racer Robby Gordon, right, answers a question during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C. Police said a husband and wife were found dead inside a home Wednesday,... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2007, file photo, NASCAR racer Robby Gordon, right, answers a question during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C. Police said a husband and wife were found dead inside a home Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, in Orange, Calif., and a neighbor said they were Gordon's father and stepmother.... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2007, file photo, NASCAR racer Robby Gordon, right, answers a question during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C. Police said a husband and wife were found dead inside a home Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, in Orange, Calif., and a neighbor said they were Gordon's father and stepmother.... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2007, file photo, NASCAR racer Robby Gordon, right, answers a question during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C. Police said a husband and wife were found dead inside a home Wednesday,... (Associated Press) ORANGE, Calif. (AP) — Police said a husband and wife were found dead inside a home in Southern California and a neighbor said they were the father and stepmother of former NASCAR racer Robby Gordon. Officers discovered the bodies inside a gated house in an upscale neighborhood in Orange after receiving a 911 call Wednesday afternoon, police Lt. Fred Lopez said. A rifle was found at the scene, and police do not believe a suspect is at large, officials said Thursday. The Orange County coroner's office identified the deceased as Robert Gordon, 68, and Sharon Gordon, 57. Jill Dombroske, a longtime neighbor, told The Associated Press that the Gordons were the parents of racer Robby Gordon. The younger Gordon currently races in an off-road series he created in 2013 called Speed Energy Formula Off-Road, following the path of his father. Known as "Baja Bob," Robert Gordon was also an accomplished off-road racer. Dombroske said the Gordons were longtime residents of the quiet neighborhood where large homes sit on expansive hillside properties and many people own horses. Residents were out Thursday morning walking and riding horses on dirt trails that run along the winding hillside roads. "I feel very sad," she said. "Everyone here will be very sad." Another neighbor, Greg Saunders, said everyone in the area knew the family. He said Robert Gordon had a horse feed business and would regularly drop hay off at neighbors' homes. "He's a very nice, down to earth guy. He has his truck and he delivers personally," Saunders said. Police in the city about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles said the cause of the deaths had not been determined. The deceased were married and autopsies were pending as part of the ongoing investigation, Lopez said. Racer Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has won multiple NASCAR championships, tweeted that he was praying for the Gordon family. "Hope they find strength and support," he said. Calls to representatives for Robby Gordon were not immediately returned Thursday. Gordon, 47, has raced on numerous racing circuits, from NASCAR to IndyCar to Champ Car and IROC. Known for his aggressive style, he earned three wins in parts of 19 seasons in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He was a full-time driver early last decade and finished a career-high 16th in the points standings in 2003 driving for Richard Childress Racing. Gordon last raced in the Sprint Cup in 2012. Gordon is one of only four drivers, joining John Andretti, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch, to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He nearly won the 1999 Indy 500 before running out of fuel in the closing laps. Gordon's off-road racing team was scheduled to be in Orange County this weekend. Gordon's sister, Beccy, is married to 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay. The driver tweeted Wednesday that his wife had given birth to a boy. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Weber in Los Angeles and AP freelance writer Mike Cranston in Chicago contributed to this report. ||||| This April 2008 photo shows Robert Gordon, father of NASCAR racer Robby Gordon. Police said Robert Gordon and Sharon Gordon were found dead inside a home Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, in Orange, Calif. (Michael... (Associated Press) This April 2008 photo shows Robert Gordon, father of NASCAR racer Robby Gordon. Police said Robert Gordon and Sharon Gordon were found dead inside a home Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, in Orange, Calif. (Michael Goulding/The Orange County Register via AP) (Associated Press) ORANGE, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on two people found dead inside a home in Southern California (all times local): 11:45 a.m. Auto racer Robby Gordon says his family is in shock and grieving the loss of his father and stepmother, who were found dead inside their Southern California home. Gordon spoke briefly to reporters Thursday near the gated house where police discovered the bodies of 68-year-old Robert Gordon and 57-year-old Sharon Gordon. Police in the city of Orange say a rifle was found at the scene Wednesday, and investigators do not believe a suspect is at large. Gordon says he will speak about the deaths again once authorities conclude their investigation. The former NASCAR star thanked the racing community for its support. He said his father, a one-time off-road racer, instilled in him a passion for motorsports and competition. Gordon says an event featuring his off-road racing team scheduled for this weekend in Orange County will go on as planned. ___ 8:13 a.m. Police in the Southern California city of Orange say a man and a woman have been found dead inside a home and a neighbor says the man was the father of former NASCAR racer Robby Gordon. Lt. Fred Lopez says officers discovered the bodies in an upscale suburban neighborhood after receiving a 911 call Wednesday afternoon. Officials say a weapon was found at the scene, and police do not believe a suspect is at large. The Orange County coroner's office identifies the deceased as 68-year-old Robert Gordon and 57-year-old Sharon Gordon. Jill Dombroske, a longtime neighbor, says Robert Gordon was the father of racer Robby Gordon. Calls to Robby Gordon were not immediately returned Thursday. Police say the cause of the deaths have not been determined. Robby Gordon's off-road racing team will be in Orange County this weekend. ___ 1 a.m. Police say a man and woman were found dead Wednesday afternoon inside a home in Orange. Authorities tell the Orange County Register that officers responding to a call in Orange Park Acres found the bodies of a 68-year-old man and 57-year-old woman. Police have not released their identities or details about their relationship. A longtime neighbor confirmed that the couple who lived in the home were relatives of former NASCAR racer Robby Gordon. A police spokesman says the cause of the deaths have not been determined. An undisclosed weapon was also discovered. Police do not believe a suspect is at large. Robby Gordon's off-road racing team will be in Costa Mesa this weekend.

– Auto racer Robby Gordon says his family is in shock and grieving the loss of his father and stepmother, who were found dead inside their Southern California home, the AP reports. Gordon spoke briefly to reporters Thursday near the gated house in an upscale neighborhood in Orange where police discovered the bodies of 68-year-old Robert Gordon and 57-year-old Sharon Gordon. Police say a rifle was found at the scene Wednesday, and investigators do not believe a suspect is at large. A neighbor said the Gordons were longtime residents of the quiet neighborhood where large homes sit on expansive hillside properties and many people own horses. Gordon says he will speak about the deaths again once authorities conclude their investigation. The former NASCAR star thanked the racing community for its support. Another neighbor, Greg Saunders, tells the AP everyone in the area knew the family. He said Robert Gordon had a horse feed business and would regularly drop hay off at neighbors' homes. The younger Gordon, 47, said his father, a one-time off-road racer, instilled in him a passion for motorsports and competition. Robby Gordon currently races in an off-road series he created in 2013 called Speed Energy Formula Off-Road, following the path of his father. Known as "Baja Bob," Robert Gordon was also an accomplished off-road racer. Gordon says an event featuring his off-road racing team scheduled for this weekend in Orange County will go on as planned. Gordon is one of only four drivers, joining John Andretti, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch, to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He nearly won the 1999 Indy 500 before running out of fuel in the closing laps.

[Updated at 3:36 p.m., Aug. 24: Prosecutors are charging a La Habra woman with murder after she allegedly dropped her 7-month-old son from the roof of a parking structure. She is now scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on the new charges of murder and child abuse resulting in death, with a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.] Noe Medina Jr. died Wednesday morning at about 9:25 a.m., succumbing to the injuries he suffered when he was dropped Monday from the garage of the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. His mother, Sonia Hermosillo, 31, of La Habra, had been scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on charges of attempted murder and child abuse, but the proceeding was continued until Sept. 16 at the request of her public defender. Orange County Superior Court Judge Joe T. Perez set her bail at $1 million. In a brief court appearance Wednesday, Hermosillo wore dark blue jail scrubs. Her curly hair was down and she nodded throughout the proceeding. She was assisted by a Spanish-speaking interpreter. ||||| ORANGE – A woman who her husband says never accepted their 7-month-old son as "normal" was arrested on suspicion of throwing the boy from the fourth floor of a Children's Hospital of Orange County parking structure and is undergoing a psychological evaluation in the jail's medical ward while her son clings to life. Sonia Hermosillo, 31, of La Habra is accused of tossing her baby over the railing of the parking structure about 6:20 p.m. Monday, Orange police Sgt. Dan Adams said. "I don't know what happened yesterday," said the infant's father, Noe Medina, who was visibly emotional. The infant, who received therapy twice a week at CHOC for conditions he was born with, remained in the intensive-care unit Tuesday afternoon at UCI Medical Center in Orange. Medina said his son suffered head trauma in the fall and is in critical condition. Medina said his wife, who suffers from postpartum depression, grabbed their son and left their La Habra home about 5:30 p.m. while he was taking a quick shower and his daughters, 7 and 10, went outside. "She found herself alone with the baby, and I think she saw the moment as her opportunity to grab the baby, get the car and leave," Medina said in Spanish on Tuesday afternoon at the hospital. Medina, 29, said his wife was hospitalized in June after she said she didn't want their son, who was diagnosed with congenital muscular torticollis – a twisting of the neck to one side. The infant also wore a helmet to help correct his plagiocephaly, also known as flat-head syndrome. It was unknown if Noe, named after his father, was wearing a helmet when he was tossed over the railing. Noe, his father said, received physical therapy every Tuesday and Thursday at CHOC and was showing signs of improvement. "She didn't look at our son as normal," Medina said. "She didn't accept him. She didn't accept that he was like this." Surveillance cameras in the parking structure Monday captured the license plate of a tan 2000 Chevy Blazer, which was driven by a woman and registered to an address in La Habra, Orange police Sgt. Adams said. Detectives then received a report from a man who reported his wife and infant son missing, and determined Hermosillo had been driving the Blazer that matched the one in the surveillance video. About 10:15 p.m., Hermosillo's Blazer was spotted by a patrol officer driving past CHOC on Main Street. The officer stopped the Blazer and arrested Hermosillo. An empty child seat was found in the vehicle, Adams said. Hermosillo was cooperative during questioning but showed no emotion, Adams said. Hermosillo was booked on suspicion of attempted murder at Orange County Jail and is being held without bail. She is in the medical ward under psychological evaluation, said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department. She is also on an immigration hold, he said. Court records show Hermosillo pleaded guilty to four traffic violations in La Habra in 2008, including driving without a valid license and having no proof of insurance. Susan Kang Schroeder, the district attorney's chief of staff, said prosecutors have not received the case from detectives. Adams said they expect to present their case to prosecutors Wednesday. Medina said his wife was taking medication for postpartum depression and went to her first therapy session Monday morning at Mariposa Women and Family Center in Orange. Medina said his wife showed improvement in recent weeks and "began to trust her." With tears in his eyes Medina said: "I want to know my son is going to be fine, and then I'll think about what to do next. I have to stay strong for my daughters." Register reporters Sean Greene and Salvador Hernandez contributed to this report. Contact the writer: 714-704-3709 or [email protected]

– A tragic ending to a sad story: The 7-month-old baby boy allegedly thrown from the roof of a parking structure by his mother died today. Noe Medina Jr. fell from a California children’s hospital garage Monday, and mother Sonia Hermosillo has been charged with attempted murder and child abuse. The deputy DA is expected to file a new complaint charging her with murder, the Los Angeles Times reports. She is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation and wearing a protective gown to prevent self-harm. Yesterday, the baby’s father told the Orange County Register his wife was suffering from postpartum depression and “didn’t accept” their son, who had congenital muscular torticollis. The condition caused the baby’s neck to twist to one side; he also had to wear a helmet to correct his flat-head syndrome. “She didn’t look at our son as normal,” Noe Medina said, adding that Hermosillo was hospitalized in June after stating she didn’t want the child.

Jeff Zucker, the chief executive of NBC Universal, told the company’s employees in an e-mail Friday morning that he would step down from his position upon the completion of the takeover of NBC by Comcast. Peter Kramer/Associated Press The fate of Mr. Zucker, the longest-serving senior manager at NBC, had been the subject of widespread speculation since Comcast agreed in December to purchase 51 percent of NBCU from its long-time corporate owner, General Electric. The deal is expected to close at the end of the year, following regulatory approval. In an interview at NBC’s executive offices, Mr. Zucker, who is 45, said the decision to leave the only employer he has ever worked for — a decision that he acknowledged was not his own choice — became inevitable after a meeting two weeks ago with Steve Burke, Comcast’s chief operating officer. “We had both gotten to the same place,” Mr. Zucker said. “He made it clear that they wanted to move on at the close of the deal and I was completely comfortable with that.” Even as he said he accepted the logic of a new owner seeking to install its own chief executive, Mr. Zucker also described his departure as both “incredibly emotional” and “gut-wrenching in the sense that you have spent your whole life here at NBC.” In the face of persistent rumors that Comcast would seek to remove Mr. Zucker the first chance it got, Mr. Zucker had said in previous interviews that he had in no way foreclosed the possibility of staying on. G.E., which retained 49 percent of the company, had done its part by locking Mr. Zucker into the position, awarding him a new three-year contract seven months ago that was designed to take him into and past the takeover by Comcast. “Look, I knew from the day this was announced that this was a possibility,” Mr. Zucker said. “I wasn’t going to shut the door on anything. But in the last nine months it became increasingly clear that they did want to put their own team in place — and I didn’t want to end up being a guest in my own house.” While he often faced withering criticism in Hollywood circles for his leadership of the entertainment division of the NBC network — in his note to the staff he mentioned the “ups and downs” the company had experienced — Mr. Zucker said he did not detect “any particular reason” beyond the broad desire for new leadership for Comcast’s inclination to make a change. Jeffrey Immelt, the chairman of G.E., praised Mr. Zucker’s performance at NBCU, saying, “In my opinion he has never gotten as much credit as he has deserved.” He added, “I love Jeff: I’d hire him again.” As for the change at the top of NBC, Mr. Immelt said that was to be expected. “It’s natural when you have a change like this,” he said. Mr. Zucker called the media company that he is leaving behind “well positioned,” with most of its assets in strong financial condition. Last year NBCU generated about $2.3 billion in profits, 80 per cent of which resided in the company’s cable division. NBC’s entertainment cable channels, headed by USA, Bravo, Syfy and Oxygen, recently posted their most profitable year for a fifth year in a row. Mr. Zucker also said CNBC, the financial business channel, and the all-news cable channel MSNBC, had logged record profits as well. He also cited strong years from NBC’s theme park division, an improving forecast for Universal Pictures, a comeback in profits for the local television stations owned by NBC and the ratings dominance of every news program on the NBC network. Mr. Zucker noted that NBC had acquired both The Weather Channel and Oxygen on his watch and had worked closely with the Fox network to create the now heavily trafficked video website Hulu. One of his proudest achievements, he said, was the management team he had put in place in the various cable channels and divisions of NBC. Asked whether that management team would stay in place under Comcast, he said, “I certainly hope so, but I don’t know for sure.” But Mr. Zucker conceded that his legacy at NBC would be colored by what he called “the rap on me,” which has centered on his failure to solve chronic problems in the most high-profile (if not the most high-earning) part of the NBC empire, the prime time hours on the broadcast network. “Do I wish we’d had more success at NBC Entertainment in recent years? Yes, of course,” Mr. Zucker said. He acknowledged one recent widely publicized blunder, the effort to shift NBC’s late-night star Jay Leno to prime time. He said the move had been a risk worth taking, but one “that simply didn’t work out.” Asked to identify the biggest mistake of his tenure, Mr. Zucker said, “The thing I regret most is not moving quickly enough” to fix NBC Entertainment. He said he detected some glimmerings of a turnaround in prime time this fall, though “we have a long way to go.” On the other side of the personal ledger, Mr. Zucker said the highlight of his career remained his days producing the “Today” show, which catapulted to unchallenged leadership and record profits during Mr. Zucker’s two stints as executive producer. He called that “the most fun job I had” and added: “In my heart I am a producer.” Mr. Zucker assumed the “Today” job for the first time in 1992 at the age of just 26, one of 10 positions he held during almost a quarter-century at NBC. (Mr. Zucker displayed a framed tower of his old business cards presented to him by one of his staff members. The bottom card listed him as a researcher for NBC’s Olympics; the top one as chief executive.) “Ronald Reagan was president when I got here,” Mr. Zucker said, adding, “I’m O.K. with this, but it’s also very emotional and very tough.” He said: “I’ve spent over half my life at NBC. This is the only place I have ever worked. I’ve been here 24 and a half years. I met my wife here. My four kids were born while I was here. I’ve endured colon cancer twice. It’s going to be incredibly strange for me personally” to leave. As for his future, Mr. Zucker said: “I don’t know. I never really thought about it because for 24 and a half years I only thought about this place. I have a lot of interests, producing, politics, sports, business.” Friends have previously suggested Mr. Zucker might try to enter political life. “Am I interested in politics? Yes,” he said. “Is it something I am going to do right away? No.” Despite previous speculation that he has long had an exit deal in place, Mr. Zucker said he had only completed the details on his contract settlement Thursday. He did not disclose financial terms of his settlement but said, “Nobody has to worry about me; I’m good.” He will stay on until the deal closes, he said, because Comcast can not exercise management control until it wins regulatory approval. “Am I disappointed it’s coming to an end?” Mr. Zucker said. “Sure. Am I disappointed with them? No. I understand it. They spent billions of dollars. It’s the way it goes.” ||||| Well, the time has come. This time, to tell you a little news about me. When Comcast assumes control of NBC Universal, I will leave the company. It has not been an easy or simple decision. I have spent my entire adult life here, more than 24 years. This is the only place I have ever worked. The only professional thing I have ever known. I met my wife here, enjoyed the birth of our four children in that time, worked in almost every division of the company. And forged relationships, both professional and personal, that will last a lifetime. I remember, vividly, the first day I came to work here in August, 1986. I walked to work at 30 Rockefeller Plaza that day; it was humid and my shirt was soaking by the time I got there. In the years since, I have enjoyed nothing but sheer pleasure in having the names NBC and Universal on my business cards. Sure, there have been ups and downs in the last quarter century. But when I step back, and think about what we’ve been through, I feel nothing but pride and joy. It has been a great run and I’ve been incredibly fortunate. Now, it is clear to me that this is the right decision for me and for the company. Comcast will be a great new steward, just as GE has been, and they deserve the chance to implement their own vision. I am proud that they will inherit a company in very good shape, with almost every one of our divisions enjoying their best year ever. The current strength of the company is a tribute to every one of you and the terrific leadership team that is in place. We’ll talk more about the shape of the company in the months ahead. For now, I just wanted you to know my plans. I won’t be going anywhere until the day the deal closes, and that day is still months away. There is plenty left to do, and we have an obligation to each other to maintain what we have already built. I will continue to approach everything we do with the long-term interest of the company in mind, just as I always have; I know no other way. I don’t yet know what my future will bring. I’ve spent the last 24 years thinking only about NBC Universal, and never contemplated anything else. I haven’t even begun to think about the next chapter. But I wanted to be honest with you about this news as soon as I could. I love NBC Universal. And always will. And I am grateful to each of you. My most heartfelt thanks. ||||| The Atlanta Journal-Constitution CNN has replaced Jon Klein, the head of its U.S. network. In a memo Friday, CNN Worldwide President Jim Walton said Klein is being replaced by Ken Jautz, who currently runs HLN, formerly the Headline News Network. The original cable news network has been struggling in the ratings, trailing both top-ranked Fox News Channel and MSNBC. Klein has emphasized CNN's straight-news brand as its rivals moved towards more opinionated talk lineups. Jautz oversaw a transformation at HLN, switching it from a straight headline news service to a news and views format. The timing of the announcement is striking. Klein just overhauled CNN's prime-time lineup, replacing long time talk host Larry King with Piers Morgan and launching a new show featuring former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker. The show debuts next week. "Jon has made important contributions to the CNN story and he leaves with our respect and friendship," CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton wrote in a memo to employees Friday morning. He called Klein's successor "a rarity -- a working journalist who is an even better news executive. The reinvention of HLN is the latest in a string of successes he has led at CNN." Klein also wrote a memo to staff. "The CNN I'm leaving today is demonstrably stronger than the one I inherited almost six years ago -- both editorially and financially," he wrote. "That is a tribute to your passion for telling stories that matter, your talent for uncovering the truth without layering on destructive bluster or partisan spin , and your willingness to indulge my appetite for innovation and change." Despite its ratings problems, CNN has emphasized its profitability across multiple platforms. Friday's announcement suggested that the network plans to expand on that. In his memo to staff, Walton said the network would hire a managing editor for CNN Worldwide, who will "shape and connect newsgathering across networks, shows and websites." He said the search for that person is under way.

– Oft-criticized NBC Universal president and CEO Jeff Zucker will leave the company when its acquisition by Comcast becomes official. Zucker made his decision public this morning in an email to NBC employees acquired by the Wall Street Journal. Though he says it wasn’t his choice to leave, he calls it “the right decision for me and for the company.” The Comcast takeover is expected to close by the end of the year. Zucker tells the New York Times it became obvious at a meeting 2 weeks ago Comcast “wanted to move on at the close of the deal and I was completely comfortable with that.” He also says the departure is still “gut-wrenching in the sense that you have spent your whole life here at NBC.” What will he do next? “I don’t know,” says Zucker, 45. “I never really thought about it because for 24½ years I only thought about this place.” In other media management news, Jon Klein is out as head of ratings-challenged CNN.

A makeshift memorial remains outside a home in the 500 block of Jeanette Benton Drive, a tribute to 20-month-old Kaylei Carter, who died in May. By Richard Gootee of the Courier and Press The death of a 20-month-old Evansville girl happened at least in part because she had synthetic marijuana in her system, according to a report from a coroner's inquest. Kaylei Carter was found dead on May 11 in a home in the 500 block of Jeanette Benton Drive in Evansville. A coroner's inquest report lists the girl's death as caused by "streptococcal sepsis with contributing synthetic cannibinoids." Steve Lockyear, Vanderburgh County's chief deputy coroner, said the toddler's cause of death was left "undetermined" because "of the unknown effects of K2 on a child." Sepsis can develop after an infection and babies and toddlers are at an increased risk to be affected by it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The initial autopsy on Carter's body showed no signs of trauma, but investigators ordered both a toxicology test and tests for natural disease after her death. As of Friday afternoon, no criminal charges have been filed in Carter's death, according to the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office. But given the findings in the report police are continuing to investigate the case. "We'll get a file together and send it to the prosecutor's office," Evansville police Sgt. Loren Martin said. That task could be done as early as sometime next week, he said. Attempts to reach the girl's family Friday afternoon for comment were unsuccessful. No one answered the door at the Jeanette Benton Drive address. ||||| A Go-Fund Me page has been set up for the toddler who died Wednesday morning. Kaylei’s mother set up the page, and says she will be planning a funeral instead of a birthday. Kaylei’s autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday morning to determine a cause of death. According to the Vanderburgh County Coroner, a toxicology test for synthetic marijuana will be conducted on Kaylei. If anyone wants to make a donation the link is below. Justice for Kaylei Carter Go-Fund Me Page Previous Story – 05/11/16 Police are actively investigating the death of a child under the age of two. The Vanderburgh County Coroner Confirms 18 month old Kaylei Carter is the toddler who was found dead. On Wednesday — police were called to Lincoln Estates for an unresponsive person. But when they arrived — the child was deceased. Police aren’t saying much – but they do say the investigation into the death of 18 month old is not criminal. Neighbors tell us a different story, “Nothing is adding up right. First it was she was supposed to have died from a fever, then drugs being found. It’s too much going on,” said Nakia Holman, Kaylei’s aunt. People we spoke to in Lincoln Estates say Carter’s death could involve synthetic marijuana — a dangerous drug known as “katy.” “If this baby is sitting here eating a katy blunt — that would make a grown person’s heart race ten times faster then what is it doing to a babies heart? This was at 5:00 yesterday afternoon that this baby was eating this and nobody wanted to take her to the hospital,” said Kaylei’s Aunt Carla Holman. Nakia Holman tried holding back tears, “It’s just crazy I don’t know, lost words for real.” Nakia is the toddler’s cousin — she found Kaylei inside the apartment – but it was too late, “She was already gone, her face was already blue, she was already stiff. I couldn’t do anything but try to hold her and rub her hand.” Witnesses say the child’s mother was not at the apartment — and the child should not have been either, “With the baby being with her grandmother, it’s the grandmother’s responsibility but the grandmother is in a dope house. She was keeping a baby in a house where you’re selling drugs and doing drugs, ” said Carla Holman. On Wednesday night friends and family gathered for a candle light vigil to honor Kaylei and remember the happy moments of the baby’s short life. Balloons and stuffed animals adorned her memorial as well as the the child’s sippy-cup. The Vanderburgh County Coroner says Kaylei died hours before her body was found — preliminary tests were conducted today including x-rays of the child. A complete autopsy is scheduled for Thursday at 10 in the morning. Comments comments

– Synthetic marijuana was at least partly responsible for the tragic death of a toddler in Indiana last month, according to a coroner's report. The report states that the death of 20-month-old Kaylei Carter involved "streptococcal sepsis with contributing synthetic cannibinoids," which were found in her system, reports the Courier & Press. Investigators ordered a toxicology test after the girl was found dead at an Evansville home May 11. The following day, the girl's grieving aunt told 44News that Kaylei had apparently eaten the drug, known as Spice or "katy," while in her grandmother's care. No charges have been filed in the case so far, but an Evansville police spokesman says a file will be sent to the prosecutor's office next week. (One of the 8,000 Spice poisonings reported in the US last year involved a man who died after a single toke.)

