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Pakistan Flash Floods Kill at Least 53 People

Diane A. Wade
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Pakistan Flash Floods Kill at Least 53 People

Huge flash floods caused by torrential rain hit northwest Pakistan killing at least 53 people, according to officials.

The rain began on April 2 bringing flooding to parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan provinces.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Pre-monsoon rains often cause damage in rural Pakistan and officials said locals had been warned to leave their villages for safer places.

The summer monsoon season is even worse, last year killing dozens.

The weekend’s rains also saw dozens of people taken to hospital with injuries, a national disaster management official, Latif ur Rehman, told the Associated Press.

Footages from the scene showed shops and homes damaged, and bridges swept away.

According to officials, tents and other relief goods had been sent to the region. Hundreds of people have also moved to safer areas, local media reports.

Elon Musk: Tesla Model 3 Pre-Orders Total 276,000

Clyde K. Valle
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Elon Musk: Tesla Model 3 Pre-Orders Total 276,000

Pre-orders of Tesla’s much-anticipated Model 3 electric car currently total 276,000, CEO Elon Musk has announced.

Tesla unveiled the five-seater car – its lowest-cost vehicle to date – on March 31.

Elon Musk tweeted the total reflected the orders received by the end of April 2.

Pre-orders of the Model 3 will not necessarily all translate into actual sales when the car is released, with first deliveries in late 2017.Tesla Model 3 pre orders

Potential car owners need to put down $1,000 deposits to reserve their vehicles.

Such has been the interest that Elon Musk tweeted the company was “definitely going to need to rethink production planning”.

Elon Musk has said his goal is to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at full capacity.

The basic model will start at $35,000 and have a range of at least 215 miles per charge.

Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles in 2015. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan’s Leaf to become the world’s best selling pure-electric vehicle.

However, Tesla still posted a net loss of $889 million for 2015, partly because it spent $718 million on research and development over the period.

It left Tesla with cash reserves of $1.2 billion, down from $1.9 billion a year earlier.

Tesla is facing competition from other electric cars with a similar price and range that will become available first, including General Motors’ Chevy Bolt and BYD’s Qin EV300.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HOhOeKwe30

MH370: Suspected Cabin Debris Found in Mauritius

Diane A. Wade
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MH370: Suspected Cabin Debris Found in Mauritius

A piece of debris found on a Mauritian island will be examined to see if it is part of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australian authorities say.

A hotel owner on the island who saw the debris said it bore a design and looked like it was from the inside of a plane.

If confirmed, it would be the first piece of interior debris from the plane yet to be found.MH370 debris Mauritius

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 239 passengers.

Despite an extensive deep water search, led by Australia, the plane and all its passengers remain missing.

Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said the debris, found last week, was an “item of interest”.

The debris was discovered by hotel guests on Rodrigues Island, about 350 miles east of the main island of Mauritius.

Last month Australia said debris found in Mozambique was “almost certainly from MH370” and in 2015 French authorities said a wing part found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion was part of the plane.

The search has focused on the southern Indian Ocean.

More than 95,000 sq km of a 120,000 sq km area has now been examined, with the remainder set to be covered by June, when the search is scheduled to end.

Zaha Hadid Dies in Miami Hospital Aged 65

Sonia Pantiss
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Zaha Hadid Dies in Miami Hospital Aged 65

Renowned architect Zaha Hadid has died at the age of 65 after suffering a heart attack.

Zaha Hadid died following a heart attack on March 31 in a Miami hospital, where she was being treated for bronchitis.

The Iraqi-born architect was the first woman to receive the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba) Gold Medal in recognition of her work.

Her designs have been commissioned around the world, including Hong Kong, Germany and Azerbaijan.

Collecting her Gold Medal in February, Dame Zaha Hadid said she was proud to have been the first woman to win in her own right.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Zaha Hadid’s other creations include the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London, the Riverside Museum at Glasgow’s Museum of Transport, and Guangzhou Opera House in China.

She twice won the Riba Stirling Prize, the UK’s most prestigious architecture award.

In 2010, Zaha Hadid won for the Maxxi Museum in Rome, winning again in 2011 for the Evelyn Grace Academy in Brixton.