This collection contains web crawls performed as the pre-inauguration crawl for part of the End of Term Web Archive, a collaborative project that aims to preserve the U.S. federal government web presence at each change of administration. Content includes publicly-accessible government websites hosted on .gov, .mil, and relevant non-.gov domains, as well as government social media materials. The web archiving was performed in the Fall and Winter of 2016 to capture websites prior to the January 20, 2017 inauguration. For more information, see http://eotarchive.cdlib.org/. ||||| When North Korea launched long-range missiles this summer, and again on Friday, demonstrating its ability to strike Guam and perhaps the United States mainland, it powered the weapons with a rare, potent rocket fuel that American intelligence agencies believe initially came from China and Russia. The United States government is scrambling to determine whether those two countries are still providing the ingredients for the highly volatile fuel and, if so, whether North Korea’s supply can be interrupted, either through sanctions or sabotage. Among those who study the issue, there is a growing belief that the United States should focus on the fuel, either to halt it, if possible, or to take advantage of its volatile properties to slow the North’s program. But it may well be too late. Intelligence officials believe that the North’s program has advanced to the point where it is no longer as reliant on outside suppliers, and that it may itself be making the potent fuel, known as UDMH. Despite a long record of intelligence warnings that the North was acquiring both forceful missile engines and the fuel to power them, there is no evidence that Washington has ever moved with urgency to cut off Pyongyang’s access to the rare propellant. Classified memos from both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations laid out, with what turned out to be prescient clarity, how the North’s pursuit of the highly potent fuel would enable it to develop missiles that could strike almost anywhere in the continental United States. ||||| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

– A highly volatile fuel known to the Russians as the "Devil's Venom" has been powering the success of North Korea's missile program, analysts say—and it may be too late to cut off its supply. Intelligence memos from as far back as the George W. Bush administration warn that unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine, or UMDH, could allow North Korean missiles to reach the US, but there was no serious effort to cut off the supply from China or Russia and officials believe the country can now produce the fuel itself, the New York Times reports. Russia has tried to avoid the potent fuel since a 1960 explosion killed more than 100 people in the worst-ever space-related disaster, and NASA switched to safer propellants decades ago. The rare fuel—which is made from chemicals, not oil—has caused other disasters and Vann H. Van Diepen, a former State Department official who long worked to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, tells the Times that Pyongyang probably dealt with a few catastrophes in the process of learning to make UMDH over the last 25 years. "My guess is that the North Korean tolerance for casualties is probably pretty high," he says. The fuel and its ingredients are not included in the sanctions whose effect President Trump boasted about on Sunday. In a tweet, he called Kim Jong Un "Rocket Man" and spoke of "long gas lines forming in North Korea." (Kim says his country is nearing military "equilibrium" with the US.)

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The ruling will have implications for cheese producers across the EU The taste of a food cannot be protected by copyright, the EU's highest legal authority has ruled in a case involving a Dutch cheese. The European Court of Justice said the taste of food was too "subjective and variable" for it to meet the requirements for copyright protection. The court was asked to rule in the case of a spreadable cream cheese and herb dip, Heksenkaas, produced by Levola. Levola argued another cheese, Witte Wievenkaas, infringed its copyright. The firm claimed that Heksenkaas was a work protected by copyright; it asked the Dutch courts to insist Smilde, the producers of Witte Wievenkaas, cease the production and sale of its cheese. The Court of Justice of the European Union was asked by Netherlands' court of appeal to rule on whether the taste of a food could be protected under the Copyright Directive. Kit Kats, Tofu and Champagne In its judgement, the European court said that, in order to qualify for copyright, the taste of a food must be capable of being classified as a "work" and it had to meet two criteria: That it was an original intellectual creation That there was an "expression" of that creation that makes it "identifiable with sufficient precision and objectivity" The court found that "the taste of a food product cannot be identified with precision and objectivity". It said it was "identified essentially on the basis of taste sensations and experiences, which are subjective and variable", citing age, food preferences and consumption habits as examples which could influence the taster. "Accordingly, the court concludes that the taste of a food product cannot be classified as a 'work' and consequently is not eligible for copyright protection under the directive," it concluded. Heksenkaas was originally created in 2007 by a Dutch vegetable producer and sold to Levola in 2011. Smilde began producing Witte Wievenkaas in 2014 for a Dutch supermarket chain. This is not the first time the European Court of Justice has had to rule on food - and drink - produce: ||||| A Dutch cheese company tried to claim that it had a monopoly on the taste of a cheese spread. The Court of Justice of the European Union weighed arguments from two competing food producers, and decided on Tuesday that a taste cannot be copyrighted. Taste is “an idea,” rather than an “expression of an original intellectual creation,” the court ruled. And something that cannot be defined precisely cannot be copyrighted, it ruled. Why is Europe’s highest court ruling on taste? The case was brought in the Netherlands, but it had been referred to the European court to make a ruling that would apply across the bloc. Levola Hengelo, a Dutch food producer, had sued Smilde Foods, another Dutch manufacturer, for infringing its copyright over the taste of a cheese spread. The Levola product, known as Heks’nkaas, or Witches Cheese, is made of cream cheese and herbs and vegetables including parsley, leek and garlic. Smilde’s herbed cheese dip, which contained many of the same ingredients, was called Witte Wievenkaas, a name that also makes reference to witches. It is now sold as Wilde Wietze Dip.

– You can copyright lots of things, but not the way food tastes. That's according to the European Court of Justice, which was asked to rule on a case involving spreadable Dutch cheeses. Food producer Levola Hengelo, which began selling cream cheese and herb dip Heks'nkaas in 2011, argued the Witte Wievenkaas cheese offered by Smilde Foods beginning in 2014 infringed Heks'nkaas’ copyright with its similar taste, reports the BBC and New York Times. The court wasn't having it, however, ruling that taste doesn't fit the definition of a copyrighted work: an intellectual creation "identifiable with sufficient precision and objectivity." Taste is "subjective and variable," therefore it can't be protected, the court said. "It's a discrimination of senses that something you can taste with your mouth is not protectable by copyright," says Heks'nkaas CEO Michel Wildenborg. The court disagreed. Taste depends on "factors particular to the person tasting the product concerned, such as age, food preferences and consumption habits, as well as on the environment or context in which the product is consumed," it declared. (The same court ruled against Kit Kat—"four trapezoidal bars aligned on a rectangular base"—earlier this year.)

First-born children do better at school because parents pay them more attention, according to new research. DOWNLOAD THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS APP ON ITUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY 200 Voices: find out more about the people who have shaped Scotland The extra focus gives them an “edge” over younger brothers and sisters and higher IQs - as early as the age of one, suggests the study. Researchers found the eldest child outperformed siblings in thinking skills after receiving more “mental stimulation”. Advantages started from just after birth to three years old. The differences were highlighted in language, reading, maths and comprehension abilities. As subsequent children were born mums and dads changed their behaviour - taking part in fewer activities such as such as reading, crafts and playing musical instruments. Mothers also took higher risks - they were more likely to smoke during pregnancy once they had already had a child and were also less likely to breastfeed after birth, for instance. Dr Ana Nuevo-Chiquero, of Edinburgh University, said: “Our results suggest broad shifts in parental behaviour are a plausible explanation for the observed birth order differences in education and labour market outcomes.” They add to the long-running debate about why first-born children are typically more successful. Previous research has revealed younger children do less well in terms of overall educational attainment than their older brothers and sisters. A first child is typically at least a year ahead of a third-born brother or sister at the equivalent stage at school. The latest study, published in the Journal of Human Resources, showed all children received the same levels of emotional support. But first-borns got more help with tasks that developed thinking skills. Dr Nuevo-Chiquero said the findings could help to explain the ‘birth order effect’ phenomenon when children born earlier in a family enjoy better wages and more education in later life. She said: “It doesn’t mean first-borns get more love - that stays the same. But they get more attention - especially in those important formative years. “As the household gets bigger time has to be split with younger children so they miss out on the advantage of being an ‘only child’ for a time.” Mothers could become complacent after giving birth to their first baby and change their health behaviours. She said: “As early as age one, latter-born children score lower on cognitive assessments than their siblings, and the birth order gap in cognitive assessment increases until the time of school entry and remains statistically significant thereafter. “Mothers take more risks during pregnancy and are less likely to breastfeed and to provide cognitive stimulation for latter-born children. “Variations in parental behaviour can explain most of the differences in cognitive abilities before school entry.” Dr Nuevo-Chiquero said numerous studies have found large differences in the education and labour market outcomes of adults by their birth order. But this was the first to compare first-borns with younger siblings from the womb through childhood - and it could provide important lessons for parents. She said: “For most, it is probably not difficult to understand how and why one’s parenting focus and abilities may change with his/her latter children. “These broad shifts in parental behaviour appear to set their latter-born children on a lower path for cognitive development and academic achievement with lasting impact on adult outcomes.” Her team followed American youngsters from pre-birth to the age of 14 using data from the US Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Every child was assessed every two years with tests including reading recognition, such as matching letters, naming names and reading single words aloud and picture vocabulary assessments. Information was also collected on environmental factors such as family background and economic conditions. Researchers applied statistical methods to economic data to analyse how the parental behaviour of the child was related to their test scores. The researchers then used an assessment tool called the Home Observation Measurement of the Environment to look at parental behaviour. This included smoking and drinking while babies were in the womb and mental stimulation and emotional support after they were born. In 2013 a survey found 33.8 per cent of mothers claim their first-born is ‘one of the best students in the class’ - and only 1.8 per cent put their children at the bottom. With each successive sibling, the former fell and the latter figure rose: essentially, more mothers consider their second or third born children less intelligent. Of the women surveyed, 31.8 per cent said their second born was one of the best class. Less than a third, 29 per cent, said the same of their third, and 27.2 per cent rated their fourth in the top. Conversely, the ‘near the bottom of the class’ numbers rose: two per cent rated their second the worst, 2.1 the third, and 3.6 the fourth. It was suggested parents are more likely to bring up their first children strictly, while younger children are less likely to be punished if they get bad marks. Another study estimated in a two-child family the eldest will have the higher IQ six times in 10 - a statistic that still gives younger children opportunity to shine. ||||| First-born children's thinking skills outperform their siblings because they receive more mental stimulation in early years, a study has suggested. First borns score higher than siblings in IQ tests as early as age one, the Edinburgh University study found. Although all children received the same levels of emotional support, first-born children received more support with tasks that developed thinking skills. Nearly 5,000 children were observed from pre-birth to age 14. Reading recognition Researchers said the findings could help to explain the so-called birth order effect when children born earlier in a family enjoy better wages and more education in later life. Economists at Edinburgh University, Analysis Group and Sydney University looked at data from the US Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, a dataset collected by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every child was assessed every two years. The tests included reading recognition, such as matching letters, naming names and reading single words aloud and picture vocabulary assessments. Information was also collected on environmental factors such as family background and economic conditions. Researchers applied statistical methods to economic data to analyse how the parental behaviour of the child was related to their test scores. The researchers then used an assessment tool, the Home Observation Measurement of the Environment, to look at parental behaviour, including pre-birth behaviour, such as, smoking and drinking activity during pregnancy, and post-birth behaviour, such as, mental stimulation and emotional support. The findings showed that advantages enjoyed by first born siblings start very early in life - from just after birth to three years of age. The differences increased slightly with age, and showed up in test scores that measured verbal, reading, maths and comprehension abilities. Researchers found parents changed their behaviour as subsequent children were born. They offered less mental stimulation to younger siblings and also took part in fewer activities such as such as reading with the child, crafts and playing musical instruments. Mothers also took higher risks during the pregnancy of latter-born children, such as increased smoking. Dr Ana Nuevo-Chiquero, of Edinburgh University's school of economics, said: "Our results suggests that broad shifts in parental behaviour are a plausible explanation for the observed birth order differences in education and labour market outcomes." The study is published in the Journal of Human Resources.

– Firstborns really do have an advantage, a new UK study suggests. Research out of Edinburgh University finds that there's a measurable IQ difference between firstborns and their siblings, and it shows up as early as age 1, reports the BBC. The reason? Parents tend to spend more time with their first children on games and tasks that develop thinking skills, such as reading and playing musical instruments, say the researchers. As later kids come along, parents get more strapped for time. "It doesn't mean firstborns get more love—that stays the same," says researcher Ana Nuevo-Chiquero, per the Edinburgh News. "But they get more attention—especially in those important formative years." The researchers examined data on 5,000 kids from pre-birth to age 14 in the US Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, and correlated that with parental behavior. The kids were assessed every two years on a variety of skills, with firstborns generally outperforming siblings starting at 12 months. The edge increased slightly with age, and the scientists say that meshes with studies suggesting that firstborns end up in better-paying jobs as adults. Not only did parents spend less time with their subsequent kids, but the mothers even took higher risks during pregnancy, like smoking, they report in the Journal of Human Resources. (Birth order may even influence weight.)

Donald Trump doesn't think much about Mitt Romney's business skills. "Well, Mitt Romney is a basically small-business guy, if you really think about it," Trump said in an interview aired Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." "He was a hedge fund. He was a funds guy. He walked away with some money from a very good company that he didn't create. He worked there. He didn't create it." Informed by host Candy Crowley that Romney did create companies, Trump said: "He'd buy companies, he'd close companies, he'd get rid of the jobs, OK? "I've built a great company. And one of the beauties of, frankly, if and when I announce, some time prior to June, you will see how big my company is, because it's much bigger and much more powerful and much stronger than anyone really knows. So you're going to see how good it is. You're going to see how strong it is." Trump, who is weighing a run for the Republican presidential nomination, said he's "much bigger than this man and have a much, much bigger net worth. I mean my net worth is many, many, many times Mitt Romney. Asked what percentage of his income he pays in taxes, Trump said: "I'd really have to check." ||||| Donald Trump brags that he's doing well in early polling because of his success, saying that he's seriously weighing a run for the Republican presidential nomination. "You know why they know my name?" Trump asked in an interview aired Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." "Because of success. That's why they know my name, essentially." Asked by CNN host Candy Crowley about his potential run, the billionaire businessman and TV celebrity suggested that he has little choice but to get dragged into a presidential bid. "I love my life. I love what I'm doing," he said. "I wished I didn't have to do it, because I'm enjoying my life. I'm having a good time. I have a great company. I have a very successful show, all of that stuff, right. "I wish I didn't have to do it. I would prefer not doing it. But I love this country. And if you ask me, what are the odds, I'll let you know some time prior to June. But I will tell you, I am giving it serious, serious thought. And I'm honored by the polls, because people agree with what I'm saying. I am honored by the polls." Told he's doing well in the polls because people know his name and he's generating news coverage by making bold claims, such as debunked accusations that President Barack Obama is not a U.S. citizen, Trump demurred. "I don't know what stirring the pot is," he said. "I'm saying China is ripping us off, and Saudi Arabia is ripping us off. Excuse me, the Arab League — the Arab League — you know what that is? Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, the — the richest nations in the world. They tell us to go into Libya. They tell us to go in. And France leads the way. That's the beauty of all." "The Arab League is so wealthy, they have so much money, they have cash pouring out of their ears and they tell us and we're a debtor nation," he added. "They tell us to go in and take out [Libyan leader Muammar] Qadhafi, because we don't like him." "Why aren't they paying us?" Trump asked. ||||| Donald Trump says that the "right messenger" could tell OPEC to lower crude oil prices, insisting that prices "will go down if you say it properly." Trump, the billionaire real estate mogul who is considering a 2012 GOP presidential run, added that he would have gone into Libya and "I would take the oil." "We don't use our brainpower," Trump said in an interview aired Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." "We need one thing: brainpower." Asked on by CNN host Candy Crowley what his idea would be to get OPEC to lower crude oil prices, Trump said: "It's the messenger." "I can send two executives into a room. They can say the same things; one guy comes home with the bacon and the other guy doesn't," Trump said. "I've seen it a thousand times. ... We don't have the right messenger. [President Barack] Obama is not the right messenger. We are not a respected nation anymore and the world is laughing at us." comments closed permalink

– Donald Trump was quite the braggart on CNN’s State of the Union today. Highlights from Politico: Trump is better than Romney: “Mitt Romney is a basically small-business guy, if you really think about it,” Trump said, adding that he is “much bigger than this man and have a much, much bigger net worth. I mean my net worth is many, many, many times Mitt Romney.” And his company is, too: “I've built a great company. And one of the beauties of, frankly, if and when I announce, some time prior to June, you will see how big my company is, because it's much bigger and much more powerful and much stronger than anyone really knows.” Why is he doing so well in early polling? “Because of success. That's why they know my name, essentially." He doesn’t even want to run for president, but…: “I love my life. I love what I'm doing. I wished I didn't have to do it, because I'm enjoying my life. I'm having a good time. I have a great company. I have a very successful show, all of that stuff, right. I wish I didn't have to do it. I would prefer not doing it. But I love this country.” How he would lower crude oil prices: OPEC just needs the “right messenger” to come in, because prices “will go down if you say it properly,” he insisted. “Obama is not the right messenger. We are not a respected nation anymore and the world is laughing at us.”

Data crawled on behalf of Internet Memory Foundation . This data is currently not publicly accessible.from Wikipedia The Internet Memory Foundation (formerly the European Archive Foundation) is a non profit foundation whose purpose is archiving web content, it supports projects and research which include the preservation and protection of multimedia content. Its archives form a digital library of cultural content. ||||| Gerald Herbert/AP Photo Mitt Romney's wins in Michigan and Arizona helped him pick up a big chunk of delegates, but more importantly, it has washed away talk of a Republican party desperate for a "white knight" to jump into the primary. Even so, one GOP bigwig finds Romney's narrow Michigan win "unconvincing." Romney, this GOP strategist told ABC News, won "by being totally negative. Where's the hope and optimism? He's becoming a human wrecking ball. A receding tide sinks all boats." Moreover, Romney doesn't have an easy road ahead of him this coming week. March 3: First stop, the Washington state caucus on Saturday. Romney hasn't had a very good track record when it comes to caucuses - he's won two and lost three. Santorum, of course, has won nothing but caucuses, and recent polling suggests Santorum is leading in the Evergreen State. March 6: Super Tuesday: The most recent polling shows Romney trailing in Ohio, Oklahoma, Georgia and Tennessee. Combined, those states hold 243 delegates. Moreover, as we saw tonight in Michigan, and in ABC/Washington Post polling this week very conservative voters are not sold on Romney. In Michigan, 30 percent of those who voted in the primary identified themselves as very conservative. Romney lost the very conservative vote to Rick Santorum by 14 points. On Super Tuesday, very conservative voters will become a bigger part of the electorate. In 2008, very conservative voters made up 38 percent of GOP primary electorate in Tennessee. They made up 39 percent of the vote in Oklahoma, and 32 percent of the vote in Georgia. But, if we've learned anything from this primary campaign, it's that momentum is king. A good election night can move numbers - quickly. The first place we'll be looking for signs of "Mitt-mentum" will be in Ohio. The state has a similar make-up to Michigan. There are a smaller percentage of very conservative voters and evangelicals than there are in the southern states. The most recent Quinnipiac Poll showed Santorum with a seven point lead in the Buckeye State. But, just a month earlier, Romney had a nine point lead in the state. Look for both the Santorum and Romney camps to hunker down in Ohio over the next week. Santorum, the former Pennsylvania Senator who has been touting his blue collar roots, can't afford to lose two Midwestern states. If Romney loses here, talk about his vulnerability will continue as will the hand-wringing by GOP insiders. ||||| As the Republican presidential campaign turns to Super Tuesday this week, one contest looms more super than the rest: Ohio, a state with many of the same economic and electoral dynamics as Michigan but with much more at stake for Republicans. Whereas Michigan is usually a hope-to state for Republicans in the general election, Ohio is a must-do. No Republican has ever won the presidency without winning Ohio. Thus, the challenge for the GOP candidates is to win the primary next week without turning off voters who they’ll need to carry the state in the fall. After a bruising couple of weeks in Michigan, where the fight between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum focused heavily on the kind of controversial social issues that tend to alienate independent voters, Republican officials are worried about the tenor and message of their campaign. “We need to move on to having a nominee, so we can speak with one voice out there and begin drawing that contrast with Obama,” said Ed Goeas, a Republican pollster who most recently worked for Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), a former presidential contender. Instead, what is likely to happen is a week of unrelenting attacks from the candidates and their supporters akin to the one that just played out in Michigan — and Florida, South Carolina and elsewhere before that. If anything, the negativity is likely to increase with the full engagement of former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who was a minimal presence in Michigan. Independent groups backing Romney, Santorum and Gingrich are already airing TV ads in the state. Santorum campaigned in Ohio Tuesday and Romney will be in Toledo Wednesday morning for an event, followed by another in Columbus. Romney will confront many of the same challenges in Ohio that he faced in Michigan, without the benefit of his hometown connection. Like Michigan, Ohio’s economy relies heavily on the auto industry, and Romney’s high-profile opposition of the government bailout of the industry is not likely to be received warmly by many voters. He supported an effort last year by Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) to restrict public unions’ collective-bargaining rights — an effort that was overwhelmingly overturned in the fall by voters in this union-heavy state. And Romney’s courtship of religious voters by supporting, for instance, an antiabortion “personhood initiative,” risks alienating female voters. “The number one thing is the auto bailout,” said Eric Kearney, a Democrat from Cincinnati and minority leader in the Ohio Senate. “Ohio is the second-largest auto producer in this country. We rely on that. It’s a substantial portion of our economy. The first thing Mitt Romney says, and he repeats it, is he is against the auto bailout. Those are Ohio jobs he’s talking about that he doesn’t want to retain. I don’t get what his strategy is.” Perhaps more than anything else, however, Romney’s difficulty connecting with average Americans may hurt him in a state such as Ohio. Romney acknowledged on Tuesday that his gaffes — including mentioning his wife’s “couple of Cadillacs” — have not been helpful to his cause. Republicans in Ohio agreed. “People are like, ‘Yeah, he’s probably going to win, but I really don’t like him, and I’m not going to vote for him,’ ” said a high-ranking Ohio Republican who requested anonymity to speak freely. “That’s the collective zeitgeist.” Santorum, too, has built a body of statements and positions that threaten his appeal with moderates and independents. His personal opposition to contraception and recent statements criticizing President John F. Kennedy’s defense of church-state separation go against the views of a majority of voters in virtually all public polling. The two leading candidates are approaching Ohio in markedly different ways. Although Santorum on Tuesday backed away from his criticism of Kennedy, he is not shying away from his embrace of culturally conservative stands, including opposing abortion and criticizing the government for curtailing religious freedom. His goal is to present a clear contrast with President Obama and convince voters that this makes him more, not less, electable in the fall. Romney, in contrast, is trying to refocus his campaign on the economy, relying heavily on the methods that have served him well in past wins: a well-organized and well-financed ground operation, a heavy emphasis on early-voting recruitment, a growing list of endorsements, including from both establishment and tea-party leaders, and millions of dollars in TV advertisements. “We always planned for a potentially long and drawn-out nominating process,” Romney spokesman Ryan Williams said. Even in the states where that strategy has worked, however, it has come at a cost. In Florida, for instance, Romney spent millions attacking Gingrich. He won the primary on Jan. 31, but his own popularity declined at the same time. The risk of a similar outcome looms large in Ohio. And with each passing contest like it, he has less time to position himself for the general-election contest he hopes to wage against Obama. ||||| By Erin McPike - February 29, 2012 CINCINNATI -- Some strange conventional wisdom has been floating around in recent days: If Mitt Romney were to win Michigan's primary, he'd almost naturally do the same in Ohio a week later on Super Tuesday. Don’t tell that to a Buckeye; they're not so into the Wolverines. It's not a particularly plausible argument for several reasons. First, Romney doesn't have the same electoral track record in the two states -- he didn't compete in the 2008 Ohio primary against John McCain because he had dropped out of the race a month before. Second, Romney doesn’t have the kind of personal connections to Ohio he has in Michigan, where he grew up and where his father was governor. There’s also the developing dynamic in this primary season that a win in one state does not translate to momentum in the next set of contests. (That will be tested again following Romney's double-barrel wins in Arizona and Michigan.) What may be most important, though, is that Ohio hasn’t seen the kind of campaign action that Michigan did recently. The Romney campaign has been advertising on TV lightly here, but that pales in comparison to the saturation in the early voting states. The super PAC supporting Rick Santorum has put some money into TV spots, but too little to make much of an impact. One Columbus-based Republican consultant summed up the state of political activity in Ohio thusly: Santorum has sent out direct mail, Romney has had some town-hall meetings and both Romney and Ron Paul have been doing a fair amount of volunteer phone banking. In general, though, this operative said the race could be described thus far as a “phantom primary.” What Romney does have going for him is the largest slate of support from elected officials in the state. He boasts the backing of Sen. Rob Portman, a potential vice presidential contender, and on Wednesday he’ll get the endorsement of state Auditor Dave Yost. Romney has had an operation in the state for several months, and his successful campaign team from Florida headed to Ohio after that victory a month ago. Today he’ll hold a rally in Toledo and a town-hall meeting in Columbus, and over the next several days he’ll roll out additional endorsements from local leaders and coalitions. A campaign spokesman said he’ll make several more trips to Ohio before Tuesday. Nevertheless, Newt Gingrich and Santorum both have taken turns atop the Ohio polls, but every survey taken in February showed Santorum with a substantial lead. He leads the RealClearPolitics average by 8.3 percentage points -- 34.3 percent to Romney’s 26 percent. Santorum also might be the candidate who has something close to a home-state advantage here: He’s from neighboring Pennsylvania, which shares a heavy emphasis on steel manufacturing. And that figures greatly into his economic message. He’ll be back on the ground here before the week is up, but in the meantime, a group of socially conservative, pro-life women leaders who have endorsed him will campaign on his behalf in all of the major cities over the next two days. For his part, Gingrich was campaigning in Ohio when Santorum and Romney were focused on Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota several weeks ago. Starting Thursday, he will air a 30-minute energy-focused TV ad each day through Monday on the Ohio News Network. ||||| This weekend’s announcement by the former governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, that he would not seek that state’s Democratic nomination for Senate represents the latest in a series of favorable developments for Republicans as they seek control of the chamber. The G.O.P.’s task will not be easy: the party holds 46 seats in the Senate, and the number will very probably be cut to 45 after a special election in New Jersey later this year. That means that they would need to win a net of six contests from Democrats in order to control 51 seats and overcome Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s tiebreaking vote. Two years ago at this time, Republicans faced what seemed to be a promising environment and could have won the Senate by gaining a net of three seats from Democrats and winning the presidency. Instead, Mitt Romney lost to President Obama, and the G.O.P. lost a net of two Senate seats. But Montana along with West Virginia and South Dakota — two other red states where an incumbent Democrat has retired and where the Democrats have not identified a strong candidate to replace them – gives Republicans a running start. Republicans could then win three more seats from among red states like Louisiana and Arkansas, where vulnerable Democratic incumbents are on the ballot, or they could take aim at two purple states, Iowa and Michigan, where Democrats have retired. More opportunities could also come into play if the national environment becomes more favorable to Republicans (such as because of a further slide in Mr. Obama’s approval ratings). Meanwhile, while Kentucky and Georgia are possibly vulnerable, Republicans have few seats of their own to defend; unlike in 2012, they can focus almost entirely on playing offense. A race-by-race analysis of the Senate, in fact, suggests that Republicans might now be close to even-money to win control of the chamber after next year’s elections. Read more…

– With Arizona and Michigan in the books, the countdown to "Super Tuesday" has begun. But not all of the March 6 states are created equal. Expect the campaigns to set up shop in Ohio, a state without which, the Washington Post points out, no Republican president has ever been elected. Super PACs backing Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich are all already airing ads in the Buckeye State. Santorum visited yesterday, and Romney will hit Toledo and Columbus today. Romney has had a team in Ohio for months, and has the backing of the majority of the state's major politicians, Real Clear Politics reports. But given his blue collar shtick, Santorum can ill afford to lose two Midwestern states in a row, ABC observes, and it doesn't look like he will. A recent University of Cincinnati poll has him 11 points ahead of Romney in the state. That's close to Nate Silver's projections, which currently show Romney behind in Georgia, Oklahoma, and Tennessee as well.

It’s tough for some people to accept Gwyneth Paltrow’s transformation from movie star to domestic goddess. Something about the combination of her willowy looks, her glam life style (she is married to Chris Martin, the Coldplay front man), and the unlikely food tips in her e-mail newsletter, Goop—“I was stationed at the deep fat fryer (Delight! Fried zucchini! Fried anchovies!)”—produces cognitive dissonance. But Paltrow takes it in stride. “I’ve been the cook amongst my family and friends for years,” she said the other night. “That’s why I wrote the book. Because my friends are, like, ‘How do you make that? I want your chili recipe!’ ” The book is Paltrow’s first cookbook, “My Father’s Daughter”—the title refers to her father, the late television producer Bruce Paltrow. It advises readers, “Invest in what’s real. Clean as you go. Drink while you cook.” Paltrow, who was hosting a dinner party to celebrate her publication, was not yet drinking, but she had a glow. She wore a white racer-back dress, tan wedges, and a linen apron with the book’s title printed on the chest. She eats at home, she said. That day: “a cappuccino, some poached eggs with spinach, an apple, almonds, some cheese and bread, and a turkey sandwich with avocado and tomato.” She said, “People who don’t know me think that I only eat seaweed and rice balls.” Dinner guests included people who do know her: Jay-Z, Cameron Diaz, Alex Rodriguez, the Seinfelds, and assorted food-world worthies. Most guests saw nothing unusual about getting cooking advice from a stick-thin actress; in fact, many said that they associated Gwyneth Paltrow with food. Mario Batali, in pink cargo shorts, was talking to Ruth Reichl. “She eats like a truck driver,” he said of Paltrow. He recalled being in Valencia, Spain, and “watching her eat an entire pan of paella as big as a manhole cover.” Michael Stipe added, “Once, a duck she was cooking caught fire, and she threw it in the pool.” Paltrow greeted people by the door, holding a glass of cucumber water. Her mother, Blythe Danner, arrived. “Hi, Mommy,” Paltrow said. Danner unfurled a white monogrammed cloth: “I brought you something. Daddy’s napkin.” “Oh, boy,” Batali said. “The tears are gonna fly now, baby.” Christy Turlington looked on. “We are lucky in that we have been the recipients of many meals with Gwyneth Paltrow,” she said, and mentioned a stuffed-lobster dish that Paltrow and Martin had served in Amagansett. “They do everything themselves, including the killing of the lobster,” she said. “It’s not the boiling-in-the-pot-and-screaming lobster thing. It’s a different, faster approach. I could never do it.” “You smack it against a tree or something?” Batali asked. “You stick a knife through the head,” said Turlington, who seemed suddenly troubled. “Oh! That’s awful to say.” A financier at the party said that he associated Paltrow with scungilli: “My family and I were conch-diving down in the Bahamas. They’d cook the conch right there on the beach. And they had a TV in the little hut there, and that’s where I watched the Oscars this year.” (Paltrow sang a song on the broadcast.) “I loved her in ‘Shakespeare in Love’!” said Martha Stewart, who was checking out the minimalist place settings provided by the Web site One Kings Lane. She said the only thing she consumes while watching movies is bottled water. She later tweeted, “Is Gwyneth the next Martha?” At 9 P.M., the guests went out to a pair of long tables on the terrace. Diaz, A-Rod, and Batali sat near Chris Martin, who had arrived looking cranky. (A publicist warned, “He doesn’t want to talk.”) Paltrow sat a few seats away, flanked by Jerry Seinfeld and Jay-Z. (The next day, she and the rapper posted reciprocal interviews on their Web sites. Paltrow: “I could sing to you every single word of N.W.A’s ‘Fuck tha Police.’ ”) Paltrow announced the menu: roasted red peppers with anchovies, escarole salad, pasta with duck ragout. Jessica Seinfeld made a toast: “There is no one who is more comfortable or more capable in the kitchen, naturally, than you,” she said to Paltrow. “I don’t know how you do it.” She turned to the assembled guests. “And you are all so lucky to be part of Gwyneth’s world. Because this is the real deal. And she’s invited all of you good people in here. I would never do that.” Wendi Murdoch, sitting nearby, had said that she is a reader of Paltrow’s blog: “Only one thing comes to mind—healthy and organic.” She listed her favorite recipes: “Pumpkin soup, grilled market vegetables. It’s good. I get my chef to cook it.” “But you’re directing the chef,” Kelly Behun, a friend of Murdoch’s, interjected. Behun, an interior designer, was the only guest who didn’t have a Paltrow-related food memory. “Gwyneth?” she said. “When I see her, I don’t think of food.” ♦ ||||| Chris Martin Hates Gwyneth Paltrow's Pretentious Dinner Parties Email This On a recent evening in New York, a group of FFOGs (Famous Friends of Cameron Diaz, It is first worth noting that Paltrow's husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, was not nearly as psyched as the other guests to sample his wife's duck ragout. According to the New Yorker write-up, Martin arrived cranky and a publicist warned, "he doesn't want to talk." It's a little odd when your hubby doesn't want to talk at a party promoting your project, no? Thankfully for Gwyneth, everybody else wanted to talk. On a recent evening in New York, a group of FFOGs (Famous Friends of Gwyneth ) turned out for a dinner party to celebrate the actress, singer and blogger's debut cookbook, 'My Father's Daughter.' New Yorker scribe Lizzie Widdicombe was there to rub shoulders with guests like Jay-Z Alex Rodriguez and the Seinfelds and to document exactly how Gwyneth is not just like us.It is first worth noting that Paltrow's husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, was not nearly as psyched as the other guests to sample his wife's duck ragout. According to the New Yorker write-up, Martin arrived cranky and a publicist warned, "he doesn't want to talk."It's a little odd when your hubby doesn't want to talk at a party promoting your project, no?Thankfully for Gwyneth, everybody else wanted to talk. Jessica Seinfeld reminded the crowd how lucky they were to be invited."You are all so lucky to be part of Gwyneth's world," Seinfeld said to the guests. "Because this is the real deal. And she's invited all of you good people in here. I would never do that."Christy Turlington revealed that Gwyneth is a whiz when it comes to killing lobsters."It's not the boiling-in-the-pot-and-screaming lobster thing. It's a different, faster approach. I could never do it," Turlington said about how Paltrow prepares them for the boil. "You stick a knife through the head," said Turlington, who seemed suddenly troubled. "Oh! That's awful to say."Michael Stipe was happy to rib Gwyneth for a cooking faux pas. "Once, a duck she was cooking caught fire, and she threw it in the pool."Still, amidst all the laughter, we picture Martin stewing the corner, displeased at having to make small talk with Martha Stewart and Mario Batali about canapes again.

– When you think of sentences that Gwyneth Paltrow's friends often say to her, here's one that probably does not come to mind: "I want your chili recipe!" But yes, they do in fact exclaim that all the time, Paltrow revealed at a recent dinner party attended by New Yorker scribe Lizzie Widdicombe. Widdicombe paints an interesting picture of Paltrow as "domestic goddess" at the party celebrating her new cookbook. Many of those on the guest list, which included Jay-Z, Cameron Diaz, Alex Rodriguez, and the Seinfelds, claim they associate stick-thin Gwyneth with food. Mario Batali insists "she eats like a truck driver." But PopEater points out perhaps the most interesting part of the profile: When hubby Chris Martin arrives at the party, looking "cranky" and, according to his publicist, "he doesn't want to talk." Writes Jo Piazza, "We picture Martin stewing (in) the corner, displeased at having to make small talk with Martha Stewart and Mario Batali about canapes again." Click to read the entire New Yorker piece, which is incredibly entertaining.

Cedar Park Police Officer Cale Hawkins with two child seats he purchased for a local resident. (Photo: Courtesy) CEDAR PARK, Texas -- Two Cedar Park police officers decided to go beyond the call of duty, by buying a man car seats for his children instead of giving him a ticket during a recent traffic stop. Officer Justin Gower pulled over a truck on Oct. 17 for having an expired registration and malfunctioning light. "When I was up there talking to the driver, that's when I realized there was three kids in the back seat without car seats," Gower said. He hadn't met the man before, but realized he heard about him from other officers. "Remember hearing the story about, you know, he's saving money, he's living in a car, he's trying to get his family down," Gower recalled. So he called in Officer Cale Hawkins, who had talked with the man just a few weeks ago. "They were living in a hotel and he said all of his money was going to that at this time," said Hawkins. In that moment, Gower and Hawkins made a judgment call. "Giving him three tickets, it wasn't going to do any good," said Gower. "Those kids were still going to have to be driven somewhere, somehow with no car seats." "We just kind of stepped off to the side and said we need to kind of do the right thing and get these people some car seats," said Hawkins. The officers put their money together and while Gower talked to the driver, Hawkins drove to Wal-Mart. "I recognized some of the management staff and told them immediately what I wanted to do. She walked back with me and helped me. We chose the age appropriate car seats and color coded them," said Hawkins. Hawkins said the manager also gave him a small discount, bringing his total to about $145. He went back to meet the driver with three pink car seats for the man's daughters who are 1, 3 and 4-years old. Then Hawkins and Gower, fathers themselves, helped put them in the truck. The man they helped did not want to speak with KVUE on camera, but released the following statement: "It was nothing short of a miracle. It was something that was really needed. The officers have been a blessing." When the other Cedar Park officers on the same shift as Gower and Hawkins heard what was going on, they also chipped in to help pay for the car seats. Giving a gift, instead of a ticket; proving the power of the badge is made stronger by the hearts who wear them. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1LOwwho ||||| CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — On any ordinary day, officers Justin Gower and Cale Hawkins get in their cars to patrol the streets of Cedar Park. But what happened during a traffic stop Saturday, was something neither experienced before. “I was upset because it’s extremely dangerous,” says Officer Gower. Gower says he stopped a car at a gas station on South Bell Boulevard; inside, was a 1-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old, and none of them were in car seats. “I have kids and I know how fragile they are, especially how young these kids were.” Officer Hawkins says he actually stopped the father earlier this month. He knew the dad’s struggles to save money for his family, so the officers didn’t give out a ticket. “They’re trying to get things going, they’re going in the right direction, and to issue them three citations for each child, would just devastate them,” says Gower. Instead, they pooled their money with some other officers, and bought the family three new car seats. “Money is not the issue, it’s the issue of can you help them, and so that was the easiest way we saw, the fastest path to helping them,” says Hawkins. Officers coming through during a different kind of emergency, a family and children in need. The family didn’t want to go on camera, but they say they really needed the car seats, and the officers have been a blessing. In 2013, Cedar Park Police handed out 42 tickets for failing to properly secure a child under 8 years old. In 2014, police gave out 49 tickets, and so far this year, they’ve issued 21 tickets. Car Seat Guidlines National guidelines say children should be in a safety seat for much longer than you might think. Several agencies including the American Academy of Pediatrics say infants should stay in rear-facing car seats until they are at least 35 pounds or two years of age. When children outgrow the rear-facing seat, they should ride in a forward-facing car seat as long as possible. That’s typically until a child is at least four-years-old and ranges from 40-to-80 pounds. Once the child outgrows the forward facing car seat, they should be in a booster seat until they are 4’9″ tall or at least 10 years old, then they can start using the adult seat belts.

– When police officer Justin Gower pulled a truck over Saturday in Cedar Park, Texas, for a faulty light, he wasn't prepared for what he found: three girls, ages 1, 3, and 4, in the back, none in car seats, KVUE reports. "I was upset because it's extremely dangerous," he tells KXAN. "I have kids and I know how fragile they are, especially how young these kids were." His colleague, Cale Hawkins, had stopped this same dad before earlier in the month and knew the dad was having financial troubles. "To issue them three citations for each child would just devastate them," Gower says. So they hatched a different plan: They both came up with some cash, and Gower talked to the dad while Hawkins snuck off to Walmart, where he bought three pink car seats for the three girls for about $145, thanks to a discount the manager gave him, per KVUE. They even helped put the car seats in for the dad, who tells the station, "It was nothing short of a miracle. It was something that was really needed. The officers have been a blessing." An added bonus: When other Cedar Park officers heard about their act of kindness, they pitched in as well. (Meanwhile, an off-duty firefighter in Tennessee rushed into a burning home to save a dog.)

Michelle Obama Wears Alexander McQueen to State Dinner First Lady Michelle Obama wore a red petal-print silk organza Alexander McQueen gown for Wednesday's state dinner in Washington, DC. The dinner was held to honor China in the presence of its president, Hu Jintao.The dress was created by Sarah Burton, who succeeded McQueen at his fashion house following the designer's death almost one year ago. Mrs. Obama's choice of red was widely seen as a recognition of the color's connection to the symbolism of happiness and prosperity in Chinese culture.(Or maybe she was just making a joke about Communism, who knows?)The First Lady accented her look with a her hair worn up and back, pendant earrings and a light shawl draped over her elbows.VIP guests at the dinner included former President Bill and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Jimmy and his wife Rosalynn Carter, and Chinese-American actor B.D. Wong Click here to see what other famous attendees wore to the event.And find out why Oscar de la Renta disapproves of Michelle's ensemble choice ||||| Chinese President Hu Jintao is visiting America this week to figure out the best places to install giant hydroelectric dams once China conquers us. And tonight is the much-hyped State Dinner. Wanna know who's sitting with the president? Here's the head table, via the Washington Post's Reliable Source blog: Which person doesn't belong? Chinese President Hu Jintao Communist Party Central Committee head Ling Jihua President Jimmy Carter Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star B.D. Wong If you said Jimmy Carter, correct. He's not even Chinese! There are many other interesting guests: Herbie Hancock, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, Barbra Streisand, Wendy Deng Murdoch sans Rupert, and Jackie Chan. (You can read the full guest list here.) The New York Times frets over the logistical difficulties of inviting both Hillary and Bill Clinton: Should he be her "plus one," or should they both get official invites? Jackie Chan presents a problem, too: Do you also invite Jet Li and just hire extra help to clean up after the inevitable kung fu battle that ensues? And if Chan brings Chris Tucker as his plus one, do you sit them at opposite sides of the room so their dumb race jokes don't ruin the entire evening? ||||| After bringing in prominent guest chefs for their first two state dinners, the Obamas relied on in-house Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses this time around. They created a "quintissentially American" state dinner menu for Chinese president Hu Jintao at the request of his delegation, Obama Foodorama reported. Accordingly, the menu featured American classics like poached maine lobster, dry-aged ribeye steak with onions, stuffed potatoes, apple pie with vanilla ice cream, and an all-American wine selection. The full state dinner menu: First D'Anjou Pear with Farmstead Goat Cheese Fennel, Black Walnuts, and White Balsamic Second Poached Maine Lobster Orange Glaze Carrots and Black Trumpet Mushrooms Wine: DuMol Chardonnay "Russian River" 2008 (California) Lemon Sorbet Main Dry Aged Rib Eye with Buttermilk Crisp Onions Double Stuffed Potatoes and Creamed Spinach Wine: Quilceda Creek Cabernet "Columbia Valley" 2005 (Washington State) Dessert Old Fashioned Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream Wine: Poet's Leap Riesling "Botrytis" 2008 (Washington State)

– Sure, everybody who is somebody got an invite to last night's state dinner, which 225 people attended. But who got seated at the head table with President Obama and guest of honor Hu Jintao? Gawker has the list, which includes: Law and Order star BD Wong Bill and Hillary, along with Jimmy and Roslyn, and John Kerry and Teresa GE's Jeff Immelt and wife Andrea (who's next to President Obama) Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and wife Maggie Communist Party bigwig Ling Jihua Other tidbits: The main course was "Dry Aged Rib Eye with Buttermilk Crisp Onions," and dessert was all-American apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Click for the full menu. Jazz dominated, music-wise, notes NPR, with a lineup featuring Herbie Hancock, trumpeter Chris Botti, and Grammy Award-winning vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater and Dianne Reeves. Michelle wore a red petal-print silk Alexander McQueen gown, reports Stylist, which notes that it was designed by McQueen successor Sarah Burton; and that red signals happiness and prosperity in Chinese culture. Anna Wintour wore Chanel, and Vera Wang wore ... Vera Wang. The toasts were "warm fuzzy" filled, notes the Washington Post: Obama spoke of shared values regarding family and hard work, then got even fuzzier, announcing that: "Under a new agreement, our National Zoo will continue to dazzle children and visitors with the beloved giant pandas." Oddest comment of the night goes to Barbra Streisand who, when asked why she thought she had been invited, quipped: "I worked in a Chinese restaurant."

Steve Sansweet, owner of Rancho Obi-Wan in California, asks collectors and fans to help recover items allegedly stolen by his friend of 20 years The owner of the world’s largest Star Wars memorabilia collection has learned a hard lesson about trust. On Monday, he told his own saga in which $200,000 in collectibles were allegedly stolen from his California museum by a man he once considered a friend – and asked fellow movie fans for help in recovering them. In a warehouse far, far away, the galaxy's top Star Wars collector holds court Read more Steve Sansweet, the owner of Rancho Obi-Wan in Petaluma, California, said in a release to “Star Wars fans and collectors” that 100 items, which he referred to as “vintage US and foreign carded action figures, many of them rare and important pieces”, were taken from his collection between late 2015 through 2016, many of them resold. He posted details of the crime on his website and asked fellow collectors and fans to email [email protected] with information. The alleged culprit: Carl Edward Cunningham, 45 of Marietta, Georgia, a fellow Star Wars collector whom Sansweet has known for 20 years. Cunningham was arrested in March in Sonoma County, California, and charged with felony grand theft. He is free on $25,000 bail and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for 27 June. “It’s devastating,” Sansweet told the Guardian on Monday about when he learned a friend was charged with the thefts. “It’s a feeling of utter betrayal that someone could stoop to this level, an alleged friend and confidant, someone I had invited to my house and shared meals with.” Sansweet said he met Cunningham in 1996, while the museum proprietor was head of fan relations at Lucasfilm. Since 1977, Sansweet has accumulated at least 350,000 franchise artifacts, stored inside a 9,000-sq-ft warehouse he calls Rancho Obi-Wan, located on a idyllic country lane an hour north of San Francisco. He has also written 18 Star Wars books and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as owning the world’s largest collection of Star Wars paraphernalia. The theft came to light in February when Philip Wise, a major Star Wars collector, posted news of the theft of a rare action figure from his Texas warehouse. Another dealer from southern California informed Wise that he had purchased the figure from Cunningham, a Georgia collector, Sansweet wrote in his release to movie fans Monday. Meet the super-collectors: ‘I wish I had Geri’s union jack dress’ Read more The California dealer, Zach Tann, told Wise that he had bought many other Star Wars collectibles from Cunningham and sent a detailed list. Wise concluded that the quantity and quality of the items suggested they had been taken from Sansweet’s sprawling Ranch Obi-Wan museum. He contacted Sansweet who confirmed that the items were missing, including a rare three-pack of figures and a store display worth $20,000. “When I saw the items missing, and considering the circumstances of the theft, my stomach physically sank,” Sansweet said. “I was queasy. I was dumbfounded,” Sansweet said authorities were trying to retrieve items that had been resold and implored Star Wars fans to report anything they knew about the thefts or sightings of the items. He said two fans have contacted authorities to say they bought some of the items from a legitimate dealer and have offered to return them, even if they do not get their money back. Actor Mark Hamill, who played the character Luke Skywalker in the film franchise, tweeted Monday about the theft, saying: “Maybe publish a list of stolen items to protect potential victims from purchasing ‘hot’ merchandise.” Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) Maybe publish a list of stolen items to protect potential victims from purchasing "hot" merchandise. #TheFraudIsStrongInThisOne #SithHappens https://t.co/coFv1P6HL7 Sansweet said the thefts ran contrary to the collegial spirit of Star Wars fans. “We’ve had thousands of visitors since we became a nonprofit museum in 2011,” he said. “And never once to our knowledge have we had a single item stolen.” Sansweet said the museum had already upgraded security, but he refused to say that his trust in friendship had been ruined. “The message here is not to start mistrusting your friends,” he said. “Or you’d be the most miserable person in the world.” ||||| This morning, the man who owns, displays, and offers tours of the world’s largest privately-owned Star Wars collection announced that he’s been systematically robbed over the past several months. Steve Sansweet—a prolific Star Wars author and collector, and the proprietor of Rancho Obi-Wan in Northern California—posted that over 100 items from his collection have been stolen, “the majority of them vintage U.S. and foreign carded action figures, many of them rare and important pieces.” Reportedly, several of those pieces have already been “resold or professionally appraised for a total of more than $200,000.” Advertisement According to Sansweet, the thefts were discovered when the sale of an ultra-rare Boba Fett action figure was tracked from its buyer to a man named Carl Edward Cunningham. Cunningham, whom Sansweet refers to as “a good and trusted friend,” surrendered to police at the end of March but is currently out on bail pending additional hearings. The Rancho Obi-Wan site is urging any fans who have found themselves in possession of any too-good-to-be-true vintage Star Wars collectibles that may have been stolen by Cunningham to contact them to figure out if it’s one of the pieces in question. “This has been a devastating betrayal from someone I considered a friend for 20 years,” Sansweet told io9. “But already the Star Wars community has offered its support and two of the purchasers have said they are returning the stolen items that they bought.” Advertisement All of the pilfered items were on display as part of Sansweet’s collection at Rancho Obi-Wan, which is run as a non-profit organization; proceeds from tours are donated to various charities. For more on this story, and information on how to contact the organization, visit the below link. [Rancho Obi-Wan] Update: We added the statement from Sansweet. ||||| Dear fellow Star Wars fans and collectors, I need to share some distressing news with you because I need your help. In February we at Rancho Obi-Wan found out that we had been the victim of a major theft that surreptitiously took place over many months in late 2015 through 2016. There were more than 100 valuable items stolen, the majority of them vintage U.S. and foreign carded action figures, many of them rare and important pieces. Most have either been resold or professionally appraised for a total of more than $200,000. The theft came to light after Philip Wise, a good friend, major collector and owner of several Star Wars websites, posted news of the theft of his rare prototype rocket-firing Boba Fett action figure from his Texas warehouse. Zach Tann, a respected toy dealer and collector in Southern California, immediately notified Philip that he had purchased that figure from Carl Edward Cunningham, 45, a well-known Star Wars collector and R2-D2 builder from Marietta, Georgia. Tann further told Philip that he previously had bought many other rare Star Wars collectibles from Carl and sent a detailed list. Philip said that he quickly concluded by the quantity and quality of items that they had likely been stolen from my collection here in Petaluma, California. Tann is working closely with us and authorities to help recover and return as many of the stolen collectibles as possible. Without Zach Tann’s call to Philip, which came despite great potential personal financial exposure to himself, we might still not know of the theft or its extent. Carl surrendered on an arrest warrant from the Sonoma County, California Sheriff’s Department at the end of March and was charged with felony grand theft. He is currently free on bail with additional hearings in the case scheduled. I have known Carl for many years, considered him a good and trusted friend, and played host to him at my home numerous times. I, and the staff at Rancho Obi-Wan, are devastated that he is the alleged perpetrator of the thefts. Not only have important items been stolen from the collection, but also our time, energy and ability to trust unconditionally have taken a blow. If you have any information about Carl Cunningham’s activities or items that he has sold please write to [email protected]. If you think you may have purchased a stolen item, please be patient while we work through this process. It is our goal to resolve this situation as quickly as possible and to continue to use the collection at Rancho Obi-Wan to “Inspire through the Force” despite the destruction caused by one person. Thank you for your help, Steve Sansweet Rancho Obi-Wan This is a LIST OF ITEMS that hasn’t been accounted for. If you bought any of these, especially on eBay (user name: winterceltic) or through the Rebelscum.com forum in the last year from Carl Cunningham, please let us know at [email protected] Harbert 12-Back C-3PO Kenner 12-Back Han Solo (Large Head) Kenner 20-back Jawa Kenner 20-Back Death Squad Commander Kenner 21-back Hammerhead Kenner 21-Back Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot Kenner 21-back R5-D4 SW card Kenner 31-back R2-D2 Kenner 41-Back Stormtrooper Kenner 41-Back-A Darth Vader Kenner 47-back Luke Skywalker (Bespin) Brown hair Kenner POTF Han Trench AFA 75+Y #11842094 Kenner POTF Ben Kenobi AFA 85Y #11190100 Kenner POTF Darth Vader AFA 85Y #11667777 Kenner POTF Chewbacca Kenner Diecast Cloud Car Pilot Kenner Diecast X-Wing Kenner Canada Ewoks King Gorneesh AFA 75+ #17591428 Kenner Canada Ewoks Canadian Lady Urgah Meccano 20-Back Jawa AFA 70Y #11973891 Palitoy 12-Back-B Death Squad Commander Palitoy 12-Back Jawa (cloth cape) Palitoy 12-Back-A Sand People Palitoy 12-Back-B R2-D2 AFA 75 #14754625 Palitoy 12-Back-A C-3PO AFA 85 #11805509 Palitoy 12-Back-B Princess Leia AFA 80 #11810768 Palitoy 12-Back-B Stormtrooper AFA 85 #11860712 Palitoy 12-Back-A Han Solo AFA 85 #12889727 Palitoy 12-Back-B Darth Vader AFA 85 #11696213 Palitoy 20-Back Death Star Droid AFA 85 #19616463 Palitoy 20-Back Hammerhead AFA 85 #12519045 Palitoy 30-Back-A Hoth Trooper AFA 85 #11584683 Palitoy 65-back R2-D2 with Sensorscope Palitoy Tri-Logo Imperial Dignitary AFA 75+ #19588540 Palitoy Tri-Logo Amanaman Palitoy Tri-Logo Hammerhead Palitoy Tri-Logo Luke Skywaker (brown hair) Palitoy Tri-Logo Princess Leia Organa Palitoy Tri-Logo Yak Face Palitoy Diecast Tie Fighter Takara Sticker 12-Back-B Ben Kenobi Toltoys Death Star Spherical Cardboard Playset with Palitoy innards LEGO Millenium Falcon #10179 LEGO Super Star Destroyer #10221 LEGO Rebel Snowspeeder #10129 LEGO Imperial Shuttle #10212 Goodbye party Gooney watch Goodbye party Gooney yellow mug Goodbye party Gooney hat Multi-color K tie tac Terminator Gooney mug Raiders slide Gooney hats x 4 Star Wars blue Fall flyer