Born in Baghad, Zaha Hadid studied maths at the American University of Beirut – where she later designed a building on campus which was completed in 2014 – before embarking on her career at the Architectural Association in London.

In 1979, she set up her own company – Zaha Hadid Architects.

Zaha Hadid’s first major commission to be constructed was the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein in Germany.

The striking London Acquatics Centre in Stratford, which resembles a wave, features two 50-metre pools and a diving pool. After being used for the Olympics and Paralympics it was opened to the public in 2014.

Zaha Hadid also designed one of the stadiums that will take centre stage at the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

In 2015, however, the Japanese government scrapped plans to build the futuristic-looking stadium Zaha Hadid designed for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, opting instead for a scaled-down, less costly design.

Leonardo DiCaprio Could Be Banned from Entering Indonesia

Sonia Pantiss
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Leonardo DiCaprio Could Be Banned from Entering Indonesia

Leonardo DiCaprio could be banned from entering Indonesia in the future over his comments on rainforests being cleared for palm oil plantations.

The 41-year-old actor entered Indonesia on a tourist visa and on March 27 visited Gunung Leuser National Park in Aceh.

Leonardo DiCaprio posted following his visit to the park: “A world-class biodiversity hotspot… but palm oil expansion is destroying this unique place.”

Now Heru Santoso, a spokesperson for the director general of the immigration department, has revealed Leonardo DiCaprio could be banned for such comments – if they’re “categorized as incitement or provocation”.

”In terms of [his] visa and immigration permit, Leonardo DiCaprio did not do anything wrong: He entered and left Indonesia legally. But, we still investigate,” Heru Santoso told BBC News.

“If DiCaprio’s posting in his social media can be categorized as incitement or provocation, we can blacklist him from coming back to Indonesia.”

It is not the first time a Hollywood star has run into trouble in Indonesia over their environmental activism.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

Harrison Ford was threatened with deportation in 2013 for “harassing state institutions” after interviewing the then forestry minister about illegal logging.

In posts on his Instagram account, Leonardo DiCaprio said he was working to save the Leuser ecosystem, “the last place on Earth where Sumatran orangutans, tigers, rhinos and elephants coexist in the wild”.

On Twitter, Leonardo DiCaprio posted a link to a petition addressed to the Indonesian President Joko Widodo, calling for the area to be protected.

Some members of the government have accused Leonardo DiCaprio of running a “black campaign” to discredit the government and Indonesia’s palm oil industry.

Earlier this year environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio used his Oscars speech to warn the world about climate change.

Accepting the Best Actor award, Leonardo DiCaprio explained: “Making The Revenant was about man’s relationship to the natural world.

“A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow.

“Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species.

“We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people out there who would be most affected by this.”

Brussels Airport to Partially Reopen after Attacks

Roy Siemens
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Brussels Airport to Partially Reopen after Attacks

Brussels International Airport will partially operational on April 3 with new security controls, 12 days after it was attacked by suicide bombers.

Zaventem airport authorities said three Brussels Airlines’ flights would depart for European destinations.

The airport has not handled passenger flights since the attack on its departure hall claimed by the so-called Islamic State group.

The last month’s attacks on the airport and a metro station left 32 people dead.

Meanwhile, Belgian authorities charged a third suspect – named only as Y A – with terrorist offences linked to a plot to attack France.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The charges come in the wake of the arrest of Frenchman Reda Kriket in a Paris suburb on March 24.

Brussels airport CEO Arnaud Feist said that “from Sunday morning, Brussels Airport should be partially operational”.

Arnaud Feist said he was expecting to receive official authorization for the reopening.

The first flight is expected to take off in the early afternoon for the Portuguese city of Faro. The others will be bound for the Greek capital Athens and Turin, Italy.

Passengers will only be able to get to the airport by car or taxi – the terminal is still closed to trains and buses.

Under the new security arrangements:

  • vehicles and passengers travelling to the temporary departures area will be screened on the access road
  • an additional police check and ID and boarding pass check will take place at the entrance to the temporary departures area. Those not flying will not be allowed in
  • passengers will then proceed towards the departure gates, undergoing the usual access and security controls

On April 1, Belgian officials reached a deal with police unions on enhanced security at the airport.

The dispute had delayed the reopening.