– Some $200,000 in Star Wars collectibles have vanished just like the Millennium Falcon jumping to light speed. The owner of the world's largest collection of Star Wars memorabilia and the envy of every fan in the galaxy announced Monday that 100 items, including "rare and important pieces," were stolen from his museum in Petaluma, Calif., in 2015 and 2016. However, Steve Sansweet says he only became aware of the thefts this February, when a friend's rare Boba Fett figure was discovered to have been stolen and sold to another collector. According to Sansweet, that collector claimed to have purchased the figure, and other items that should have been in Sansweet's collection, from a friend of Sansweet who previously stayed at his home. "When I saw the items missing … I was queasy. I was dumbfounded," Sansweet, who worked for Lucasfilm for more than 15 years, tells the Guardian. "This has been a devastating betrayal from someone I considered a friend for 20 years," he adds, per io9. "But already the Star Wars community has offered its support." Since Carl Edward Cunningham was charged with felony grand theft in March, two fans who purchased stolen items have offered to return them, Sansweet says. But he says he still needs help to discover if any other items were taken. He's urging fans and collectors to reach out if they have any knowledge of the thefts or suspect they've purchased stolen items. Mark Hamill and Peter Mayhew are helping spread the word on Twitter.

Shipwreck explorers affiliated with the National Museum of the Great Lakes have discovered the wreckage of a ship that sank in Lake Ontario in 1868. The schooner Royal Albert was discovered in deep water off the southern shore of Lake Ontario near Fair Haven, N.Y., the museum announced today. The museum said the wreck was discovered in mid-June. Shipwreck explorers Jim Kennard and Roger Pawlowski located the shipwreck using a high-resolution side scan sonar system. The Royal Albert sank when its cargo of 285 tons of railroad iron shifted bursting the seams of the schooner. The discovery was made possible with an annual grant from the National Museum of the Great Lakes, which underwrites the search expenses of its volunteers on Lake Ontario. “Our collaboration with Jim Kennard and his team have produced some of the most important discoveries on Lake Ontario. More importantly, because of the nature of our collaboration, these discoveries are made cost effectively,” said Christopher Gillcrist, the museum’s director, in a written release this morning. “If a for-profit CRM firm attempted what our collaborative efforts accomplished, it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Last October, Mr. Kennard and Mr. Pawlowski’s team also discovered the wreckage of another Toledo-bound steamship that sank in Lake Ontario. The team found the S.S. Bay State, the oldest propeller-driven steamer found in Lake Ontario, also using high-resolution side-scan sonar. The latest find, the Canadian schooner Royal Albert, departed Oswego, N.Y., on Aug. 9, 1868, loaded with 285 tons of railroad rails and headed due west for the Welland Canal and then on to Toledo. A few hours into the journey, lake conditions caused the heavy cargo of rails to shift, bursting the seams of the ship, which sank off Fair Haven. The crew barely had enough time to escape, but made it to shore in a small boat the next day, the museum said. ||||| After Lakes Were Drained At A British Palace, It Revealed An Astonishing Network Of Secret Rooms - Duration: 6:17. Let Me Know 900,743 views ||||| The shipwreck of a Canadian schooner that sank off Lake Ontario's central New York shore nearly 150 years ago has been discovered, a team of underwater explorers announced Wednesday. Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski and Roland Stevens said they recently found the wreck of the Royal Albert in deep water off Fair Haven, 35 miles northwest of Syracuse. The western New York-based team said the 104-foot vessel was carrying 285 tons of railroad iron that shifted in rough conditions, bursting the ship's seams. The crew survived the August 1868 sinking by getting into a small boat and making it to shore. The wreck was found in mid-June using side-scan sonar, Kennard said. Video images taken by a remotely-operated vehicle helped identify the wreck as the Royal Albert, the only two-masted schooner known to have sunk off Fair Haven, he said. Built in 1858 in Oakville, Ontario, the schooner departed Oswego on Aug. 9, 1868, headed to Toledo, Ohio, on Lake Erie, via Canada's Welland Canal. Kennard said the Royal Albert was only a few miles into its westward voyage when lake conditions turned rough, causing the cargo to shift and break apart the hull. The crew barely had time to scramble into a small boat as the ship sank, he said. Video of the wreck shows both masts toppled over and some of the railroad rails can be seen in the aft hold, Kennard said. While the discovery isn't as significant as some of the many others the New York team has made during Lake Ontario explorations in recent years, Kennard said the find offers a glimpse into shipping methods and manifests in the post-Civil War period. "It's essentially typical of how goods were being shipped and the kind of goods being shipped," he said. "The heavier commodities couldn't be shipped through the canals on canal boats." Associated Press

– A retired engineer and two buddies took his boat out on Lake Ontario a few weeks ago, with a high-res side-scan sonar to see if they could find any shipwrecks. What they stumbled across, 400 feet below the surface: the remains of the Royal Albert schooner, which sank nearly 150 years ago after leaving Oswego, NY, for Toledo, Ohio, the Democrat and Chronicle reports. Jim Kennard, 73, tells the Toronto Star he was going back and forth in a certain area of the lake—what he refers to as his "mowing the lawn" method—with Roger Pawlowski and Roland Stevens when the sonar picked up the schooner. "We saw two masts lying on either side of the ship," he tells the Democrat & Chronicle. Because Kennard had an extensive database of shipwrecks—he's helped track down more than 200 shipwrecks since the '70s—and an idea of the Royal Albert's size and shape, they were able to ID the vessel. A remote-controlled vehicle sent to take pictures and video of the ship offered more evidence of their find. The 104-foot-long schooner, which Kennard says sank 15 miles west of Oswego, was transporting 285 tons of railroad iron on Aug. 10, 1868, when something happened (some say bad weather) to make the railroad iron move, causing it to tear a hole in the side of the vessel; Kennard tells the AP some of those rails can be seen in video of the ship's hold. The crew safely made it to shore in a small boat. Kennard and his fellow explorers were out on the lake thanks to the National Museum of the Great Lakes, which funds volunteer shipwreck explorers, per the Toledo Blade. "Our collaboration with Jim Kennard and his team have produced some of the most important discoveries on Lake Ontario," the museum's director said. As for the Royal Albert, it will likely stay put, per local and federal shipwreck laws. "It's essentially an underwater museum of maritime history," Kennard tells the Democrat & Chronicle. ("One of the most important shipwrecks" ever may have been found off Rhode Island.)

Image Caption: MSU scientist finds that, even miles deep and halfway across the globe, microbial communities are somehow quite similar. (Full Image) Credit: Courtesy of MSU April Flowers for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online Digging deep into the Earth’s surface and collecting census data on the microbial denizens of the hardened rocks, scientists are finding that these communities are quite similar, even when miles deep and halfway across the planet from each other. The findings, presented at the American Geophysical Union Conference by Matthew Schrenk, Michigan State University geomicrobiologist, suggest that these communities might be connected. “Two years ago we had a scant idea about what microbes are present in subsurface rocks or what they eat,” he said. “We’re now getting this emerging picture not only of what sort of organisms are found in these systems but some consistency between sites globally – we’re seeing the same types of organisms everywhere we look.” The research team studied samples from deep underground in California, Finland and mine shafts located in South Africa. They also collected microbe samples from the deepest hydrothermal vents in the Caribbean Ocean. “It’s easy to understand how birds or fish might be similar oceans apart,” Schrenk said. “But it challenges the imagination to think of nearly identical microbes [10,000 miles] apart from each other in the cracks of hard rock at extreme depths, pressures and temperatures.” This region is a relatively unknown biome. Cataloging and exploring it could lead to breakthroughs in offsetting climate change, the discovery of new enzymes and processes that may be useful for biofuel and biotechnology research, he added. Schrenk intends to focus his future efforts on unlocking answers to what carbon sources the microbes use, how they cope in such extreme conditions as well as how their enzymes evolved to function so deep underground. “Integrating this region into existing models of global biogeochemistry and gaining better understanding into how deep rock-hosted organisms contribute or mitigate greenhouse gases could help us unlock puzzles surrounding modern-day Earth, ancient Earth and even other planets,” Schrenk said. Collecting and comparing microbiological and geochemical data across continents is made possible through the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO), which also funded the project. Scientists from across disciplines have used the DCO to better understand and describe these phenomenon, according to Schrenk. ||||| How life on Earth came into existence is still one of the greatest mysteries in science but new research into the “deep biosphere” indicates that the first replicating life-forms on the planet may have originated deep underground rather than, as commonly believed, on the surface. Scientists have now discovered microbes living and reproducing as deep as 5km (3.1 miles) below ground and studies have shown that they are likely to have survived in complete isolation from the surface biosphere for millions and perhaps even billions of years. One of the latest studies into the deep biosphere has found that these microbes form a distinct subsurface community of genetically similar individuals despite living on opposite sides of the world. This global similarity of such an isolated life-form suggests that they may have evolved directly from a common ancestor that lived as long ago at the period when life on earth originated, some 3.5 billion years ago. An increasing number of researchers believe that life could have first got going in the tiny cracks of underground rocks, fuelled not by the energy of sunlight but by chemical fuel in the form of hydrogen and methane which can be produced in certain types of rock under high temperatures and pressures. The latest discovery of a closely-related, global community of microbes in the deep biosphere lends further support to the idea that life originated not in the “primordial soup” of surface lakes and seas, but in the tiny water-filled fissures found in underground rock, said Matt Schrenk of Michigan State University. “Two years ago we had scant idea about what microbes are present in subsurface rocks or what they eat. Since then a number of studies have vastly expanded that database,” Dr Schrenk said. “We’re getting this emerging picture not only of what sort of organisms are found in these systems but some consistency between sites globally – we’re seeing the same types of organisms everywhere we look,” he said. The study, presented this week to the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, compared DNA sequences of hydrogen-eating microbes extracted from rock fractures deep below North America, Europe, South Africa and Japan. To their surprise, the scientists found that they were closer than 97 per cent similar – making them virtually the same species, Dr Schrenk said. “It is easy to understand how birds or fish might be similar oceans apart, but it challenges the imagination to think of nearly identical microbes 16,000km apart from each other in the cracks of hard rock at extreme depths, pressures and temperatures,” he said. Hydrogen microbes have been found between 4km and 5km (2.5-3.1 miles) in a Johannesburg mine-shaft, and are believed to live in even deeper locations below the seabed. “We don’t know the lowest most depths that these organisms can survive. They could live as deep as 10km into the Earth….It may well be that life originated in the deep subsurface, we just don’t know,” Dr Shrenk said. The classical view of how life originated in a primordial soup came out of work carried out in 1953 by Harold Urey and Stanley Miller at Chicago University who showed that it is possible to build the relatively complex building blocks of life, such as amino acids, out of a “soup” of simpler chemicals fused together with the help of electrical discharges – which were supposed to simulate lightning strikes. However, other researchers have since pointed to problems with this scenario, such as the fact that the surface of the planet 3.5bn years ago was subjected to intense ultraviolet radiation, which would have quickly destroyed complex biological molecules exposed to the light, and to asteroid bombardment, which could have easily eliminated life at the surface before it had chance to evolve. “It is conceivable that life arose not in a warm, little pond, but sheltered in a warm, little fracture below the surface of the crust, or in the deep oceans, protected from the tumultuous events on the surface,” said Barbara Sherwood Lollar of the University of Toronto, and a colleague of Dr Schrenk’s on a 10-year research project called the Deep Carbon Observatory. Research has shown that these underground microbes exploit a geological process known as serpentisation, when hydrogen and methane are produced as water comes into contact with the common mineral olivine under high temperatures and pressures. The microbes use the hydrogen for fuel and the methane as a source of carbon, making them completely independent of the photosynthetic microbes and plants living at the Earth’s surface. Scientists have found that underground microbes can survive temperatures as high as 120C and pressures 50 times greater than at the surface, which could have industrial and medical applications. “There’s a lot of potential to utilise their genes and the enzymes they code for,” Dr Shrenk said. Knowledge of the Earth’s deep biosphere and how it survives such environmental extremes could also help astrobiologists searching for life on Mars, where the planetary surface is known to be hostile for living organisms.

– The idea of a "primordial soup," in which life theoretically began in lakes and oceans, may be way off. New studies suggest the beginnings of life on this planet could have occurred deep underground, the Independent reports. Researchers have found microbes up to 3.1 miles below the Earth's surface—tiny organisms that are almost exactly the same on opposite sides of the planet. That points to a possible common ancestor about 3.5 billion years ago, which is when earthly life began, the paper explains. Scientists pulled such microbes from fissures in rocks as widespread as North America, Japan, Europe, South Africa, and even, according to Red Orbit, deep hydrothermal vents in the Caribbean. The samples were more than 97% identical, or practically the same species, according to researcher Matt Schrenk, who notes that some may "live as deep as (6 miles) into the Earth." He adds: "It is easy to understand how birds or fish might be similar oceans apart, but it challenges the imagination to think of nearly identical microbes (10,000 miles) apart from each other in the cracks of hard rock at extreme depths, pressures, and temperatures." (Click for more of the craziest discoveries of the week, including the idea that the universe may actually be ... a hologram.)

Mothers and their children frantically scrambled down fire escapes to survive the inferno that consumed their Bronx homes. They dashed out into the frigid night in whatever they were wearing, without jackets, without shoes, just holding on to their lives. They were the lucky ones. A raging fire quickly swept through the five-story building on Prospect Ave. at E. 187th St. — taking with it 12 lives — including a 1-year-old child. Six of the deadliest fires in New York City history The toddler’s final moments were spent in a bathtub, held by its mother, as they perished, sources told the Daily News. Heartbreak was etched of the faces of firefighters and medics who tried in vain to save the victims. Five people perished inside the 25-apartment building, and seven died at two hospitals, authorities said. Three of the other victims were children. Four others were in critical condition at St. Barnabas Hospital and Jacobi Medical Center, officials said. Mother, 3 kids killed in house fire likely caused by menorah FDNY firefighters battle raging blaze in the five-story building on Prospect Ave. at E. 187th St. in Belmont, Bronx. (Sam Costanza for New York Daily News) Twelve other people were rescued from the building, Mayor de Blasio said. Among the missing is a U.S. Army soldier. Kwabena Mensah, 62, said his 28-year-old son, Emmanuel, was home for the holidays. Mensah said his son’s roommate last saw him when the fire broke out on the third floor. “He was telling the roommate to not come out of the apartment because there was smoke. But when they rescued everyone from the windows, we couldn’t find him. I went to four hospitals, I can’t find him,” Mensah told The News. Fire in Brooklyn brownstone kills two, injures two others At St. Barnabas Hospital, Brian Whittaker, 36, was lending his support to an injured friend’s relatives. “It's such a tragedy because they lost so many family members,” Whittaker explained. “The rest of the family is upstairs in the back. They keep passing out and crying. The father is burnt up real bad.” At least 12 dead in 'historic' Bronx building fire Whittaker’s friend was badly burned and is in a coma at Jacobi Medical Center. The man’s daughter and three nieces were killed, Whittaker explained. “They were on the fifth floor so they weren't able to make it. Who knows how intense the heat was? I saw it on the news and got a call from a bunch of friends. We came over here around midnight and been here since.” Girl, 2, identified as one of four children killed in Bronx blaze Witnesses recalled terror in the bone-chilling night. Thierme Diallo fled the building in a panic, awoken by a neighbor. Emmanuel Mensah, 28, is still missing. (Obtained by Daily News) "Someone knocked on my door yelling 'Fire! fire! fire!’ I left my cellphone. I took only my wallet because I need to save myself." Diallo shivered in his sandals and gym shorts. Dad fears for soldier son missing after deadly Bronx fire “I don't know how I got out. By the exit there was glass coming down in the flames. I didn't have socks or shoes. Nothing.” Luc Hernandez, a fourth-floor resident, said she came home about 15 minutes after the fire started and “saw black smoke everywhere.” The shaken 37-year-old told The News she rushed into her apartment, grabbed her 11- and 7-year-old boys and scrambled down the fire escape. Meanwhile, someone who lives across the street from the blaze said he saw children rushing down metal grate fire escapes. “All they had was shorts and shirts,” Rafael Gonzalez said. “No socks. No nothing. I know they were cold. They were screaming for help.” Cigarette sparked Midtown blaze that killed man on Christmas Day Firefighters were battling the inferno in cold and icy conditions. (Gregg Vigliotti for New York Daily News) Gonzalez, 19, said it seemed like the firefighters were so busy battling the blaze they couldn’t help the kids right away. Another resident, Esther Sakyi, 49, was making a phone call in her fourth-floor bedroom around 7 p.m. when she first noticed something was amiss. “I was so cold so I went to the living room to see if the heater was working and smelled smoke,” Sakyi told the Daily News on an MTA bus headed for a hotel in Brooklyn where evacuees will be temporarily housed. “I rushed to open the door and the smoke just hit me and pushed me back so I closed it and went to the fire escape.” She fled into the frigid night before putting on her clothes. “I was naked,” she said. “I didn’t have time to put clothes on. I didn’t know what was going to happen.” Cigarette sparked Midtown blaze that killed man on Christmas Day The smell from the thick smoke lingered long after the flames were gone as Mayor de Blasio visited the fire scene. Mayor de Blasio seen (r.) speaking to and comforting a woman outside the Prospect Ave. five-story building in the Bronx, Thursday night. (Gregg Vigliotti for New York Daily News) “This is the worst fire tragedy we have seen in this city in at least a quarter of a century,” de Blasio said standing on a street filled with black ice. “We’re shocked by this loss,” Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said, calling the tragedy “historic.” The men spoke just blocks away from a 1990 arson at the Happy Land Social Club that claimed the lives of 87 people. Teen survivor of deadly Brooklyn blaze slowly recovering More than 160 firefighters responded to the five-alarm blaze near the Bronx Zoo. The inferno broke out at 6:51 p.m. on the first floor and quickly spread upward. Firefighters responded in three minutes, after receiving more than a dozen 911 calls. The investigation remains active and ongoing. The cause of the fire is to be determined by FDNY Fire Marshals. Sources said the blaze may have been sparked by a space heater, but de Blasio said it was too early in the investigation to tell. Building residents pictured shivering underneath a Red Cross blanket after being evacuated from the Bronx five-story apartment building. (James Keivom/New York Daily News) A database in the New York City Housing Preservation and Development revealed one of the apartments on the first floor — where the fire started — had open violations for bad carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Attempts to reach the building owners were unsuccessful. Milka Garcia, who lives on the fifth floor of the building said she came home to find her children had been evacuated. Mother, 3 kids killed in house fire likely caused by menorah Garcia, 40, said her three kids — one girl and two boys — saw tons of smoke and had to get out through an emergency door. She said her 10-year-old daughter went to school with one of the victims, who’s about 8 years old, at Public School 205. “This is horrible,” Garcia said of the fire. “It makes me sad because they were my neighbors, and friends of my daughter’s.” The fire broke out at 6:51 p.m. on the first floor and quickly spread upward. (James Keivom/New York Daily News) City Councilman Ritchie Torres said he cried when he learned a child was among the dead in the disaster inside his district. Mom who has lost loved ones before offers help to Brooklyn family “It’s traumatic and tragic,” he said. “The only silver lining is the heroism of the FDNY.” “We're all struggling with unanswered questions and broken hearts,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Sign up for BREAKING NEWS Emails privacy policy Thanks for subscribing! With Elizabeth Elizalde, Rocco Parascandola, Ginnie Teo, Bruce Diamond ||||| Tonight in the Bronx we've seen the worst fire tragedy in at least a quarter of a century. It is an unspeakable tragedy, and families have been torn apart.pic.twitter.com/0kCFMzxt79 ||||| Firefighters respond to a deadly fire Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in the Bronx borough of New York. The New York City mayor's press secretary says several people have died in the blaze on a frigid night,... (Associated Press) Firefighters respond to a deadly fire Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in the Bronx borough of New York. The New York City mayor's press secretary says several people have died in the blaze on a frigid night, and several more have been injured. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Associated Press) NEW YORK (AP) — New York City's deadliest residential fire in decades spread through every floor of a Bronx apartment building within a matter of minutes, city officials said, killing 12 people and sending other residents scrambling outside into the cold and down fire escapes to safety. The dead included a child around a year old, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a briefing late Thursday, adding that four more people were fighting for their lives. Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro called the fire, "historic in its magnitude," because of the number of lives lost. Excluding the Sept. 11 attacks, it was the worst fire in the city since 87 people were killed at a social club fire in the Bronx in 1990. "Our hearts go out to every person who lost a loved one here and everyone who is fighting for their lives," Nigro said. The blaze broke out on the first floor of a five-story building just before 7 p.m. and quickly tore through the roughly century-old structure near the Bronx Zoo. Some tenants of the building, a mix of native New Yorkers and Latino and African immigrants, climbed down fire escapes. But the flames moved so fast that many never made it out of their apartments. The cause of the fire remained under investigation. About 170 firefighters worked in bone-chilling cold, just 15 degrees, to rescue about a dozen people from the building. Thierno Diallo, 59, a security guard originally from Conakry, Guinea, who lives in a ground floor apartment said he was asleep when he heard banging on the door. It took him a moment to realize what was happening. "Only when I heard people screaming, 'There's a fire in the building!'" he said. "I heard somebody, 'Oh! Fire! Fire! Fire!'" He ran outside in his bathrobe, jacket and sandals. Kenneth Kodua, 37, said he left his apartment to get food, leaving his roommate behind, and came back to find people fleeing in a panic. Hours later, he was still trying to find out whether his roommate had escaped. "I tried calling her. I tried calling. No answer," he said, still clutching his bag of uneaten food. His phone was dead. Many questions remained in the immediate aftermath of the blaze, including how the fire spread so quickly in a brick building built after catastrophic fires at the turn of the 20th century ushered in an era of tougher enforcement of fire codes. The building had more than 20 units. It was not new enough that it was required to have modern-day fireproofing, like sprinkler systems and interior steel construction. Witnesses described seeing burned bodies being carried away on stretchers and young girls who had escaped standing barefoot outside with no coats. Twum Bredu, 61, arrived in the neighborhood looking for his brother, who had been staying with a family in the building. The family, a husband and wife and four children, got out. But there was no word about his brother. "I've been calling his phone, it's ringing, but nobody picks up," Bredu said. "He was in his room, and we don't know what happened." The death toll surpassed the 10 who died, including nine children, in a four-story home in another part of the Bronx in 2007. That blaze had been sparked by a space heater.

– A horrific fire that killed at least 12 people in the Bronx Thursday night is New York City's deadliest, excluding the 9/11 attacks, since 1990, when 87 people died in the Happy Land Social Club arson, authorities say. "Tonight in the Bronx we've seen the worst fire tragedy in at least a quarter of a century," Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. "It is unspeakable, and families have been torn apart." Authorities say the fire broke out on the first floor of the five-story, century-old building in the Belmont neighborhood just before 7pm and spread to every floor within minutes because of gusty winds, the AP reports. Some 170 firefighters responded to the blaze and witnesses reported seeing residents, some without shoes, fleeing down fire escapes into the bitterly cold night. Five people died inside the 25-unit building and another seven died in area hospitals, the New York Daily News reports. At least four victims were children, including a baby around a year old, authorities say. Four other people were critically injured in the blaze. There has been no official comment on the cause of the fire, though sources tell the Daily News it may have been sparked by a space heater. The New York Times reports that city records show the building had six open violations, including one for a defective smoke detector on the floor where the fire began.

Storm clouds move over I-49 near Nevada, Mo., Sunday, April 27, 2014. Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for the area. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) (Associated Press) A K-9 rescue unit walks along Military Street in Baxter Springs, Kan., April 27, 2014, as they survey the damage from Sunday's tornado. A powerful storm system rumbled through the central and southern... (Associated Press) A vehicle tops a hill along U.S. Route 56 as a severe thunderstorm moves through the area near Baldwin City, Kan., Sunday, April 27, 2014. Severe storms are expected in the area most of the day. (AP Photo/Orlin... (Associated Press) A officer talks to people at 15th and Military following Sunday's tornado in Baxter Springs, Kan., Sunday April 27, 2014. A powerful storm system rumbled through the central and southern United States... (Associated Press) Motorists check out a travel trailer damaged in an accident involving high winds from a severe thunderstorm that passed near Rich Hill, Mo., Sunday, April 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) (Associated Press) John Ward, an automobile and RV dealer, looks an tornado damage to one of his trucks in Mayflower, Ark., Sunday, April 27, 2014. A tornado struck the dealer's on lot Sunday. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston) (Associated Press) DELETES REFERENCE TO DEATH TOLL - Quapaw, Okla., residents survey the damage in a residential neighborhood struck by a tornado on Sunday evening, April 27, 2014. A powerful storm system rumbled through... (Associated Press) A man walks past a wrecked automobile and RV on Interstate 40 in Mayflower, Ark., Sunday, April 27, 2014. A powerful storm system rumbled through the central and southern United States on Sunday, spawning... (Associated Press) Twisted trees and power lines remain in a residential block near Military Avenue following the tornado in Baxter Springs, Kan., Sunday, April 27, 2014. A powerful storm system rumbled through the central... (Associated Press) Travel trailers and motor homes are piled on top of each other at Mayflower RV in Mayflower, Ark., Sunday, April 27, 2014.A powerful storm system rumbled through the central and southern United States... (Associated Press) DELETES REFERENCE TO DEATH TOLL - First responders, volunteers and firemen gather on Main Street in Quapaw, Okla. after a tornado struck the city on Sunday evening, April 27, 2014. A powerful storm... (Associated Press) ||||| An 11-month-old boy who was trapped with his mother inside their home by a powerful twister in eastern North Carolina died on Sunday — the first tornado-related death of 2014. People passing by the wreckage after the tornado Friday heard the woman and helped free her and her injured baby. He died at a hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, NBC station WAVY reported. 11-month-old Gavin Soto died from injuries sustained during a tornado on Friday. Family photo via WAVY.com North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory toured the devastation left by two EF2 tornadoes in Beaufortd and Chowan counties on Sunday and visited the collapsed home, the station said. On Friday, a string of tornadoes ripped through the area, causing 25 injuries, though the baby boy is believed to have been the only person critically injured. More than 300 homes and structures were destroyed or severely damaged by the storm system. Julia Jarema, a spokeswoman for North Carolina's Department of Public Safety, confirmed to NBC News that the 11-month-old boy, who suffered critical injuries in a tornado this past Friday, died on Sunday morning. He was from Chowan County in the northeastern part of the state. His death was the first tornado-related death since Dec. 21, 2013. —Jeff Black ||||| Mayflower, Arkansas (CNN) -- Tornadoes tore through several states Sunday evening as severe weather slammed into parts of the central United States. Authorities confirmed at least nine fatalities: eight in Arkansas and one in Oklahoma. Damage is "widespread" after a tornado hit Mayflower, Arkansas, and there are numerous reports of injuries, said Matt DeCample, a spokesman for the state's governor. Damage is also widespread in Vilonia, north of Little Rock, he said. "I can't even get down the main street down to the middle of town," Vilonia Mayor James Firestone said. "I am trying to make my way through the downed trees and power lines. What I am seeing, it is a lot of damage. I've been listening to the rescue folks. They're saying people have to be extracted from vehicles. ... It looks pretty bad. From what I understand, there has been a subdivision that's been leveled." In Mayflower, overturned, smashed cars were visible along the freeway as search and rescue teams combed the area. Video from CNN affiliate KARK showed a decimated building in Mayflower surrounded by scattered debris and emergency vehicles. Interstate 40 was shut down as authorities removed debris from the highway after the tornado struck Mayflower, said Arkansas State Patrol spokesman Bill Sadler. Mayflower is roughly 25 miles northwest of Little Rock. The National Weather Service's Little Rock office tweeted a series of messages warning of tornadoes, reporting damage and telling residents to take cover. A tornado crossing I-40 "was reported to be as much as a half-mile wide," the weather service said. Officials reported overturned semi-trucks and destroyed homes, the weather service said. Witnesses also spotted a twister in the Oklahoma town of Quapaw on Sunday, an emergency official said, as severe weather slammed into parts of the central United States. Joe Dan Morgan, emergency manager in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, said ambulances had deployed after reports of a funnel on the ground in Quapaw, and rescuers were working in an area where a concrete wall crashed onto a car. Numerous buildings in the town were damaged, said Keli Cain with Oklahoma Emergency Management. Kelly Flecks, an emergency dispatcher in Ottawa County, also said a tornado hit the town. "Search and rescue is under way involving several agencies," she said. "Please tell the public to stay away so they can do their jobs. We can't confirm anything else at the moment. Quapaw is in the northeastern part of the state, near the borders with Kansas and Missouri. Also Sunday evening, a tornado emergency was declared for Maumelle, Arkansas, the weather service said. Maumelle is also northwest of Little Rock in central Arkansas. Storm spotters were tracking a confirmed tornado with reports of damage, the weather service said. A tornado emergency is issued when a storm is producing a life-threatening, confirmed tornado capable of significant destruction. Strong tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail were expected for parts of the Central Plains and along the Mississippi River Valley on Sunday, CNN meteorologists said. Forecasters from the weather service warned that numerous tornadoes could hit, "with a few intense tornadoes likely." Large hail and damaging winds are also possible, forecasters said. Storm chasers and witnesses posted images of twisters in several states on social media. Mike Smith from TeamBCX shared a picture of white funnel spinning against a dark sky near a field in Baxter Springs, Kansas, where there were several reports of damage from a tornado Sunday. Video: Surprising tornado tidbits Get the fast facts on tornadoes North Carolina cleans up from twisters Video: See a rare tornado in Northern California CNN's Devon Sayers reported from Mayflower. CNN's Dave Alsup and Matthew Stucker reported from Atlanta. CNN's Chad Myers, Catherine E. Shoichet and Sean Morris contributed to this report. ||||| 1 of 20. People sift through the rubble of what is left of homes after a tornado hit the town of Vilonia April 28, 2014. VILONIA, Arkansas (Reuters) - A ferocious storm system caused a twister in Mississippi and threatened tens of millions of people across the U.S. Southeast on Monday, a day after it spawned tornadoes that killed 16 people and tossed cars like toys in Arkansas and other states. A tornado went through Tupelo, Mississippi in the northern part of the state at about 3 p.m. (1800 GMT), damaging hundreds of homes, downing power lines and toppling trees, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant told CNN. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries after six instances of tornadoes touching down in the state. "It is not over. This is going to be a prolonged storm," Bryant said. Parts of Alabama, western Georgia and Tennessee also were at risk as the storm system that produced the series of tornadoes headed east toward the Mid-Atlantic states. Rescue workers, volunteers and victims have been sifting through the rubble in the hardest-hit state of Arkansas, looking for survivors in central Faulkner County where a tornado reduced homes to splinters, snapped power lines and mangled trees. Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe said at least 14 people died statewide in the storm that authorities said produced the first fatalities of this year's U.S. tornado season. He previously told a news conference 16 had been killed but later said there was a mistake in calculation. Nine of the victims came from the same street in the town of Vilonia, with a population of about 4,100, where a new intermediate school set to open in August was heavily damaged by a tractor trailer blown into its roof. A steel farm shop anchored to concrete was erased from the landscape. Beebe told reporters of the capricious nature of tornadoes. He said a woman died when the door of her home's reinforced safe room collapsed, while a father and three daughters survived by seeking shelter in a bathtub that was flipped over in winds that leveled the house. One person was killed in neighboring Oklahoma and another in Iowa, state authorities said. 'LONG ROAD TO HEALING' "Everything is just leveled to the ground," Vilonia resident Matt Rothacher said. "It cut a zig-zag right through town." Rothacher was at home with his wife and four children when the tornado passed through. While his home survived, The Valley Church where he serves as pastor was flattened. Two elementary school-aged boys died in their home after having a pizza dinner at a friend's home, said Rothacher, who was helping provide grief counseling to the family that had sent the two boys home after they finished their meal as the storm approached. The home that the boys left survived the tornado. The home the boys returned to did not, Rothacher said. "These homes, these lives, won't be put back together anytime soon. It will be a long road to healing for these families." The White House said President Barack Obama, who has been on a trip abroad, called Beebe to receive an update on the damage and to offer his condolences. Medical officials reported at least 100 people in Arkansas were injured. "It's so heartbreaking. I've never seen destruction like this before," U.S. Representative Tim Griffin told reporters after touring Vilonia, which was previously hit by a tornado about three years ago. "I saw a Dr. Seuss book in the rubble. I saw a Spider-Man shirt in the rubble. It just breaks your heart." The roar of heavy equipment filled the air in Vilonia and nearby Mayflower as crews worked to clear debris off the streets or to load rubble onto trucks for removal. TORNADO WARNING PERSISTS The National Weather Service said the threat of tornadoes will last for several days as a strong weather system interacts with a large area of instability across the central and southern United States. "This is a multi-day event and today is the second day of significant tornado risk and unfortunately, probably not the last," said Bill Bunting, operations chief at the National Weather Service's Storm Predictions Center in Norman, Oklahoma. North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency for four counties where tornadoes hit on Friday and warned that more rough weather was on the way. More than 10,000 people were without power in Arkansas on Monday morning, officials said. The Arkansas National Guard was deployed to sift through the wreckage. Beebe declared a state of disaster for Faulkner and two other counties. A tornado in Baxter Springs, Kansas that touched down on Sunday evening destroyed as many as 70 homes and 25 businesses and injured 34 people, of whom nine were hospitalized, state and county officials said. One person was killed in Kansas, likely due to the same storm system, officials said. (Additional reporting by Steve Barnes and Suzi Parker in Little Rock, Carey Gillam and Kevin Murphy in Kansas City, Missouri, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Wi,. Lisa Bose McDermott in Texarkana, Ark., and Curtis Skinner in New York; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Scott Malone, Bernadette Baum, Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman)

– At least 17 people were killed as a massive storm system ripped through the central and southern US yesterday, spawning deadly tornadoes in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Tornadoes also touched down in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri, reports the AP, which puts the death toll at 16 in Arkansas and one in Oklahoma. More: The Little Rock suburb of Vilonia was one of the hardest-hit towns, with at least 10 people dead and other victims believed to be buried under rubble, Reuters reports. The county sheriff says there is a "mass casualty situation" with numerous people injured. "There's just really nothing there anymore," says the local school superintendent. "We're probably going to have to start all over again." Damage is widespread in other suburbs of Little Rock, where the National Weather Service urged residents to take cover after a tornado seen crossing Interstate 40 "was reported to be as much as a half-mile wide," CNN reports. The AP reports a path of devastation some 80 miles long. In North Carolina, meanwhile, where a string of tornadoes damaged hundreds of homes on Friday, an 11-month-old boy has become the state's first tornado-related death of the year. He died in the hospital two days after passersby helped free him and his mother from the wreckage of their home, NBC reports.

Chester Bennington Autopsy Report Released Chester Bennington Autopsy Report Released EXCLUSIVE Chester Bennington's autopsy shows he had a trace amount of alcohol in his system when he hanged himself ... TMZ has learned. According to the autopsy and toxicology results, obtained by TMZ, the Linkin Park singer's blood also tested "presumptive positive" for MDMA (ecstasy) ... based on one test. Two subsequent tests did not detect the drug, and the ultimate conclusion was Chester was not under the influence of drugs when he died. Authorities found a prescription bottle of Zolpidem -- generic Ambien -- on his dresser. There was also a pint glass of Corona, which was less than half full -- and an empty bottle of Stella Artois. Police found pieces of fingernail underneath his iPhone and on a table in the bedroom. Chester's wife, Talinda, told cops he would do that when he was anxious. She said Chester had a history of depression and previous suicide attempts -- including one in 2006 when he left the house with a gun after drinking heavily. Talinda added Chester was currently in an outpatient treatment program. A month before his death, Chester reportedly told friends he'd been sober for 6 months. He'd been prescribed anti-depressants in the past, but had not taken them for more than a year ... according to Talinda. TMZ broke the story ... Chester committed suicide July 20 by hanging himself. The report says he was found with a black Hugo Boss leather belt around his neck. He still had the boarding pass in his pocket from the flight he'd taken from Phoenix the day before his death. There was no suicide note, but police found what they call an "apparent biography," which was handwritten. ||||| Chester Bennington had a small amount of alcohol in his system at the time of his death, a Los Angeles County Coroner's Office report obtained by E! News says. The Linkin Park frontman—who committed suicide in July at the age of 41—also tested "presumptive positive" for ecstasy, but two additional urine tests did not detect the drug. It was concluded that Bennington was not under the influence as he died. According to the autopsy report, authorities discovered a prescription bottle of Zolpidem, a generic Ambien, as well as a pint glass of Corona and an empty bottle of Stella Artois. Fingernail fragments were found underneath the musician's iPhone and on a bedside table, which widow Talinda Bennington told police was an anxious habit of his. Additionally, Chester's wife relayed to authorities that he "would have suicidal ideations after consuming alcohol" and threatened to commit suicide in 2006. ||||| According to autopsy and toxicology results obtained by TMZ, Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington had alcohol in his system at the time of his suicide on July 20. The singer had a small amount of alcohol in his system at the time of his death and initially tested “presumptive positive” for MDMA (ecstacy), although subsequent tests did not detect the drug and ultimately he was not determined to be under the influence of drugs when he died. A prescription bottle of Zolpidem (the generic version of the sleep aid Ambien) and a small amount of beer was also found in the singer’s bedroom. The report is consistent with the initial suicide report. “Autopsy findings are characteristic of suicidal hanging,” deputy medical examiner Dr. Christopher Rogers’ report says. “There was a history of suicidal ideation [in Bennington],“ which his wife Talinda confirmed. The Linkin Park frontman had battled depression and alcoholism throughout his life and spent time in rehab in 2006. He had been prescribed antidepressents in the past but had not taken them for more than a year; similarly, before his death he’d told friends he had been sober for six months. On October 28 the surviving members of Linkin Park performed a three-hour tribute concert to Bennington at the Hollywood Bowl with members of No Doubt, System of a Down, Avenged Sevenfold, Sum-41, Bush and Yellowcard. On Dec. 15 the band will release “One More Light Live,” a live album recorded during Bennington’s final tour earlier this year.

– Chester Bennington, the Linkin Park frontman who hanged himself in July, had a small amount of alcohol in his system but urine tests did not detect the drug Ecstasy despite an initial "presumptive positive," according to an autopsy and toxicology report seen by TMZ. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office report states that a bottle of the prescription drug Zolpidem—the generic version of Ambien—was found in his bedroom, along with with an empty bottle of Stella Artois beer and a pint glass of Corona. The singer, who had long battled depression and alcoholism, told friends before his death that he had been sober for six months, Variety reports. Chester's widow, Talinda, told authorities that the 41-year-old "would have suicidal ideations after consuming alcohol" and threatened to kill himself in 2006, E! Online reports. She said he was in an outpatient program at the time of his death. "Autopsy findings are characteristic of suicidal hanging," the report states. Authorities said no suicide note was found, though there was a handwritten "apparent biography." (Talinda Bennington, who has been working to raise awareness of mental illness, released a video of Bennington laughing and joking just 36 hours before his death.)

Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| Better yet, these personal-best and attagirl bromides offer the advantage of being apolitical, and Trump is nothing if not practiced in the art of generic, apolitical speech — a fact that John Oliver has shrewdly observed. So the why of her book becomes easy to discern. She’s extending the Trump brand. The intended audience for “Women Who Work” is a more mysterious question. Trump starts out presuming a wide range of female readers. But a class bias at some point begins to reveal itself, and it’s not just in the business leaders she profiles — who, like Trump, are often the daughters of New York City’s elite. It’s in her discussion of Covey’s four-quadrant time-management grid, when she identifies grocery shopping as neither urgent nor important. (Do the groceries just magically appear in her fridge? Oh, wait. They probably do.) It’s in her confession that “honestly, I wasn’t treating myself to a massage or making much time for self-care” during the 2016 campaign. (Too busy.) It’s in her description of her daily life, in which she somehow — until the election, anyway — managed to run her own company, serve as an executive vice president in the Trump Organization, train for a half marathon and spend time alone with each of her three children. Absent locating a wormhole in space, there’s really only one way to find time for all of these commitments, and that is with the help of staff. Yet her household help barely rates a mention in this discussion. By the time Trump gets to her primer on maternity leave, she is, consciously or not, addressing an imaginary cohort of upper management and C.E.O.s. Back at work, she expects you to have a team. It is amazing how many times “Women Who Work” talks about the importance of Your Team. There are more teams in this book than there are in the N.F.L. In the case of maternity leave, she advises “to be present with your little one, and not wondering whether or not your team is floundering without you.” She adds that you should “Find someone trustworthy and capable on your team to act as a gatekeeper once you go on leave.” That way, they’ll bother you only when it’s truly important. But here’s what really matters about parental leave, as far as Ivanka Trump is concerned: She seems to still believe — as she did during the presidential campaign — that Americans ought to be paid for it. She waits until the penultimate page of her book to say so. But she does. (She talks about affordable child care, too.) These final pages were written before Nov. 8, 2016. (Trump says in the preface that she turned in her manuscript before she knew the election results.) And what’s remarkable is that she wrote them as if she thought her old man was going to lose: “We need to fight for change, whether through the legislature or in the workplace.” ||||| In the book, “Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules of Success,” which was published Monday, Ivanka Trump doesn’t give much insight into her own life as she sought to do in her first book. | Getty The most revealingly unrevealing quotes from Ivanka Trump’s new book We mined the advice book’s 222 pages for clues into what drives the notoriously private first daughter. In her new self-help book that she describes as a “deeply personal” project, Ivanka Trump reveals: “I personally love the word ‘curious.’” That’s about as intimate as it gets for the first daughter, whose public image as a do-it-all working mother and moderating force in the White House has been carefully calibrated to reveal no extraneous personal detail. Story Continued Below In the book, “Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules of Success,” which was published Monday, Ivanka Trump doesn’t give much insight into her own, life-in-a-fishbowl upbringing, like she tried to do in her first book "The Trump Card," published in 2009. And her largely behind-the-scenes role in her father’s presidential campaign barely registers in the pages of advice on how to be a successful working woman. Instead she sticks to pablum advice. “Cultivating authenticity is essential to creating strong bonds with your coworkers,” she writes in one chapter of a book that leans heavily on quotes from outside experts who have written their own advice books. Some of the bromides she doles out are so nice, she wrote them twice. “I believe that we each get one life and it’s up to us to live it to the fullest,” she writes on page 8 of the book. On page 145, she repeats the line verbatim: “I believe that we each get one life — and it’s up to us to live it to the fullest.” In another chapter, Ivanka Trump lists calligraphy, chess and dancing, as a few good options for stress-relieving, balance-achieving hobbies for working women. POLITICO mined the 222 pages of career advice for any new clues about how the Trump family operates, or fresh insight into one of the people who is closest, personally and professionally, to the president of the United States. Below are the most revealingly unrevealing quotes from Ivanka Trump’s book. IVANKA ON LIFE ADVICE: “Divorcing ourselves from the reality that we have full lives isn’t useful or sincere.” “Passion is what makes us feel most alive.” “In setting boundaries, I find it’s important to know your values, but know your environment, too.” “We often don’t realize that while we’re waiting for our lives to begin, they already have — and they’re made up of all the decisions we make, big and small, conscious or not.” IVANKA ON WORK ADVICE: “No matter your age, your background, your education, or your successes, we are all granted 168 hours a week.” “How do you build a world-class team? First, you have to find the right people.” “It’s easy to forget that communication is not just a means of relaying information but also a way of engaging with others socially.” “Success is a team sport.” “You can learn so much from the perspective of others, and it literally costs you nothing.” IVANKA ON JARED: “Jared and I have introduced seven couples who’ve gotten married. Seven! (We joke that our hidden talent is matchmaking, but that we don’t give guarantees. So far, so good, no divorces!)” “A few years ago, Jared interviewed someone for a senior position on his development team who said at their first meeting, ‘I have four kids. I have to be home every day by five.’ To which he replied, ‘it doesn’t bother me when you leave so long as you get the work done well. If you don’t get the work done, you won’t last — just like anyone else.’ He told me about the conversation that evening and praised the woman for being forthright and clear about her priorities.” “Jared ... loves to remind me that life is a marathon, not a sprint.” “It was my husband who talked me off the ledge and gave me the confidence to push through,” she said of her jittery nerves ahead of her speech at the Republican National Convention last summer. “He reminded me to take one step at a time, and helped me focus on my goal so that I wasn’t overwhelmed by the enormity of the opportunity.” “My husband, Jared, is by far one of the most positive, proactive, and solution-oriented people I’ve ever met,” she writes. “He’s incredibly pragmatic, always cool in the face of adversity; he finds it unproductive to focus on the problem (versus the solution) or to react emotionally. He’s my greatest teacher in this regard, the calm, soothing voice of reason that guides me to focus on what matters most, even in moments of crisis or chaos, when I naturally tend to be a bit more emotional. When I have a lot of different stressors coming at me, he’ll say, ‘just take one thing at a time. Slow down and focus on what you have the ability to control. Focus on solutions.’” “From sundown Friday to Saturday night, my family and I observe the Shabbat. During this time, we disconnect completely — no emails, no TV, no phone calls, no Internet. We enjoy uninterrupted time together and it’s wonderful,” writes Ivanka, whose family is very private about how it practices its Jewish faith. “It’s enormously important to unplug and devote that time to each other. We enjoy long meals together, we read, we take walks in the city, we nap, and just hang out.” “We love to garden,” Ivanka writes of her family. “That’s our new thing.” “I wouldn’t be able to do half of what I do if I didn’t have a husband who cares deeply about me, who celebrates my wins, who has my best interests at heart,” she writes. “If I was married to somebody who, even beneath the surface, didn’t approve of my professional ambitions, resented the fact that I work so hard, or was unsupportive of my goals, virtually everything about my home life and work life would be different.” Breaking News Alerts Get breaking news when it happens — in your inbox. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. IVANKA WITH BOASTS THAT CHANNEL HER FATHER: “Some of my best photos of the kids were taken by my nanny during the day (I’m sure in ten years I’ll convince myself I took them!)” “Learning to negotiate is essential to truly staking your claim — and not just because it’s a critical career skill,” Ivanka writes. “My father is renowned for his negotiating skills, so I’ve been fortunate to learn from the very best….I negotiate daily on matters big and small.” “I can envision Arabella overseeing this hotel someday (if she chooses!) and I shared that with the selection committee,” Ivanka writes of the process of winning the bid to develop the Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C. into the Trump Hotel. “This makes the Trump DC incredibly important not just in our portfolio but also to our family.” IVANKA WITH ADVICE THAT COULD HELP TRUMP’S AIDES: “Don’t gossip,” she warns of office life, advice that seems particularly at odds with the leaky, backstabbing work environment she now operates in. “While it’s sometimes easy to get caught up in ‘who said what about whom,’ especially if the people around you are doing it, focus instead on making a difference.” “I also review the emails in my received and deleted folders to note patterns,” she writes of how she figures out how to organize her day to be most productive. “Try to get the other party to say more than you by pausing after making a point or asking a question; if you’re on the phone, look at your watch for a few seconds to resist the temptation to keep talking,” Ivanka writes about negotiating. “Some of the strongest negotiators I know just sit back and listen. The less they engage, the more likely the other person is to become uncomfortable, start yammering to fill the silence, then slip up and offer information they otherwise would have guarded.” ||||| Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives. Enlarge Image Emmanuele Contini, NurPhoto via Getty Images Everyone fears guilt. These days, though, one of the greatest fears, I fear, is guilt by association. In these polarized political times, we don't want even to be seen in the same circles as those with whom we disagree. And so it is that Ivanka Trump published a book called "Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules to Success," in which she referenced women she admires. The slight kink is that not all of these women admire her. One example is Reshmi Saujani. The founder of Girls Who Code, a program that helps young girls begin to close the gender gap in the tech world, took to Twitter on Tuesday to raise her objections at being quoted by Trump. ".@ivankatrump don't use my story in #WomenWhoWork unless you are going to stop being #complicit #askivanka," she tweeted. The notion of Ivanka Trump being complicit stems from what some see as her failure to speak out against some of her father's more controversial policies while at the same time touting herself as a role model for women. It was also fueled by a biting sketch on "Saturday Night Live," in which Scarlett Johansson played Ivanka in a mock fragrance ad. Saujani and Ivanka Trump didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Ivanka Trump did tell CBS News last month that she didn't know what being complicit really means. She also said: "I don't know that the critics who may say that of me, if they found themselves in this very unique and unprecedented situation that I am now in, would do any differently than I am doing." It's all a less than virtuous circle. Just as Saujani seems not to want to be associated with Ivanka Trump for fear of being seen to endorse her, so the first daughter's image is muddied by her association with her father, whose attitude toward women can appear less than enlightened. Ivanka Trump is now an assistant to the president and an unpaid government employee. Some believe, or at least hope, that she will impress a little moderation upon his views. Some fear that she will be used to put a more charming face on draconian views. Perhaps Ivanka Trump herself speaks in code. One day, people might decipher its true meaning. Technically Incorrect: Bringing you a fresh and irreverent take on tech. CNET en Español: Get all your tech news and reviews in Spanish. ||||| FILE - In this April 5, 2017, file photo, Ivanka Trump waits for a news conference with President Donald Trump and Jordan's King Abdullah II to begin in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington.... (Associated Press) FILE - In this April 5, 2017, file photo, Ivanka Trump waits for a news conference with President Donald Trump and Jordan's King Abdullah II to begin in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington. Ivanka Trump has turned from sassy to serious with her second book, an exploration of women and the... (Associated Press) FILE - In this April 5, 2017, file photo, Ivanka Trump waits for a news conference with President Donald Trump and Jordan's King Abdullah II to begin in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington. Ivanka Trump has turned from sassy to serious with her second book, an exploration of women and the... (Associated Press) FILE - In this April 5, 2017, file photo, Ivanka Trump waits for a news conference with President Donald Trump and Jordan's King Abdullah II to begin in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington.... (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — Ivanka Trump's first foray into self-help writing came in 2009 with "The Trump Card," a breezy compilation of workplace advice, stories about her dealmaker dad and a hefty dose of celebrity namedropping. But in her second book, released Tuesday, Trump has gone from sassy to serious. "Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success" offers earnest advice for women on advancing in the workplace, balancing family and professional life and seeking personal fulfilment. She is donating the proceeds to charity and has opted not to do any publicity to avoid any suggestion that she is improperly using her White House platform. It's natural that Ivanka Trump's thinking would evolve. Now 35, she is married and has had three children since she wrote the first book. She has also embraced advocacy for women, first at her fashion brand and now at the White House as an unpaid adviser. She stepped away from executive roles at the Trump Organization and her fashion brand before joining her father's administration, though she still owns the brand, which has prompted criticism from ethics experts that she could profit from her rising profile. A look at her advice from both books: WORKPLACE TIPS THEN: Trump offers advice on technology — "check your BlackBerry or iPhone only on the quarter hour" — and warns against "loose-lipped, ill-considered emails." She gives negotiating tips, such as "be aware of your physical presence" and "understand that people ask for more than they expect to get." She talks about networking and building a brand, based on her jewelry line experience. NOW: Trump also discusses how to juggle career and family and live a more purposeful life. She encourages readers to think about how they personally define success, and talks about setting goals, seeking mentors and establishing boundaries. She writes: "Long term, we aren't remembered for how late we stayed at the office, how many buildings we developed or deals we closed." TIME MANAGEMENT THEN: Noting she was always looking for an "edge," Trump said that "as long as I can remember, I've been in the habit of coming into the office on Sundays." She added that while she didn't expect employees to follow suit, "you'd be surprised at how quickly your employees will fall in line behind you when you set this kind of example." NOW: In a chapter called "Work Smarter, Not Harder," she says that when she became a mother she realized that she needed "to set healthier boundaries for myself and stick to them." She encourages seeking accommodations at work, like asking for flextime or working remotely. "Divorcing ourselves from the reality that we all have full lives isn't useful or sincere." GETTING PERSONAL THEN: She dishes about growing up as Donald Trump's daughter. Michael Jackson — at the time a Trump Tower resident — apparently attended a performance of the Nutcracker in which she danced as a child. Another memory: attending a Mike Tyson fight in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with her father and watching him try to calm an angry crowd after Tyson knocked out his opponent in 91 seconds. NOW: There is less colorful insight, but Trump does share a few family moments, such as practicing her speech for the Republican National Convention with her three children on the couch. Trump, who converted to Judaism when she married Jared Kushner, discusses observing the Jewish Sabbath from sundown Friday to Saturday night, saying it is "important to unplug and devote that time to each other." GUEST STARS THEN: Focusing on business success, Trump includes short essays from a variety of executives, featuring record producer Russell Simmons and Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post. A guest writer she probably wouldn't include in the new book: former Fox News Channel executive Roger Ailes, who resigned last summer following allegations that he made unwanted sexual advances against women, which he has denied. NOW: Trump looks more to academics and experts on women in the workforce, in addition to celebrities and politicians. She quotes Anne-Marie Slaughter, who five years ago wrote a popular essay in The Atlantic magazine on why she left a job in the State Department during President Barack Obama's administration to spend more time with her family, and Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg, who wrote the book "Lean In," urging women to take charge of their careers.