Arnaud Feist said he hoped the airport would get back up to full capacity in time for the start of the summer holidays at the end of June.

Greece Demands Explanation from IMF over Wikileaks Report

Clyde K. Valle
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Greece Demands Explanation from IMF over Wikileaks Report

Greece has challenged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a leaked conversation in which top officials allegedly discuss the Greek bailout.

Wikileaks published a transcript showing top officials discussing ways of putting pressure on Greece, Germany and the EU to get them to wrap up talks.

One of those quoted suggests a crisis “event” may be needed to force a conclusion.

Further negotiations between Greece and its lenders are due next week.Greece bailout Wikileaks

In 2015, Greece agreed a multi-billion dollar bailout with the EU and IMF that was needed for the country to avoid bankruptcy and stay in the eurozone.

The Wikileaks conversation purportedly involves Poul Thomsen, head of the IMF’s Europe department, and Delia Velculescu, leader of the IMF team in Greece, the senior officials in charge of Greece’s debt crisis.

Poul Thomsen is quoted as complaining about the pace of talks on reforms Greece has agreed to carry out in exchange for the bailout.

“What is going to bring it all to a decision point?” he asks.

“In the past there has been only one time when the decision has been made and then that was when they were about to run out of money seriously and to default.”

Delia Velculescu later agrees: “We need an event, but I don’t know what that will be.”

Poul Thomsen also appears to suggest the IMF could pull out of the bailout to force German Chancellor Angela Merkel to agree to debt relief.

Such a move could be politically difficult for Angela Merkel, the key figure in the crisis.

“Look…, Mrs. Merkel, you face a question, you have to think about what is more costly: to go ahead without the IMF, would the Bundestag say <<the IMF is not on board?>> or to pick the debt relief that we think that Greece needs in order to keep us on board? Right?” Poul Thomsen says.

The IMF would not comment on the purported leaks but said its public position on the matter was clear.

Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said: “As WikiLeaks revealed today, the IMF is planning to stall until July to bring Greece to its knees [again!] in order to force Angela Merkel’s hand.

“It’s time to stop Greece’s fiscal water boarding by an incompetent, misanthropic troika.”

Guns N’ Roses Reunion: Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan Perform Together after 23 Years

Sonia Pantiss
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Guns N’ Roses Reunion: Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan Perform Together after 23 Years

Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan have performed together as Guns N’ Roses for the first time in 23 years.

The band picked Troubadour, a small Los Angeles club, where they were first noticed.

The concert at the West Hollywood club was reportedly only confirmed on April 1.

Just 500 fans were allowed to see one of the biggest groups of the late 1980s and early 1990s reformed.

The intimate concert was announced at midday on April 1 and tickets were just $10.Guns N Roses Troubadour reunion

54-year-old Axl Rose still has his long blond hair but there was no bandana, Slash kept his trademark top-hat over his black curls.

Fans said they started the show with It’s So Easy, which has frequently been the band’s opener.

Years of rumors of a Guns N’ Roses reunion came to fruition earlier this year when the band were announced as headliners for the Coachella festival, which will take place later his month in the California desert.

Guns N’ Roses also announced details of their North American tour, which will all be in stadiums – so rather different from this intimate gig.

The main leg of the Not in This Lifetime Tour will begin on June 23 at Ford Field in Detroit, home to the National Football League’s Detroit Lions, and run until August 22 in San Diego.

Guns N’ Roses have only announced three concerts outside the United States – April 19 and 20 in Mexico City and July 16 in Toronto.

Oil Prices Fall on Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Comments

Clyde K. Valle
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Oil Prices Fall on Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Comments

Oil prices have plunged after Saudi Arabia said it would freeze production only if other major producers did the same.

Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s remarks are seen as a challenge to Iran.

It has vowed to increase oil production following the lifting of Western sanctions.

In the Bloomberg interview, Prince Mohammed bin Salman also spoke about his plan for a giant public investment fund.

Worth more than $2 trillion, it would be designed to reduce Saudi Arabia’s reliance on income from oil.Prince Mohammed bin Slaman oil prices comment

Part of the plan would be a sale of shares in the state-owned oil company Aramco, which could start as soon as next year, according to the interview.