– Ivanka Trump says her new book, with tips on how to be a successful working woman, is a "manual for architecting the life you want to live." Reviewers say Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success is a nauseating read with no more helpful advice than "don't gossip," "success is a team sport," and "passion is what makes us feel most alive." One such individual, Jennifer Senior at the New York Times, says Trump shows a clear "class bias," patting herself on the back for her work-life balance with barely a reference to her nanny. In between mentions of Trump hotels and her fashion lines, she also suggests grocery shopping isn't that important and complains she was too busy for a massage during the 2016 campaign, Senior says. Trump also suggests women relieve stress through calligraphy or chess, reports Politico. Catherine Lucey at the AP considers this to be "earnest advice" from a serious businesswoman. But the book is "a strawberry milkshake of inspirational quotes" from others, says Senior, calling it "not really offensive so much as witlessly derivative." Jane Goodall is among those quoted (without her prior knowledge) and says she hopes Trump will carefully consider her advice on deciding "what kind of difference you want to make" since wildlife protections "have all been jeopardized" by her father's administration, per Mashable. Trump is "complicit" in that administration, adds Girls Who Code founder Reshmi Saujani, another individual who was not at all pleased to have been quoted, per CNET. (Ivana Trump is writing an "unfiltered" memoir.)

Captain Raymond “Jerry” Roberts, one of the last surviving Second World War codebreakers at Bletchley Park, has died at the age of 93 following a short illness. He was part of an elite team at the British listening post which helped crack the German Tunny system used by Hitler, Mussolini and other high ranking generals during the war. Capt Roberts joined the team of codebreakers in Buckinghamshire as a cryptographer and linguist in 1941, said a Bletchley Park spokeswoman. He was one of four founder members of the Testery, an elite unit named after the man leading it, Ralph Tester, which cracked the Tunny code making it possible to read Hitler's messages during the war. The team managed to reverse engineer the Tunny, which had 12 encryption wheels to the Enigma machine's three, described by Bletchley Park as "an incredible feat of dedication". The spokeswoman said: "Jerry came to Bletchley Park straight from university but they were all in unchartered territory. It was new ground for everybody." The intelligence gathered at Bletchley Park is credited with providing strategic information that was passing between top-level enemy commanders. It is believed to have shortened the war by two years and helped save millions of lives. The spokeswoman said: "In the last six years of his life he campaigned absolutely tirelessly for awareness and the achievements made at Bletchley Park. "During the war, people in one room did not know what people were doing in the next room, never mind another department. It's still a jigsaw puzzle even now." Describing Capt Roberts as "lovely" and "absolutely charming", she said: "He was passionate about what he and his colleagues achieved. "He did not want to blow his own trumpet but to have the work of his colleagues recognised." Reminiscing years after the war, when he was finally free to talk about his work, Capt Roberts said he had taken delight in reading Hitler's messages, sometimes even before the German leader. In a BBC interview last year, he described the intelligence the team had gathered as "gold dust" because it was “top level stuff” that referred to the movement of entire armies. The stream of intelligence from his unit at Bletchley Park proved vital in the Allied D-Day invasion and helped save many lives. "We were breaking 90 per cent of the German traffic through '41 to '45",” Capt Roberts said. "We worked for three years on Tunny material and were breaking - at a conservative estimate - just under 64,000 top-line messages." He added it had been "an exciting time" whenever the team "started getting a break on a message and seeing it through". Capt Roberts later received an MBE in recognition of his service and he became a tireless ambassador for the memory of those who had served this country in secret during the war. He spent years campaigning for greater acknowledgement of his colleagues, including Alan Turing, who broke the naval Enigma code. Capt Robert also called for the entire Testery group to be honoured, including Bill Tutte, who broke the Tunny system, and Tommy Flowers, who designed and built the Colossus, which sped up some stages of the breaking of Tunny traffic. Capt Roberts said the work done at Bletchley Park had been "unique" and was unlikely to happen again. He said: "It was a war where we knew comprehensively what the other side were doing, and that was thanks to Alan Turing, who basically saved the country by breaking Enigma in 1941." Capt Roberts, of Liphook, Hampshire, worked at Bletchley Park until the end of the war before spending two years at the War Crimes Investigation Unit, and then moving on to a 50-year career in marketing and research. ||||| Media caption Raymond "Jerry" Roberts spoke to the BBC in 2010 about cracking the Tunny code Raymond "Jerry" Roberts - one of the last of a top World War Two codebreaking team at Bletchley Park - has died, aged 93, following a short illness. Capt Roberts, from Liphook, Hampshire, was part of a group that cracked the German High Command's Tunny code at the British codebreaking centre. Their decrypts made it possible to read Hitler's own messages during the war. The team is credited with helping to shorten the war by at least two years. Hitler's top generals Capt Roberts joined Bletchley Park, in Buckinghamshire, as a German linguist and was among four founder members of the Testery section - named after its head Ralph Tester. Their target was to crack a system known as Tunny, which carried the messages of Hitler's top generals and even the Fuhrer himself. The system used four times as many encryption wheels as the famous Enigma machine - which carried military communications. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Bletchley Park, where the Tunny code was deciphered Reminiscing years after WW2 - when he could finally talk about his work - Capt Roberts said he had taken delight in reading Hitler's messages, sometimes even before the intended recipient. He described the intelligence the team had gathered as "gold dust" in a 2013 BBC interview. Image copyright AP Image caption The intelligence gathered at Bletchley Park proved key to the D-Day landings It was "top-level stuff" referring to the movement of entire armies, he said. This stream of intelligence proved vital in the Allied D-Day invasion and helped save many lives. 'Exciting time' "We were breaking 90% of the German traffic through '41 to '45", Capt Roberts recalled in one interview. "We worked for three years on Tunny material and were breaking - at a conservative estimate - just under 64,000 top-line messages." He added it had been "an exciting time" whenever the team "started getting a break on a message and seeing it through". Image copyright Science Photo Library Image caption Capt Roberts campaigned for further recognition of his colleagues – including Enigma codebreaker Alan Turing (above) Capt Roberts later received an MBE and became a tireless ambassador for the memory of those who had served in secret. He spent years campaigning for greater acknowledgement of his colleagues, including Alan Turing, who broke the naval Enigma code. 'Unique time' And he argued the Testery group as a whole should he honoured for its work - including Bill Tutte, who broke the Tunny system, and Tommy Flowers, who designed and built the Colossus - which sped up some stages of the breaking of Tunny traffic. Capt Roberts said the work done at Bletchley Park had been "unique" and was unlikely to happen again. He said: "It was a war where we knew comprehensively what the other side were doing, and that was thanks to Alan Turing, who basically saved the country by breaking Enigma in 1941." Capt Roberts worked at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, until the end of the war before spending two years at the War Crimes Investigation Unit, and then moving on to a 50-year career in marketing and research.

– Britain has lost one of its last World War II code breakers, credited with shortening the war by at least two years and saving millions of lives. Raymond "Jerry" Roberts—who died at 93 after a short illness—served as a German linguist and cryptographer at Britain's premier decryption establishment, Bletchley Park, in 1941 when he and three others were tasked with cracking Germany's "Tunny" code system. What the team eventually uncovered Roberts dubbed "gold dust": messages describing the movement of entire armies, including some signed by Adolf Hitler himself, the BBC reports. "We were breaking 90% of the German traffic through '41 to '45," Roberts once said. "We worked for three years on Tunny material and were breaking—at a conservative estimate —just under 64,000 top-line messages." After the war, Roberts spent two years at the War Crimes Investigation Unit, then 50 years in marketing and research. In his later years, he became a tireless advocate for those who had served the war effort in secret and for his code-breaking colleagues. He was "lovely" and "absolutely charming," a Bletchley Park rep told the Telegraph. "He did not want to blow his own trumpet but to have the work of his colleagues recognized."

Researchers claim to have captured an image that shows how dolphins perceive the world around them using echolocation. Jack Kassewitz, founder of the Speak Dolphin research organization, created a complicated process to replicate the reflected pulses of sound. "When a dolphin scans an object with its high-frequency sound beam, each short click captures a still image, similar to a camera taking photographs," Kassewitz said in a press release announcing the findings. Related: Dolphin Brain Scan Reveals Surprising Similarity to Bats Echolocation sounds from dolphins observing several objects were recorded and analyzed — a tricky process, since the sounds form not just a flat picture but one with depth information, perhaps almost holographic. The image above shows a 2-D representation of the view a dolphin had of a trainer nearby in a tank — but the original data, captured with a device called a CymaScope, was printed in 3-D as well. "Seeing the 3-D print of a human being left us all speechless," Kassewitz said. "For the first time ever, we may be holding in our hands a glimpse into what cetaceans see with sound." The researchers also suggest that these sound-based images might be intelligible to other dolphins, implying a "sono-pictorial language." Work is underway to study this possibility. ||||| Found up and down the North American coastlines, these marine mammals spend half of their lives swimming. Although they can reach up to six feet in length and weigh around 180 pounds, when on land and in plain sight harbor seals may not be easy to spot. Their spotted brown or tan fur allows harbor seals to blend in with sand and rocks. Unlike their very vocal relatives -- sea lions and elephant seals -- harbor seals are quiet creatures that make little noise. They like to hang out on beaches, sand bars and rocks during low tide to bask in the sun and sleep, but they never go far from the water. At the slightest sign of danger, they will quickly slip back under the waves. These expert swimmers have been known to plunge to depths of more than 1,600 feet and stay underwater up to 28 minutes. Manatees, also known as sea cows, are gentle herbivores that live in marshy areas in tropical and subtropical waters. The average adult manatee can weigh up 1,200 pounds and is around 10 feet long. Because of their slow metabolism, these animals can only survive in warm waters. Due to the unusually long, cold winter this year in part of the southeastern United States, populations of manatees throughout Florida were devastated. During the day, manatees usually like to stay close to the surface. At night, manatees will often sleep about three to 10 feet below sea level. This is why these gentle animals are so often accidentally injured, maimed or killed by passing boats. Immediately recognizable by its long tusks and whiskers, the sea walrus is a hefty, flippered member of the Odobenidae family and is, in fact, the last living member of this group. Since both the males and females have big tusks and not much for teeth, the animals feed by sucking up shellfish from the ocean floor. So, just what are those tusks for? The longer they are (they grow to be up to four feet long in males), the higher an animal is ranked in the group. Males attack each other with their tusks to establish dominance. The ivory appendages are also handy for poking holes in the winter ice and for helping the animals pull themselves out of the water. This member of the weasel family is also the smallest marine mammal, with females weighing about 60 pounds and males weighing up to 90 pounds. They may be small, but they're also clever. They're the only marine mammals known to use tools. They use stones to break open clams and store food they gather in the folds of their armpits! Another feature that sets them apart is their lack of blubber. These marine mammals depend mostly on their fur to stay warm. That feature makes them particularly vulnerable to oil spills, which can compromise their fur's insulating effect. While polar bears live mostly on land or ice, they are excellent swimmers and have been known to swim up to 45 miles a day. The massive animals, weighing up to 1,500 pounds, hunt mostly seals. In recent years, biologists have observed that the bears are swimming now more than ever as melting stretches the distances between Arctic ice flows. Because they depend on sea ice to hunt seals, the polar bear is considered threatened as global warming melts and thins ice in this region. What makes them "marine" depends on the animal. They either live mostly in the sea or, like polar bears, depend on the ocean for food. The largest in the group are whales -- including humpback whales. These massive animals reach up to 50 feet in length and weigh up to 79,000 pounds. To maintain their weight, the animals feed on tons of krill and fish. They neared extinction due to whaling, but have recovered somewhat since a 1966 moratorium on whaling was introduced. Originally designed to live on land, marine mammals are a diverse, charismatic group of animals that include more than 120 species. The animals share key characteristics of land mammals. They have hair, breathe air, give birth to live young, which feed off mother's milk when young. They have warm bodies and usually thick blubber to keep their body temperatures high. The bottlenose dolphin is probably the most widely recognized marine mammal, easily spotted just offshore from beaches around the world. Small groups of 20 or less can live in close proximity to shorelines, but groups living more offshore can reach several hundred. Bottlenose dolphin calves stay with their mothers for up to six years, learning how to hunt and become good dolphin citizens. Full-grown dolphins reach eight to 12 feet in length and can weigh up to 1,430 pounds. The bottlenose dolphin is protected in U.S. waters. Original CymaScope image of how a dolphin saw a submerged man (left) and the computer enhanced version of the same image (right). In a scientific first, researchers have just reproduced what a dolphin saw as it encountered a male diver. This “what the dolphin saw” image of the submerged man reveals that dolphin echolocation results in fairly detailed images. What’s more, it’s now thought that dolphins may share such images with each other as part of a previously unknown marine mammal language. Creatures that Live on Dolphins and Whales: Photos Research team leader Jack Kassewitz of SpeakDolphin.com said in a press release that “our recent success has left us all speechless. We now think it is safe to speculate that dolphins may employ a ‘sono-pictorial’ form of language, a language of pictures that they share with each other. If that proves to be true an exciting future lies ahead for inter species communications.” For the research, which took place at the Dolphin Discovery Center in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico, Kassewitz had colleague Jim McDonough submerge himself in front of the female dolphin “Amaya” in a research pool at the center. To avoid bubbles from a breathing apparatus (which might have hurt the later recreation of the image), McDonough wore a weight belt and exhaled most of the air in his lungs to overcome his natural buoyancy before positioning himself against a shelf in the pool. As Amaya directed her echolocation beam to McDonough, high specification audio equipment was used to record the signal. Team members Alex Green and Toni Saul handled that part of the project. Photos: Mammals of the Sea Green and Saul then sent the recording to the CymaScope laboratory in the U.K., where yet another colleague, acoustic physics research John Stuart Reid, imprinted the signal onto a water membrane and then computer enhanced the resulting image. “The ability of the CymaScope to capture what-the-dolphin-saw images relates to the quasi-holographic properties of sound and its relationship with water, which will be described in a forthcoming science paper on this subject,” Reid explained. His fellow teammates thought they had captured an echolocation image of McDonough’s face, so that was what Reid was expecting to see. Instead, as he told Kassewitz in a note at the time, the signal translated to “what appears to be the fuzzy silhouette of almost a full man. No face.” Dolphins Name Themselves As it turns out, Amaya had been echolocating on McDonough from several feet away before she came in closer, so the researchers captured one of those farther away signals. Kassewitz said, “Having demonstrated that the CymaScope can capture what-the-dolphin-saw images, our research infers that dolphins can at least see the full silhouette of an object with their echolocation sound sense, but the fact that we can just make out the weight belt worn by Jim in our what-the-dolphin-saw image suggests that dolphins can see surface features too.” It could be that dolphin echolocation signals result in much clearer, more detailed mental images, and that it’s our technology that isn’t yet fully attuned to what the marine mammals are precisely seeing. As Kassewitz said, “The dolphin has had around fifty million years to evolve its echolocation sense, whereas marine biologists have studied the physiology of cetaceans for only around five decades, and I have worked with John Stuart Reid for barely five years.”

– Great news for anyone who's ever wanted to know what it's like to be a dolphin. Researchers have figured out how to see what dolphins "see" when they use echolocation, printing 2D and 3D images of a number of objects—including a human, NBC News reports. "Seeing the 3D print of a human being left us all speechless," Jack Kassewitz, lead researcher and founder of SpeakDolphin.com, says in a press release. "For the first time ever, we may be holding in our hands a glimpse into what cetaceans see with sound." Researchers were spurred to create the images after realizing dolphins listening to recordings of echolocation could figure out what object was being pinged with 92% accuracy. Researchers used a piece of equipment called a CymaScope—which "imprints sonic vibrations on the surface of ultra pure water"—to create images out of echolocation recordings, according to the press release. “When a dolphin scans an object with its high frequency sound beam, each short click captures a still image, similar to a camera taking photographs," says John Reid, inventor of the CymaScope. While the images created are mostly silhouettes, researchers believe it's possible dolphins' brains can create more detailed images out of echolocation than current human technology can reveal, Discovery reports. They also hypothesize dolphins can share echolocation images with each other through some sort of "sono-pictorial language." (Porpoises use sound like a flashlight.)

(CNN) In a controversial move, the Commerce Department announced Monday that the question of citizenship will again be included in the 2020 Census. The move comes at the request of the Justice Department, first made in the early days of the administration, saying it was needed to better enforce the Voting Rights Act. President Donald Trump's re-election campaign endorsed the idea in an email to supporters last week. "The President wants the 2020 United States Census to ask people whether or not they are citizens. In another era, this would be COMMON SENSE... but 19 attorneys general said they will fight the President if he dares to ask people if they are citizens. The President wants to know if you're on his side," the email said. Census data is used to determine where federal funds are spent and how congressional districts are drawn, among other uses. The Census is intended to count the entire population, not just US citizens. Read More ||||| The size of your child’s kindergarten class. Homeland security funds for your community. Natural disaster preparation. Highway and mass transit resources. Health care and emergency room services. Vital services such as these would be jeopardized and our voice in government diminished if the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 count resulted in an undercount. Beyond its constitutional role in redistricting, a proper count conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau shapes our everyday lives. If the bureau is ill-prepared for the job or a count is faulty, every state, every neighborhood, faces the risk of losing its fair share of federal funding for its people and its taxpayers. Every 10 years, the bureau must count each person in our country — whether citizen or noncitizen — “once, only once, and in the right place.” The Trump administration is threatening to derail the integrity of the census by seeking to add a question relating to citizenship to the 2020 census questionnaire. Innocuous at first blush, its effect would be truly insidious. It would discourage noncitizens and their citizen family members from responding to the census, resulting in a less accurate population count. Including a citizenship question on the 2020 census is not just a bad idea — it is illegal. The Constitution requires the government to conduct an “actual enumeration” of the total population, regardless of citizenship status. And since 1790, the census has counted citizens and noncitizens alike. The census has a specific constitutional purpose: to provide an accurate count of all residents, which then allows for proper allotment of congressional representatives to the states. The Census Bureau has a long history of working to ensure the most accurate count of the U.S. population in a nonpartisan manner, based on scientific principles. Since the last census in 2010, the public servants at the Census Bureau have been planning and fine-tuning the 2020 census. This work includes painstaking determinations of which questions to ask on the census and how to ask them. In December, the U.S. Department of Justice formally asked the bureau to include a question on citizenship in the 2020 census. By March 31, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross must decide whether to add this question. This request is an extraordinary attempt by the Trump administration to hijack the 2020 census for political purposes. Since the first day of his presidential campaign and through his first year in office, President Trump has targeted immigrants: vilifying them and attempting to exclude them from the country. Think travel bans, repeal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, ramped up Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that tear parents away from their children. Immigrants and their loved ones understandably are, and will be, concerned about how data collected in the 2020 Census will be used. California, with its large immigrant communities, would be disproportionately harmed by depressed participation in the 2020 census. An undercount would threaten at least one of California’s seats in the House of Representatives (and, by extension, an elector in the electoral college.) It would deprive California and its cities and counties of their fair share of billions of dollars in federal funds. These concerns are real and they are bipartisan. The past four census directors, who served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, have all publicly voiced opposition to a citizenship question based on the certain consequence of an undercount. These concerns affect red states and blue states alike. The politicization of the 2020 census must stop now. By the end of the week, the bureau will announce its final list of census questions. Secretary Ross should uphold the government’s constitutional duty to count all people in every part of the country — and reject the Justice Department’s dangerous call to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. March 27, 2018, 2:45 AM GMT / Updated March 27, 2018, 4:02 AM GMT By Associated Press and Richie Duchon WASHINGTON — The Commerce Department said Monday that the 2020 U.S. Census would include a question about citizenship status. The Commerce Department said in a statement that the citizenship data would help the Justice Department enforce the Voting Rights Act, which protects minority voting rights. Opponents have said the question will discourage immigrants from responding to the census. A coalition of state attorneys general urged the Commerce Department last month not to add such a question, saying it could lower participation among immigrants and cause a population undercount. The decennial census helps determine political representation in Congress, federal funding of programs and other matters. The Commerce Department said that from 1820 to 1950, almost every decennial census asked a question on citizenship in some form. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a tweet that he would sue to challenge the legality of the move. "Including the question is not just a bad idea — it is illegal," Becerra said. In an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle, Becerra and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said the decision seems "innocuous at first blush" but would dissuade non-citizens living in the United States from participating and would result in an inaccurate population count. The officials argued that an undercount of the population would disproportionately affect states with high immigrant populations, like California, depriving them of adequate money for public safety, health, transit and other resources. "This request is an extraordinary attempt by the Trump administration to hijack the 2020 census for political purposes," Becerra and Padilla wrote in their op-ed.

– Advocates say the change is simple common sense—but critics say it doesn't make a lot of sense to hold a census that won't accurately count the population. The Commerce Department has confirmed that the 2020 census will include a question about citizenship, a move that opponents warn will cause undocumented immigrants not to fill in the form, leading to a major undercount in states including Texas and California, NBC reports. The Commerce Department says the question is nothing new, noting that there was a question about citizenship on every decennial census from 1820 to 1950. The census—which is meant to count the entire population, citizens or not—is used to determine federal funding levels and representation in Congress, among other things. "The President wants the 2020 United States Census to ask people whether or not they are citizens," the Trump campaign said in email to supporters last week, per CNN. "In another era, this would be COMMON SENSE... but 19 attorneys general said they will fight the President if he dares to ask people if they are citizens." The attorneys general in opposition include California's Xavier Becerra. In an op-ed at the San Francisco Chronicle, he writes that the move "would discourage noncitizens and their citizen family members from responding to the census, resulting in a less accurate population count." This would not only reduce funding for public services, it would violate the Constitution's requirement for an "actual enumeration" of the population, he writes.

Cannabinoid ligands regulate bone mass, but skeletal effects of cannabis (marijuana and hashish) have not been reported. Bone fractures are highly prevalent, involving prolonged immobilization and discomfort. Here we report that the major non-psychoactive cannabis constituent, cannabidiol (CBD), enhances the biomechanical properties of healing rat mid-femoral fractures. The maximal load and work-to-failure, but not the stiffness, of femurs from rats given a mixture of CBD and Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for 8 weeks were markedly increased by CBD. This effect is not shared by THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis), but THC potentiates the CBD stimulated work-to-failure at 6 weeks postfracture followed by attenuation of the CBD effect at 8 weeks. Using micro-computed tomography (μCT), the fracture callus size was transiently reduced by either CBD or THC 4 weeks after fracture but reached control level after 6 and 8 weeks. The callus material density was unaffected by CBD and/or THC. By contrast, CBD stimulated mRNA expression of Plod1 in primary osteoblast cultures, encoding an enzyme that catalyzes lysine hydroxylation, which is in turn involved in collagen crosslinking and stabilization. Using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy we confirmed the increase in collagen crosslink ratio by CBD, which is likely to contribute to the improved biomechanical properties of the fracture callus. Taken together, these data show that CBD leads to improvement in fracture healing and demonstrate the critical mechanical role of collagen crosslinking enzymes. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. ||||| Cannabis -- marijuana, hashish -- was used as a go-to medical remedy by societies around the world for centuries. But the therapeutic use of marijuana was banned in most countries in the 1930s and '40s due to a growing awareness of the dangers of addiction. The significant medical benefits of marijuana in alleviating symptoms of such diseases as Parkinson's, cancer, and multiple sclerosis have only recently been reinvestigated. A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research by Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University researchers explores another promising new medical application for marijuana. According to the research, the administration of the non-psychotropic component cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) significantly helps heal bone fractures. The study, conducted on rats with mid-femoral fractures, found that CBD -- even when isolated from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive component of cannabis -- markedly enhanced the healing process of the femora after just eight weeks. The research was led jointly by Dr. Yankel Gabet of the Bone Research Laboratory at the Department of Anatomy and Anthropology at TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the late Prof. Itai Bab of Hebrew University's Bone Laboratory. Undeniable clinical potential The same team, in earlier research, discovered that cannabinoid receptors within our bodies stimulated bone formation and inhibited bone loss. This paves the way for the future use of cannabinoid drugs to combat osteoporosis and other bone-related diseases. "The clinical potential of cannabinoid-related compounds is simply undeniable at this point," said Dr. Gabet. "While there is still a lot of work to be done to develop appropriate therapies, it is clear that it is possible to detach a clinical therapy objective from the psychoactivity of cannabis. CBD, the principal agent in our study, is primarily anti-inflammatory and has no psychoactivity." According to Dr. Gabet, our bodies are equipped with a cannabinoid system, which regulates both vital and non-vital systems. "We only respond to cannabis because we are built with intrinsic compounds and receptors that can also be activated by compounds in the cannabis plant," he said. The researchers found that the skeleton itself is regulated by cannabinoids. Even the addition of a non-psychogenic compound acting outside of the brain can affect the skeleton. Separating the components out "We found that CBD alone makes bones stronger during healing, enhancing the maturation of the collagenous matrix, which provides the basis for new mineralization of bone tissue," said Dr. Gabet. "After being treated with CBD, the healed bone will be harder to break in the future." The researchers injected one group of rats with CBD alone and another with a combination of CBD and THC. After evaluating the administration of THC and CBD together in the rats, they found CBD alone provided the necessary therapeutic stimulus. "We found CBD alone to be sufficiently effective in enhancing fracture healing," said Dr. Gabet. "Other studies have also shown CBD to be a safe agent, which leads us to believe we should continue this line of study in clinical trials to assess its usefulness in improving human fracture healing." ### American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israel's most influential, most comprehensive, and most sought-after center of higher learning, Tel Aviv University (TAU). US News & World Report's Best Global Universities Rankings rate TAU as #148 in the world, and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings rank TAU Israel's top university. It is one of a handful of elite international universities rated as the best producers of successful startups, and TAU alumni rank #9 in the world for the amount of venture capital they attract. A leader in the pan-disciplinary approach to education, TAU is internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship -- attracting world-class faculty and consistently producing cutting-edge work with profound implications for the future. ||||| Break a bone? Your doctor may soon provide you with an unexpected prescription – marijuana. Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that a component of marijuana “significantly helps heal bone fractures,” university officials announced Thursday. The study, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, found that the non-psychotropic cannabidiol, or CBD, considerably sped up the healing process of rats’ broken leg bones. Those benefits were also present, even when the molecule was separated from THC, the major psychoactive component of cannabis. Get The Start-Up Israel's Daily Start-Up by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up Dr. Yankel Gabet of Tel Aviv’s Bone Research Laboratory and the late Prof. Itai Bab of Hebrew University’s Bone Laboratory discovered the connection between our bodies’ cannabinoid receptors and the stimulation of bone growth, which may be used for future research into the use of marijuana to treat not only broken bones but also osteoporosis and other skeletal diseases. “The clinical potential of cannabinoid-related compounds is simply undeniable at this point,” Gabet said. “While there is still a lot of work to be done to develop appropriate therapies, it is clear that it is possible to detach a clinical therapy objective from the psychoactivity of cannabis. CBD, the principal agent in our study, is primarily anti-inflammatory and has no psychoactivity.” To test which molecule is responsible for the enhanced bone growth, the researchers divided the test subjects and injected one group with just CBD and the other with both CBD and THC. “We found CBD alone to be sufficiently effective in enhancing fracture healing,” Gabet said. “Other studies have also shown CBD to be a safe agent, which leads us to believe we should continue this line of study in clinical trials to assess its usefulness in improving human fracture healing.” Not only does marijuana encourage the healing process, it also prevents future injury, researchers found. “After being treated with CBD, the healed bone will be harder to break in the future,” Gabet explained. Medicinal marijuana is currently used to reduce some of the adverse effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients, improve the appetites of AIDS patients and generally as a treatment for chronic pain, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Recently, however, researchers have been investigating the use of medicinal cannabis as a treatment for Parkinson’s Disease, multiple sclerosis and some forms of cancer.

– There's a new and very promising use for marijuana, or at least a compound found in it. Researchers discovered that cannabidiol (CBD) worked wonders for rats with broken limbs. When rats with mid-femoral fractures were given CBD, the healing process was "markedly enhanced" within just eight weeks, according to the Israeli researchers, whose work is published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The researchers say the healing properties of CBD remained even when the non-psychotropic compound was separated from THC, the component that gets people high, the Times of Israel reports. And the treatment did more than just mend bones: The compound made bones stronger during healing (scientifically, CBD enhanced "the maturation of the collagenous matrix, which provides the basis for new mineralization of bone tissue"). That means the limb "will be harder to break in the future," the researchers say in a press release. "The clinical potential of cannabinoid-related compounds is simply undeniable at this point," lead researcher Dr. Yankel Gabet says. "While there is still a lot of work to be done to develop appropriate therapies, it is clear that it is possible to detach a clinical therapy objective from the psychoactivity of cannabis." (In other marijuana news, pot smokers hit a surprising change at 21.)

GoFundMe has verified that the funds raised will go directly to the intended recipient. What does verified mean? ||||| WICHITA, Kan. - UPDATE: A moment of silence came Monday night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium before a game as players continue to pay their respects to 9-year-old Kaiser Carlile. It was just one of many tributes paid to the little boy since his death was announced Sunday. Probably the most emotional came from the players Kaiser spent so much time with. Kaiser's relationship with the team came through in the tears and laughter of the Bee Jays' stories. Over and over they all said one thing, Kaiser was a teammate, not just a bat boy, and he was family. They described a happy boy who always had a smile and loved baseball but never forgot it was just a game. "No matter how the game's going, if we're getting beat 10 to nothing, we look at Kaiser and he's got a smile on his face. How can you not smile?" said Adam Anderson. The love the members of the Liberal Bee Jays felt for their bat boy shone through the sheen of tears in their eyes and the laughter as they remembered him. "He was so much fun to be around. no matter how well I would do in any game, he would say, 'You could do better,'" smiled player Gavin Wehby. "Or, "That sucked. you could do better.'" They talked about how he kept them going even when games were bad with bright smiles and high fives as well as bats. And they choked up when they thought about moving on without him. "How much he's touched me in the short amount of time I've known him," said player Brady Cox. "I can't imagine what the family's going through." Kaiser Carlile died from injuries after getting hit in the head with a practice swing. But his family doesn't hold the team or any of its members responsible, saying everyone did everything they could to keep Kaiser safe. "We can't pinpoint any one individual," said Chad Carlile, Kaiser's father. "I mean, we're all going through this. And all of us need our prayers. And me myself personally, I just feel bad for the team." Carlile spoke unexpectedly, after hearing how much the team loved his son. "Really love," he said. "It's all about the love that he had for everybody." The Bee Jays also thanked you for all the support they've gotten throughout this difficult time. The team created a Go Fund Me page to assist Kaiser's family with medical expenses and funeral needs. http://www.gofundme.com/4m6pwmm88g. The family says any extra money leftover from donations for Kaiser's medical bills will go toward a youth sports program, to be determined, in his memory. The NBC tournament plans to continue honoring Kaiser as the tournament moves on. Monday night they announced the "KC" letters will remain on the manual scoreboard marquee throughout the tournament. In addition, two heart shaped "KC" signs have been placed on backstop near both dugouts. Starting Monday, they're also holding a moment of silence before feature games. And during the 2nd inning, the inning when Kaiser was injured,the only noise coming from the PA system will be hitter names. There will be no music and no promotions. The National Baseball Congress will honor Kaiser's family before the Bee Jays 6pm game on Tuesday night. City of Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell will speak to the family. City flags will also be lowered to half staff They've started handing out baby blue ribbons to fans to support Kaiser's family. Many fans make donations when receiving the ribbons. And on Tuesday organizers plan to give out Kaiser Carlile player cards, asking fans to make a donation.A moment of silence came Monday night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium before a game as players continue to pay their respects to 9-year-old Kaiser Carlile. It was just one of many tributes paid to the little boy since his death was announced Sunday. Probably the most emotional came from the players Kaiser spent so much time with. Kaiser's relationship with the team came through in the tears and laughter of the Bee Jays' stories. Over and over they all said one thing, Kaiser was a teammate, not just a bat boy, and he was family. They described a happy boy who always had a smile and loved baseball but never forgot it was just a game. "No matter how the game's going, if we're getting beat 10 to nothing, we look at Kaiser and he's got a smile on his face. How can you not smile?" said Adam Anderson. The love the members of the Liberal Bee Jays felt for their bat boy shone through the sheen of tears in their eyes and the laughter as they remembered him. "He was so much fun to be around. no matter how well I would do in any game, he would say, 'You could do better,'" smiled player Gavin Wehby. "Or, "That sucked. you could do better.'" They talked about how he kept them going even when games were bad with bright smiles and high fives as well as bats. And they choked up when they thought about moving on without him. "How much he's touched me in the short amount of time I've known him," said player Brady Cox. "I can't imagine what the family's going through." Kaiser Carlile died from injuries after getting hit in the head with a practice swing. But his family doesn't hold the team or any of its members responsible, saying everyone did everything they could to keep Kaiser safe. "We can't pinpoint any one individual," said Chad Carlile, Kaiser's father. "I mean, we're all going through this. And all of us need our prayers. And me myself personally, I just feel bad for the team." Carlile spoke unexpectedly, after hearing how much the team loved his son. "Really love," he said. "It's all about the love that he had for everybody." The Bee Jays also thanked you for all the support they've gotten throughout this difficult time. The family says any extra money leftover from donations for Kaiser's medical bills will go toward a youth sports program, to be determined, in his memory. The NBC tournament plans to continue honoring Kaiser as the tournament moves on. Monday night they announced the "KC" letters will remain on the manual scoreboard marquee throughout the tournament. In addition, two heart shaped "KC" signs have been placed on backstop near both dugouts. Starting Monday, they're also holding a moment of silence before feature games. And during the 2nd inning, the inning when Kaiser was injured,the only noise coming from the PA system will be hitter names. There will be no music and no promotions. The National Baseball Congress will honor Kaiser's family before the Bee Jays 6pm game on Tuesday night. City of Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell will speak to the family. City flags will also be lowered to half staff They've started handing out baby blue ribbons to fans to support Kaiser's family. Many fans make donations when receiving the ribbons. And on Tuesday organizers plan to give out Kaiser Carlile player cards, asking fans to make a donation. ---- The father of 9-year-old Kaiser Carlile says there is no anger about the tragedy that took his son's life this weekend. He's the boy who died after being accidentally struck by a bat this weekend. Kaiser's dad says his organs were donated to others. "It's good to know he'll keep bringing smiles to people's faces." Players and staff from the Liberal Bee Jays baseball team as well as the NBC Baseball Tournament hosted a press conference Monday afternoon to talk their memories of Kaiser. The head coach of the team says Kaiser's smile put smiles on everyone else's faces. Meanwhile, the NBC Tournament has suspended the use of bat boys and girls. Liberal is set to take the field again at 6:00 pm Tuesday at Lawrence DuMont Stadium. ---- The bat boy for the Liberal Bee Jays baseball team has died following injuries he suffered at the NBC World Series on Saturday. Kaiser Carlile, 9, was taken to Via Christi-St. Francis hospital with critical injuries after being hit by a bat during the game at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Witnesses say Kaiser was running to retrieve a bat on the ground near the on-deck batter, who didn't notice the boy and accidentally hit him on the head with a practice swing. Kaiser was wearing a helmet, as all bat boys do. "Right before he fell, the umpire and the base player both rushed up and caught him before he hit the ground," said witness Malachi Lingg. "They caught him and just set him on the crowd and they all clustered around him quickly. It was really silent. Everybody was quiet. I think they were all really sad because it was a really small boy." The team took a moment to gather in a circle and pray after the accident as the ambulance took Kaiser to the hospital. The National Baseball Congress released this statement: "The National Baseball Congress has experienced tragedy many times in 84 years, however, it’s difficult to remember a day that is darker than this one. On Sunday, we lost a member of our family and it will hurt for a very long time. With heavy hearts, we send our thoughts, prayers and condolences to the Carlile family and Bee Jays organization. Sometimes life doesn’t make sense and this accident certainly is a memorable example. Kaiser was simply doing something he loved. He was simply doing a job most kids across America dream of having for one night or multiple summers. That’s the part that makes us all wonder “why” and while it may never be answered, now is the time to support the city of Liberal, the BJ’s organization and Kaiser’s family. The NBC and the NBC World Series looks forward to honoring Kaiser in the near future. During this tragic and emotional time, may God bless Kaiser and his baseball family. " "I felt really bad I was praying for him, hope he's okay," Lingg said. "I just felt really bad for the (aunt). She was right there in the front row and she saw it all and she was right there on the field asking if he was okay, if he had a concussion." The team said umpire Mark Goldfeder immediately responded after the accident and tended to Kaiser until EMS crews arrived. The NBC Director said Goldfeder had EMS experience as an EMT in Florida and was able to knowledgeably help Kaiser. One woman said her misfortune on the day of the game may have been a blessing to help crews get to Kaiser quicker. She was suffering from heat exhaustion and said she was dizzy and pale causing staff members to call an ambulance to the stadium for her. She said while responders were treating her, they got the call about Kaiser and were already on site so they could rush to respond. The woman, Janice Van Dyke said, "Over their speakers came that a child was at the ball park and had been hit. The one lady that was working on me finished working on me while the other lady grabbed her defibrillator and her oxygen off the ambulance. It was a blessing I feel. They were here for me and I am fine but them being on the property made them be able to get to that boy sooner." Via social media, the Bee Jays issued a statement, asking for prayers for their bat boy and super fan, Kaiser. In a message on the team's Facebook page, Liberal Bee Jays president Nathan McCaffrey thanked Goldfeder and emergency crews for their efforts on behalf of the team. "We also appreciate everyone's love, support, thoughts and prayers during this time," McCaffrey said. Please continue to pray and keep Kaiser and his family in your thoughts. ...Please also keep the player, his family, and the rest of the team in your thoughts and prayers as everyone struggles to process and cope with this tragedy." On Sunday, Eyewitness News spoke with Kaiser's aunt who is watching over things in Liberal while the rest of the boy's family is with him at the hospital in Wichita. She says everyone she knows is praying for Kaiser. He's at the top of many thoughts at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium as the Bee Jays prepare to play again. Kaiser spent the summer working as a bat boy for the Bee Jays. His aunt says he loves sports of any kind. She described her nephew as happy go luck and intelligent. Kaiser started out being the Bee Jays bat boy once, just to see how it went. Now, he's become part of the team, riding the bus wit the players and coaches to their games. On Saturday afternoon, the team took a knee and lowered their heads in prayer after the ambulance left with Kaiser. As the NBC World Series goes on, players are keeping Kaiser in mind. They're asking fans to wear the letters, K-C, Kaiser's initials, to Sunday night's game, starting at 7 p.m. at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. ||||| How does one express the proper sentiment about a 9-year-old kid fighting for, and ultimately losing, his life? In the midst of this awfulness — Kaiser Carlile suffered severe head injuries after straying into the on-deck circle Saturday while a Bee Jays player was taking a practice swing in the second inning of an NBC World Series game — how does baseball matter? It doesn’t, really, except that it would matter to Kaiser, who died from his injuries Sunday at Via Christi-St. Francis. When the Bee Jays decided to continue Saturday’s game after a team meeting in the outfield, they did so because they concluded it’s what Kaiser would have wanted. It was cruel that the game dragged on to 13 innings, a marathon made only slightly better when the Bee Jays beat the San Diego Waves. And Liberal was back on the field Sunday night to play the Haysville Aviators. It’s probably good that the Bee Jays were playing Sunday. Too much time is too much time to think, and thinking about this terrible situation provides no clarity, no comfort. It was a terrible accident that happened in a flash. Thank goodness home plate umpire Mike Goldfeder happened to also be a paramedic — he was able to care for Kaiser on the field while EMS workers were en route. Kaiser’s parents arrived in Wichita on Saturday, Liberal general manager Mike Carlile said, and spent hours at their son’s bedside. They were at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium for Sunday night’s game, apparently after Kaiser had died. So were, Bee Jays radio play-by-play broadcaster Brock Kappelmann said, the parents of the Liberal player who accidentally struck Kaiser with his bat. It was comforting to hear a few Bee Jays fans talk about how they were also praying for the player, understanding that it could have been any of the Bee Jays swinging that bat in the on-deck circle.“I think we’ve all had lumps in our throats all day,” said Kappelmann, who has broadcast Liberal games since 1998. He was, of course, on the air when the bat struck Kaiser and did what any broadcaster would do. “I described what happened as best I could — but I was literally shaking,” Kappelmann said. “When the game started back, I think everybody was a bit hesitant. But when Easton (Johnson) hit a ground ball to short that scored a run, it kind of felt like a baseball game again.” It wasn’t until it ended, Kappelmann said, that emotion again engulfed the team. “This is a 9-year-old kid, small in stature, who just wanted to be one of the guys,” said Mike Carlile, whose father and uncle — Bob and Don — preceded him in the GM role all the way back to the formation of the team in 1955. Kaiser’s grandfather is Mike Carlile’s second cousin. “Kaiser can’t wait to get to the ballpark every day,” Carlile said. “Watching him interact with the guys on the team is comical. They kid each other, gig each other.… Kaiser and our head coach (Adam Anderson) were very tight. It was special. This is just a crappy deal.” Kappelmann said one of the highlights of a Bee Jays home game at Brent Gould Field this season — Kaiser’s first as bat boy — came when public address announcer Guy Rice introduced him. From the very first time, Kaiser received one of the best and loudest ovations. “The crowd would erupt,” Kappelmann said. “They just love him. He’s been a sparkplug for our team. And one of the players described to me on the post-game Saturday, Kaiser is the life of the team. He’s a fun-loving kid and every time we saw him he brought a smile to our faces.” National Baseball Congress general manager Kevin Jenks issued a statement, as did Liberal mayor Joe Denoyer. Haysville Aviators coach Gabe Grinder had the task of preparing his team to play against Liberal on Sunday, understanding how miniscule baseball now seems but also trying to move forward in the World Series. “We all feel for the family and the Liberal team for what they’re going through,” Grinder said. “Anytime a kid gets hurt like this, it puts everything into perspective. We had a chance to play at Liberal this summer and we got a chance to see their bat boy. That kid’s full of life and he loves doing what he does.” Just the other night, Kappelmann said, Kaiser was lugging around an equipment bag twice his size while Liberal’s players playfully mocked him and he giggled. “Such a big part of this team,” Kappelmann said. Everybody wanted a happy ending here. Everybody wanted to see Kaiser start the fourth grade at Sunflower Intermediate School later this month. Everybody wanted to see the bespectacled kid back in a Bee Jays uniform next summer, retrieving bats and mixing it up with players he idolized. But it didn’t happen. After Kaiser died, Liberal won its game 8-0. The Bee Jays won for Kaiser.

– A 9-year-old boy in Kansas died last night after being hit in the head with a baseball bat on Saturday afternoon while "doing something he loved." Kaiser Carlile was a bat boy for the amateur team the Liberal Bee Jays. He was retrieving a bat after an out when he "[strayed] into the on-deck circle" and was struck in the head by a player taking a practice swing, NBC News and the Wichita Eagle report. Kaiser was wearing a helmet at the time, and an umpire with EMS experience cared for the boy until first responders got to the scene. "Right before he fell, the umpire and the base player both rushed up and caught him before he hit the ground," a witness tells KWCH. "They all clustered around him quickly. It was really silent." The team announced his passing "with the permission of the family, and with much sorrow and a very broken heart" in a Facebook post made today just after midnight. The Bee Jays created a GoFundMe page to help offset expenses for Kaiser's family, and about $10,000 has been raised so far. In a statement, the National Baseball Congress wrote that while the NBC "has experienced tragedy many times in 84 years ... it’s difficult to remember a day that is darker than this one. Sometimes life doesn't make sense and this accident certainly is a memorable example. Kaiser was simply doing something he loved." Bob's Lutz's full column on the tragedy for the Eagle is worth a read.