Iran will not take part in a conference in Doha on April 17, where the freezing of oil output is due to be discussed.

“If all countries agree to freeze production, we will be among them,” Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Bloomberg.

When asked whether Iran needed to be among those countries he said “without doubt”.

Oil prices, which had edged into positive territory, fell after Prince Mohammed’s comments.

Brent crude fell $1.63 cents, or 4%, to $38.70 a barrel. Prices rose 6% in the first three months of this year – the first quarterly increase since a 15% rally between April and June 2015.

A monthly survey by Reuters this week showed that oil output from the 13 OPEC members rose in March on higher production from Iran and near-record exports from southern Iraq.

Iraq reported OPEC’s biggest supply growth last year, producing more than 4 million barrels per day – making it the cartel’s second-largest producer after Saudi Arabia.

In February, Saudi Arabia and Russia said they would freeze oil output at January levels if other producers followed suit.

Oil prices have fallen from their recent peak of $116 in June 2014 because of oversupply and sluggish demand.

Florida’s Top 10 Cars and Their Lowest Insurance Costs (Infographic)

Nancy Clayson
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Florida’s Top 10 Cars and Their Lowest Insurance Costs (Infographic)


Florida's Top 10 Cars and Their Lowest Insurance Costs (Infographic)

Provided by CoverHound.com

Petrobras to Cut 12,000 Jobs by 2020

Clyde K. Valle
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Petrobras to Cut 12,000 Jobs by 2020

Brazilian oil company Petrobras has announced it will cut 12,000 jobs by 2020.

The voluntary layoff program will help save $9 billion at the company, which has struggled with losses following a price-fixing and bribery scandal.

It has also been hit by the global slump in the price of oil.

Petrobras, which has reported losses for the last two financial years, is expected to spend $1.23 billion on implementing the job cuts plan.

The semi-public company has long been one of the biggest employers in Brazil, with more than 80,000 employees.Petrobras job cut 2016

However, Petrobras has seen its business hit by the huge falls in oil prices globally and one of the biggest corruption scandals in the country’s history, which has gone to the heart of the country’s government.

Petrobras’ announcement that 12,000 jobs are to be cut over the next five years is part of a investment plan to turn around the company’s fortunes.

The oil producer reported its biggest quarterly loss to date in Q4 of 2015 – $10.2 billion – after losses at its oil fields and refinery projects.

The corruption scandal involving price-fixing, bribery and political kickbacks over the last two years has dented confidence in the business. Some former Petrobras executives have been jailed.

The scandal has also harmed the reputation of Brazil’sPresident Dilma Rousseff, who was on the board of the company at the time of the offences.

Dilma Rousseff is facing the possibility of impeachment on unrelated charges of false accounting.

US Economy Adds 215,000 Jobs in March 2016

Clyde K. Valle
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US Economy Adds 215,000 Jobs in March 2016

According to the latest figures released by the Labor Department, the US economy has created 215,000 jobs in March 2016, a little less than it did in the last month when 242,000 jobs were created.

The unemployment rate has risen to 5% from 4.9%, which was an eight-year low.

According to the Labor Department, more Americans were finding jobs, which suggested a sign of confidence in the US economy.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The increase could allow a cautious Federal Reserve to raise interest rates gradually this year.

The US economy is continuing to create jobs, despite a global economic slowdown and cheap oil prices which have hit the energy sector.

The gains were in the service sectors, especially retail, health and education and leisure and hospitality. There were also new jobs in government and construction.

The unemployment figures for January and February have been revised slightly down to show 1,000 fewer jobs created than previously reported.

Financial markets have almost priced out the likelihood of a rate rise at the Fed’s June policy meeting.

A survey from CME FedWatch suggests a 47% chance of an increase in November, with 57% suggesting it would happen in December.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OqCDBww7ko

2016 Masters: Tiger Woods to Miss Tournament Due to Back Injury

Clyde K. Valle
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2016 Masters: Tiger Woods to Miss Tournament Due to Back Injury

Tiger Woods will not take part in next week’s Masters because of a back injury.

The 80th edition of the Masters Tournament will be held from April 7–10 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

The four-time champion has not played competitively since August and has had two operations in an attempt to cure the problem.