Karamba Diaby makes his way through the historic heart of Halle with the speed of a seasoned politician: slowly. More than two decades of involvement in local politics means the 51-year-old immigrant can't go more than a few steps without being stopped for a chat. In this picture taken July 25, 2013, Karamba Diaby, a German Social Democratic Party, SPD, candidate waits prior an election campaign in Halle , central Germany, Thursday, July 25, 2013. He was born... (Associated Press) In this picture taken July 25, 2013, Karamba Diaby, a German Social Democratic Party, SPD, candidate smiles during an election campaign in Halle , central Germany, Thursday, July 25, 2013. He was born... (Associated Press) In this picture taken July 25, 2013, Karamba Diaby, a German Social Democratic Party candidate , SPD, second right, talks with people during an election campaign in Halle , central Germany, Thursday,... (Associated Press) In this picture taken July 25, 2013, Karamba Diaby, a German Social Democratic Party candidate talks with citizen Heidi Juergens during an election campaign in Halle , central Germany, Thursday, July... (Associated Press) In this picture taken July 25, 2013, Karamba Diaby, a German Social Democratic Party candidate, smiles during an election campaign in Halle , central Germany, Thursday, July 25, 2013. He was born in... (Associated Press) Two months before Germany's general elections each handshake and greeting carries added significance because Diaby is intent on becoming the country's first black member of Parliament. He listens patiently to his constituents and responds in fluent German with a strong Franco-African accent, courtesy of his Senegalese origins. Nationwide just 81 _ or about 4 percent _ of the candidates running for the roughly 600-member parliament in the Sept. 22 election have an immigrant background. It is the highest number yet but still far behind countries such as France and Britain. Most of the immigrant candidates belong to the Greens or the Social Democrats, while Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party has only six immigrants on its slate. Diaby's Social Democrats badly need candidates who will pull in enough votes to hold onto the three seats they won in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in 2009. Diaby has been placed third on the party list, making him one of the few immigrants with a strong chance of being elected. "I didn't throw my hat in the ring," he said, a touch apologetically. "I was asked by others." The decision to place him near the top of the ticket is all the more remarkable because, like other states in the former East Germany, Saxony-Anhalt has a reputation for being more hostile toward immigrants _ especially those from outside Europe _ than western parts of the country. While the trained chemist is reluctant to criticize his adopted home _ he moved to Halle in 1986 and gained German citizenship in 2001 _ Diaby nevertheless acknowledges that he was once physically attacked because of the color of his skin. Still, the father of two puts this down to the fact that under communist rule East Germans had limited exposure to immigrants and that time will change old habits. Another tradition he would like to see broken is that politicians from ethnic minorities are automatically pigeonholed as experts on immigration. "I want everyone to talk about immigration, not just immigrants," he said. Germany urgently needs immigrants to make up for the country's falling birthrate, though few politicians are prepared to campaign on the issue. Diaby's pet topic is education and how it can help people from all parts of society _ immigrants, the unemployed, school dropouts _ improve their lot. To make his point, Diaby cites the story of Anton Wilhelm Amo, a former slave who became the first West African to study and teach at a European university about 300 years ago. By coincidence, it was the University of Halle. As an example of the way black immigrants were treated in Germany, Amo's story remained unique for more than two centuries _ except for the racism he reportedly endured, and that prompted him to return to West Africa. That racism reached its horrendous peak with the Nazis' 12-year reign, which ended in 1945 with millions killed in death camps. Among them were many of Germany's small black community at the time, said Nkechi Madubuko, a Nigeria-born former athlete and TV presenter who has researched the history of Afro-Germans. The biggest influx of African immigrants to Germany occurred in the post-war period, when newly liberated countries in Africa sent their best and brightest abroad to study. Diaby was one of them, receiving a scholarship to study in East Germany at a time when communist rule was slowly unraveling. By 2005 there were about 200,000 people of African origin with full German citizenship, and about 303,000 more Africans with residency permits in Germany, said Madubuko. While Afro-Germans have become more visible in recent years as athletes, actors and journalists, none has broken into national politics. This reflects the general lack of minority representation in German political life. Although nearly one in five people in this nation of 80 million are first-, second- or third- generation immigrants, only a handful has made it into the federal legislature _ and most of them are ethnic Germans from eastern Europe. Three have a parent who was born in India, another is of Iranian origin, while several more belong to Germany's sizeable Turkish community. Vice Chancellor Philipp Roesler is an ethnic Vietnamese who was adopted by German parents before he was a year old. Ekin Deligoez, a member of the left-leaning Green Party whose family came to Germany from Turkey when she was a child, said immigrants were long discouraged from becoming involved in German politics by the country's restrictive citizenship rules and a general sense that they were not welcome. "Every step of the way immigrants get the signal that they don't belong here," she told The Associated Press. "A foreign name will get you worse results in school, turned down for jobs, and rejected by landlords." The period after 1990, when the unification of East and West Germany sparked a burst of nationalist sentiment, was particularly difficult, she said. But hostility remains today. "I'm pretty sure that some of the farmers in my Bavarian constituency still have a problem with me," she said. Germany's political parties are beginning to accept that they can be represented by immigrants, even in senior positions, because of changes in the law over a decade ago that made it easier for immigrants to adopt German citizenship. This made them interesting as potential voters, said Madubuko. "It's a whole new development for parties to actively court immigrants, rather than just use them for negative propaganda," she said. "So it would definitely be important for Afro-Germans if Mr. Diaby is elected." Putting down his distinctive African-patterned briefcase to exchange Facebook contacts with two university students, Diaby said he hopes that his candidacy alone will encourage other immigrants to consider entering politics. "The fact that I'd be first African-born lawmaker is not something I would want to dwell on," he said. "But a lot of eyes are on me and I hope they realize I'll be just one of over 600." ___ Frank Jordans can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter ||||| “They’re all coming here for the money.” The occasion was a routine meet-and-greet session involving pensioners from the suburb of Silberhöhe in the eastern city of Halle and their prospective Social Democrat MP as part of the gear-up towards Germany’s general election in September. There was nothing unusual about the meeting apart from one thing: the would-be MP was a black politician called Karamba Diaby. The 51-year-old was born in Senegal and aims to become Germany’s first black MP. For many in the room, it was the first time they had ever spoken to a black person. “I have to tell you that Germany has some of the toughest immigration laws in the world,” Mr Diaby told the pensioner who had voiced her anti-immigrant view. “What is more, eastern Germany is the area least visited by foreigners. They prefer to go to places like Canada, where there is a more welcoming culture.” That eastern Germany has a reputation for making foreigners unwelcome is something Mr Diaby has experience of. In 1992, he was attacked by a gang of far-right skinheads while walking the streets of Halle. Two years ago, he was inundated with hate mail and death threats after his photograph appeared on the front page of a right-wing newspaper. He insists that racism occurs everywhere and that since German reunification in 1990, Halle has made great progress in overcoming the problem. That said, the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party holds seats in the parliaments of two eastern federal states. The far right has created “no-go” areas for foreigners in some regions and Roland Berger, a renowned international business consultant, warned earlier this year that the predominance of the far right threatened to deter investment in east Germany. Trapped behind the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall for close on three decades, most east Germans’ experience of non-Europeans was minimal. Against this backdrop, Mr Diaby’s ascent from the position of ostracised black foreigner in communist East Germany to that of prospective MP for the region seems like material taken from a Hollywood film script. Yet his upbringing in Senegal was also a struggle of Herculean proportions. Mr Diaby was born in the small town of Marassoum in the country’s south-west. By the time he was seven he had lost both his parents. He was brought up instead by his older sister and her husband. At 13, he was sent to boarding school and four years later he gained a place at a Senegal Lycée, putting him on track for university in the capital, Dakar. It was at university that Mr Diaby became interested in politics. As a member of the student movement, he became friends with the country’s current president, Macky Sall. “We were both interested in changing things,” Mr Diaby recalls. But while Mr Sall went on to pursue a career in Senegalese politics, his friend applied for and won a coveted place to study in communist eastern Europe. “I was very grateful to the East Germans. I didn’t see the country as the oppressive place it was considered to be by the West,” he says. After spending nine months in Leipzig on a compulsory German language course, Mr Diaby was in 1986 awarded a place at Halle’s Martin Luther University, which at the time he had mistakenly assumed was named after the black American civil rights campaigner. “I wanted to go study at a university I thought was named after one of my heroes. It was Martin Luther King who brought me to Halle,” he admits with a smile. It was in Halle that he met his future German wife, Ute, who was studying agriculture. Mr Diaby studied chemistry and remained active in student politics as head of the International Student Committee. But then the Berlin Wall fell and the secure if not often monotonous world of communist East Germany suddenly fell apart. Like millions of others, Mr Diaby’s future was uncertain. But then Halle’s allotments came to the rescue. At the time, a western developer was convinced that most of Halle’s 12,911 allotments had been hopelessly polluted by the region’s chemical plants. He used his claims to argue that most of the allotments should be broken up for use as building land. Mr Diaby, the chemist, was told to go and find out whether the developer’s claims were true. “Like many students, I looked down on allotment holders. I thought they were all small minded and petit bourgeois. I couldn’t have been more wrong,” he says. “There were all kinds of different people, ranging from university professors, to policemen and train drivers. Many had lost their jobs since the fall of the Berlin Wall. They took an interest in me. At first, they made jokes about black men always wanting blonde girls, but I got to know them and they me.” Mr Diaby’s research showed that the allotments had suffered from air pollution but that the ground was largely uncontaminated. His conclusions saved thesmallholdings and since then Mr Diaby has not looked back. He joined the Social Democratic Party and in 2009 was elected to the city council. He is now so well known locally that it takes him half an hour to cross Halle’s main marketplace because so many people want to stop and talk to him. During the city’s severe flooding last month, when the River Saale reached its highest level for 400 years, Mr Diaby helped to fill sandbags with the rest of the population, taking time out from his job as integration adviser to the regional state government. His candidacy is a rare highlight in one of the Social Democrats’ worst election campaigns in recent history. Although Mr Diaby is likely to win a seat in the Bundestag, few give his party much chance of beating Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union. Mr Diaby’s latest election gimmick is to have persuaded a local brewery to produce Karamba Diaby beer mats. “Your Good Health – from Karamba Diaby” reads the accompanying slogan. “His chances of winning a seat must be good,” Marcus Schelgelmilch, his campaign manager, told The Independent yesterday. “The beer mats are disappearing like hot cakes. Now lots of other Halle breweries want them.” Merkel pledges no tax rises if she is elected Chancellor Angela Merkel would oppose tax rises of any kind if she is re-elected in September. “[For many voters the election is] about a stable euro, jobs – if possible for everyone, a strong economy for our country,” she said yesterday. “For that you need reliable conditions. That means tax rises are wrong. Of any kind.” While most pollsters expect Ms Merkel to win a third term in September, it is unclear if her Christian Democratic Union will be able to continue its centre-right alliance with the Free Democrats, who favour low taxes. She may have to seek a “grand coalition” with the the opposition Social Democrats. Tax policy could be one of the thorniest issues in any talks between the parties. Reuters

– It's tough to figure out what's more interesting: that Karamba Diaby hopes to become Germany's first black member of parliament, or the very fact that Germany has never had a black member of parliament. Either way, the 51-year-old immigrant from Senegal wants to make history in September's general election, reports AP. Diaby, a trained chemist, has lived in the country for more than two decades, is married to a German, and has two children, reports Der Spiegel in an earlier profile. He's running with the center-left Social Democrats, one of a relative handful of immigrants running for the 600-seat parliament. He's also trying not to make a fuss about his race. "It could be that some people have problems with the color of my skin," says Diaby, who has recounted getting roughed up by two young neo-Nazis in his home city of Halle some time ago. "But I hope I will be accepted because I am involved in many projects." Just two years ago, he received a slew of racist hate mail when a newspaper put him on its front page. And at one recent campaign event, many of those in attendance had never met a black person before him, reports the Independent. Still, Der Spiegel gives him a "very solid chance" of winning his seat come September 22. "The fact that I'd be first African-born lawmaker is not something I would want to dwell on," says the candidate. "But a lot of eyes are on me and I hope they realize I'll be just one of over 600."

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Newspaper publishers will now be able to set a limit on the number of free news articles people can read through Google, the company has announced. The concession follows claims from some media companies that the search engine is profiting from online news pages. Under the First Click Free programme, publishers can now prevent unrestricted access to subscription websites. Users who click on more than five articles in a day may be routed to payment or registration pages. "Previously, each click from a user would be treated as free," Google senior business product manager Josh Cohen said in a blog post . This may still be a significant moment in the battle between old and new media Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC technology correspondent Did Google just blink? "Now, we've updated the programme so that publishers can limit users to no more than five pages per day without registering or subscribing." Google users may start seeing registration pages appear when they click for a sixth time on any given day at websites of publishers using the programme, according to Mr Cohen. This will only affect websites that currently charge for content. 'Significant move' The announcement is seen as a reaction to concerns in the newspaper industry that Google is using newspaper content unfairly. Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and chief executive of Newscorp, has accused firms such as Google of profiting from journalism by generating advertising revenue by linking readers to newspaper articles. Some readers have discovered they can avoid paying subscription fees to newspaper websites by calling up their pages via Google. ANALYSIS Tim Weber, business editor, BBC News website The dispute between media groups and Google reflects the general confusion over how traditional media can make money on the internet. Every newspaper owner angry about Google's linking policy can use a simple remedy: add two lines of code to a file on your servers and Google will leave you alone. Deep down, most media owners realise that the old "publish it and they will come" principle does not work in an on-demand world. If Google would not link to their websites, the very same media groups would bitterly complain about Google's refusal to generate valuable online traffic. Unless you own premium content (from the Wall Street Journal at one end to porn at the other), making money from on-demand content means first and foremost that your audiences have to be able to find you. The problem: Nobody has quite figured out a business model for a world where consumers don't want their morning or evening news, but want the Now O'clock News - the "on-demand and to my taste" news. This is because Google searches frequently link directly to newspaper articles, bypassing some sites' subscription systems. Broadcasting and media consultant Steve Hewlett said that Google's response was "a pretty significant move". "Rupert Murdoch is trying to build a consensus that paying for content online is right and that aggregators like Google that use newspaper content but don't pay for it are doing something wrong," he said. Search for revenue Newspapers are increasingly looking for new ways to make money from their online content amid a continuing decline in circulation figures and advertising revenues. Earlier this week Johnston Press, the UK's largest regional newspaper publisher, announced plans to to begin charging for access to six of its titles online. The move follows a 42% slump in advertising revenues at the group over the last two years. Earlier this year, the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) cut 1,000 jobs at its regional arm Northcliffe Media, which publishes more than 100 newspapers in England and Wales. Newscorp, which owns the Times and the Sun newspapers in the UK, has also been affected by the downturn. In June, it announced losses of $3.4bn (£2bn) for the previous 12 months, describing the year as "the most difficult in recent history". It has also revealed plans to begin charging for access to all its online content. The corporation currently charges for access to its US title the Wall Street Journal. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable version ||||| LONDON (Reuters) - Google is offering news publishers a way to attract paying subscribers without having to remove their content from Google News search results, after some media companies accused it of profiting from their online news. The Web search giant said it would adapt its so-called First Click Free program to prompt online readers to register or subscribe to a news provider's site after reading five free articles from that publisher in a day. Previously, the user's first click on any article would be free for an unlimited number of articles, provided the user did not click through any more links from any article. Google said the update would allow publishers to focus on potential subscribers who were accessing a lot of their content on a regular basis. Google senior business product manager Josh Cohen said: "As newspapers consider charging for access to their online content, some publishers have asked: should we put up pay walls or keep our articles in Google news and Google search?" "In fact they can do both -- the two aren't mutually exclusive," he wrote on Google News's official blog (googlenewsblog.blogspot.com). Rupert Murdoch's News Corp had been reported to be considering removing its news from Google's web search results and to be talking to rival Microsoft search engine Bing about listing stories there instead. News Corp already limits online access to its Wall Street Journal newspaper to paying subscribers, and plans to do the same for its Times and Sunday Times newspapers in Britain. Many other news providers are also considering putting up paywalls around online content as a recession-led slump and structural changes in advertising mean they can no longer fund newsgathering operations from ad revenues. Google's relationship with publishers who put news behind paywalls is complicated by the fact its web crawlers need to access the content behind the paywall to index it and make it discoverable by its search engine. But its crawlers cannot fill in registration or subscription forms, leading to the potential for users to be shown different content from what the crawler sees, and hence encouraging users to click through to pages that are not what they expected. First Click Free is Google's way around that problem, known as cloaking. Google also offers free previews of articles that publishers give it -- typically a headline and the first few paragraphs of a story -- and labels them as "subscription" in Google News. It said on its blog post the ranking of such articles would be the same whether the articles were paid for or free. "Paid content may not do as well as free options, but that is not a decision we make based on whether or not it's free. It's simply based on the popularity of the content with users and other sites that link to it," Google said. Google said it would keep talking to publishers to refine its methods. (Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; Editing by Dan Lalor)

– In a bid to placate struggling media companies but keep content in search results, Google has offered publishers a program that limits users to five free articles a day. A user who clicks through from Google to the same news source more than five times a day would be automatically rerouted to a subscription or registration page, Reuters reports. "As newspapers consider charging for access to their online content, some publishers have asked: Should we put up pay walls or keep our articles in Google news and Google search?" a Google rep said. "In fact they can do both." The change to Google's First Click Free program—which allows readers to circumvent pay walls by clicking through from Google—will only be offered to news sources that already charge for content, BBC reports.

About 1 in 45 children in the United States has an autism spectrum disorder, according to a new government estimate of the condition's prevalence in 2014. This new report is based on data collected during the yearly National Health Interview Survey, from interviews of parents about their children, and is the first report of the prevalence of autism in the U.S. to include data from the years 2011 to 2014, according to the researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although the new estimate looks like a significant increase from the CDC's previous estimate — which put the autism spectrum disorder rate at 1 in 68 children — the previous estimate was made using data from a different CDC survey, called the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, which gathers information from children's medical records. This 1-in-68 estimate was reported in 2014, but was based on data collected during 2010. None of the interview surveys and monitoring methods that report increasing prevalence rates of autism in the U.S. looked at why these numbers seem to be rising. But one reason could be that awareness of the condition has increased among both parents and health care providers, which has likely led to more children with the condition being identified, said Robert Fitzgerald, an epidemiologist in psychiatry at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was not involved in the research. For example, in the past, some kids now considered to have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have been labeled as having an "intellectual disability," he said. There have also been recent changes in the diagnostic criteria and symptoms used to describe ASD. [Beyond Vaccines: 5 Things That Might Really Cause Autism] Another reason is that the stigma of having autism has decreased, Fitzgerald said. Previously, even doctors may not have wanted to give kids the label of "autism," leading children's medical records to reflect an underdiagnosis of actual cases. Now, there has been an increase in services and support for children who have ASD, so this may have resulted in a different mind-set, he said. For the new report, nearly 12,000 parents of children ages 3 to 17 from across the U.S. sat down with researchers for face-to-face interviews in 2014, and about 11,000 parents were interviewed each year from 2011 to 2013. The rate of autism in 2014 (1 in 45) was higher than the rate researchers found in 2011 to 2013, which was 1 in 80 children with ASD. However, in 2014, the researchers changed the way they collected the data, said the lead author of the new report, Benjamin Zablotsky, an epidemiologist in the Division of Health Interview Statistics at the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland. Therefore, much of what seems like an increase in ASD between 2011 and 2014 was actually a function of the way the interviewers asked the questions, Zablotsky said. In 2014, the researchers first asked parents whether a doctor or health professional ever told them that their child had an intellectual disability, also known as mental retardation. The second question was a stand-alone question about ASD: Parents were asked whether a health professional ever told them their child had autism, Asperger's disorder, pervasive developmental disorder or autism spectrum disorder. The final question asked whether a health professional had ever told parents their child had any other developmental delay. When interviewers questioned parents in 2011 through 2013, they asked the same first question about intellectual disability, but then their second question asked about other developmental delays. In the third question, parents were asked to look at a list of 10 conditions, including autism/ASD, and to indicate whether a health professional ever told them their child had one of these conditions. This approach — of including autism in a checklist instead of asking a specific question about it — might have resulted in the name of the condition sometimes getting lost in the shuffle, Zablotsky said. The revised approach was implemented in 2014 to better align with the wording used in other national surveys that estimate the prevalence of autism, and to include the specific terms that parents may have heard health care professionals use when making a diagnosis, Zablotsky said. Also, putting the autism question second, before the question about other developmental delays, resulted in the 2014 data showing a higher prevalence rate for ASD, and a lower prevalence rate for other developmental delays. The opposite seemed to occur in 2011 to 2013, when the questions were the other way around — those data showed a higher reported rate of children with developmental delays, and a lower rate of ASD. Increased prevalence Fitzgerald agreed that what looks like an increase in autism's prevalence in 2014 was probably due to the way the interviewers asked the questions on the survey, rather than a real change in ASD prevalence within the population. To see that big of a change in prevalence over a four-year period — from 1 in 80, to 1 in 45 — researchers would also need to be seeing a dramatic change in risk factors for autism in the population, Fitzgerald said. [9 Weird Ways Kids Can Get Hurt] How parents understand and interpret the questions they are asked during an interview and how well they can accurately recall their child's diagnosis influence the responses they give and affects the results, Fitzgerald told Live Science. The 2014 results were probably a more accurate measurement of the true prevalence of autism because they produced estimates similar to those of other recent survey methods, he said. The 2011-2013 data identified fewer cases of autism because of the way parents were answering the questions, he said. The big question is whether the U.S. will continue to see an increase in cases of autism, Fitzgerald said. Results from the last 10 years have been finding increases in prevalence rates, and they have not yet shown a leveling off, he said. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. ||||| Five-year-old Alexander Prentice, of Burton, Mich., smiles as he searches for items at the bottom of a sand bin at Genesee Health System's new Children's Autism Center in 2014. (AP Photo/The Flint Journal, Jake May ) The number of autism cases in the United States appeared to jump dramatically in 2014 according to new estimates released Friday, but researchers said that changes in the format of the questionnaire likely affected the numbers. The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Center for Health Statistics shows that the prevalence of autism in children ages 3 to 17 went up about 80 percent from 2011-2013 to 2014. Instead of 1 in 80 (or 1.25 percent) children having autism -- a number that has alarmed public health officials in recent years and strained state and school system resources -- researchers now estimate that the prevalence is now 1 in 45 (or 2.24 percent). Lead author Benjamin Zablotsky, an epidemiologist at the NCHS, and his colleagues said that in previous years some parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder likely reported it as a developmental disability instead of or in addition to autism because it was listed first. The new questionnaire flips the two categories, which researchers said made the autism estimates more similar to ones from other sources. As might be expected from this change, the prevalence of other developmental disabilities declined significantly from 4.84 percent based on 2011-2013 data to 3.57 percent in 2014. [Neighbors file ‘extraordinary, unprecedented’ public nuisance lawsuit against autistic boy’s family] The prevalence of intellectual disability did not significantly change and remains at 1.1 percent and the prevalence of any three of the conditions was constant across all surveys. The high rates of autism among American children has been the source of much debate in recent years, with some experts attributing it to overdiagnosis and others expressing concern about possible environmental factors affecting children's brain development. “It’s not the year to year numbers that concern us. It’s the decade to decade. The fact that we have 1 in 45 children with a very serious neurological condition is a catastrophe by any measure,” said Jill Escher, president of the Autism Society of San Francisco. Michael Rosanoff, an epidemiologist who is the director for public health research for Autism Speaks, an advocacy group, said that the new number “is likely a more accurate representation of autism prevalence in the United States" than the 1 in 68 number. "This means that 2 percent of children in the U.S. are living with autism," Rosanoff said in a statement."The earlier they have access to care, services and treatment, the more likely they are to progress." The study also found that children diagnosed with autism had high rates of co-occurring conditions. Learning disabilities were the most common with 62.6 percent of children with autism also having LDs. Next highest was attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD with 42.8 percent of those with autism also having ADHD. [Mom: It's time to talk about autism and mental health] About 14 percent of those diagnosed need help with personal care, 9.1 percent reported they have trouble hearing and 7.3 percent that they have trouble seeing. Nearly 60 percent received special education or early intervention services. Below is a look at who is being diagnosed with autism. As in previous years, most of the children being diagnosed with autism are male, non-Hispanic white, living in large metropolitan areas, with two parents and with at least one parent with more than a high school education. [On Parenting: 5 tips for helping your child learn to be inclusive] Many more boys are being diagnosed with autism than girls but the gap is narrowing somewhat. In 2011-2013 81.7 percent of all children diagnosed were male while 18.3 were female. In 2014, it was 75 percent male, 25 percent female. Most of the children being diagnosed with autism were identified by their parents as non-Hispanic white. More than two-thirds of children being diagnosed lived with two parents. Children being diagnosed represented a wide range of incomes. Most of the children being diagnosed had at least one parent with more than a high school education -- a phenomenon that experts have said could be due to the fact that they may be more likely to notice issues early on and seek medical help. More than half of children diagnosed live in large metropolitan statistical areas that include places like New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The children being diagnosed are spread out all over the country. Read more: Sorry, kids. There's a nationwide FluMist shortage so you'll probably have to get a shot. Unsettling finding from CDC investigation: Tapeworms can pass cancer cells to man 5 theories about why white, middle-aged Americans are dying at such high rates Cutting sugar from kids’ diets appears to have a beneficial effect in just 10 days Who still smokes in the United States — in seven simple charts Neighbors file ‘extraordinary, unprecedented’ public nuisance lawsuit against autistic boy’s family For more health news, you can sign up for our weekly newsletter here. ||||| (CNN) On the surface, it looks like the number of children in the United States whose parents say they have autism spectrum disorder has grown significantly. But this latest study from the National Center for Health Statistics begs a bigger question: Are there really more children with autism, or did the way in which the United States collects that information affect the reportable number? As of right now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates a growing number of children, one in 68, is believed to have an autism spectrum disorder. That's a 30% increase from estimates in 2012. This latest study looks at data collected in 2014. When they gathered that information, the survey that they gave parents took a new approach to asking about autism and changed the order of the questions. With that switch, the number of children believed to be on the spectrum is 2.24% -- that's 1 in 45 children. That's a large increase. Study authors wondered whether the changing survey method has had an effect on the numbers; that's because the number of children who parents say have another developmental disorder went down significantly. That number fell from 4.84% in 2001-2013 to 3.57% based on 2014 data. That could mean, the authors say, that parents were selecting autism as opposed to another developmental disorder in part because the question about autism comes before questions about those other disorders. Diagnosing autism is hard . There is no blood test or simple swab. A doctor must look at a child's behavior and development over time to make that determination. Showing how tricky that diagnosis is an October study from the Center for Health Statistics found that 13% of children who were labeled autistic lost their diagnosis after later tests. Of the parents who were surveyed about the reversed diagnoses, about 74% thought the reversals were because of new information, meaning their child started to show developmentally appropriate social skills or language abilities, as opposed to a child being "cured." So what is it? Can we comfortably say that there are more children with autism? "We do believe autism is more prevalent, but we have long believed that the 1 in 68 number is an underestimate," said Michael Rosanoff, the director of public health research at Autism Speaks. But he cautions those numbers are based on solid data including education and medical records. This latest study relied solely on parent questionnaires and specifically looked at methodology, not numbers. Regardless, he says, "it is time to look beyond the numbers and more important for us to know how many people have access to care and services that can improve their lives."

– A new report reveals what appears to be a notable jump in the number US kids with an autism spectrum disorder, Live Science reports. According to a previous CDC estimate from medical records in 2010, one in 68 children had autism. But a new study states it's closer to one in 45 following interviews with nearly 12,000 parents in 2014. (It's an even bigger jump from a one-in-80 estimate that was based on interviews from 2011 to 2013, though researchers blame that dramatic increase on a change in interview methodology.) Experts believe these new numbers are the most accurate estimate. "We do believe autism is more prevalent, but we have long believed that the one in 68 number is an underestimate," the director of public health research at Autism Speaks says, per CNN. This new estimate is important for two reasons. One, the old estimate of one in 68 already had public health officials worried and resources maxed out, the Washington Post reports. It now falls to the country to figure out how to help an increasing number of kids with autism. Second, it fuels the debate about what's causing the steady increase over the past decade. According to Live Science, some researchers believe the jump is due to the increasing awareness and lessening stigma of autism. The Post reports others are looking to environmental factors as possible causes. Ultimately it may not matter. "The fact that we have one in 45 children with a very serious neurological condition is a catastrophe by any measure,” the president of the Autism Society of San Francisco says.