Tiger Woods, 40, insists he is “making progress” in his recovery but has put no timescale on his return to action.

Photo Facebook
Photo Facebook

“I’ve decided it’s prudent to miss this year’s Masters,” the 14-time major winner said in a statement.

“I’ve been hitting balls and training daily, but I’m not physically ready.”

The former world number one also pulled out of the tournament in 2014 with a back problem and finished in a tie for 17th last year.

“I’ve said all along that this time I need to be cautious and do what’s best for my long-term health and career,” he added.

“Unfortunately, playing Augusta next week wouldn’t be the right decision.

“I’m absolutely making progress, and I’m really happy with how far I’ve come, but I still have no timetable to return.”

Tiger Woods, who has slipped to 472nd in the world rankings, will attend the Champions Dinner at Augusta National on April 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltwH6iHimCk

Donald Trump: “Abortion Laws Should Remain Unchanged”

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump: “Abortion Laws Should Remain Unchanged”

Donald Trump is now saying US abortion laws should remain unchanged, although he believes the procedure amounts to murder.

In an interview with CBS News, the Republican presidential hopeful said: “The laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way.”

Donald Trump’s comments come as the New York property tycoon has struggled this week to articulate his position on abortion.

He withdrew a call for women who have abortions to be punished, only hours after suggesting it.

After an outpouring of criticism from both anti-abortion and abortion rights activists, Donald Trump later said only the people who perform abortions should face punishment.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The comments end a rocky week for Donald Trump on the campaign trail.

According to some polls, Donald Trump is trailing Texas Senator Ted Cruz by 10 percentage points in Wisconsin, which holds its primary on April 5.

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump’s Republican rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich repeatedly criticized Trump’s shifting comments on abortion.

Ted Cruz said the remarks showed that Donald Trump “hasn’t seriously thought through the issues”.

John Kasich – the popular governor of Ohio – also questioned whether Donald Trump had the temperament needed for the office of the president.

Donald Trump supports a ban on abortions, with some exceptions.

Only the Supreme Court or a constitutional amendment has the power to overturn Roe v Wade and make abortion illegal.

After the comments were made public, Donald Trump’s spokeswoman Hope Hicks sought to clarify his statement.

Hope Hicks said that Donald Trump would change abortion laws if elected by appointing Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v Wade.

Once a Democrat, Donald Trump has been criticized for supporting abortion rights in the past.

Anti-abortion activists have traditionally avoided placing blame on women who undergo abortions, but have focused on those who perform the procedure.

In recent years, conservatives have sought to tighten restrictions on abortion clinics and doctors rather than seek an outright ban.

Abortion rights advocates say these measures are meant to restrict women’s access to abortion.

The new laws are particularly widespread in conservative southern states.

Republican leaders have expressed concern about Donald Trump’s prospects in the general election because polls show that he is extremely unpopular with female voters.

Donald Trump has come under fire for disparaging women including former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina and TV presenter Megyn Kelly.

OJ Simpson’s Knife Found at His Former Estate NOT a Murder Weapon

Nancy Clayson
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OJ Simpson’s Knife Found at His Former Estate NOT a Murder Weapon

A knife reportedly found near OJ Simpson’s former property is not a murder weapon, tests have shown.

Despite a large amount of evidence, OJ Simpson was acquitted in the stabbing deaths of his ex-wife and her friend in 1995.

Police never found the murder weapon in that high-profile case, which captivated the US for more than a year.

OJ Simpson was later found legally responsible for the deaths of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman in a civil case.

The former football star, who is currently serving a 33-year sentence for armed robbery and kidnapping in Las Vegas, cannot be prosecuted again under US law for the murders.OJ Simpson knife not a murder weapon

LAPD had been skeptical that the weapon was tied to the Simpson and Goldman murders.

Police said at the time that the knife was a utility-type knife and was not consistent with the one used in the crime, but still ordered forensic tests.

The case recently returned to prominence with the airing of the TV mini-series American Crime Story: The People v OJ Simpson.

According to police, someone claiming to be a construction worker found the knife at OJ Simpson’s former home when it was razed in 1998.

The man gave the knife to a police officer who was working on a film set near the property.

The police officer kept it, thinking the case was closed. However, the officer, now retired, recently told a colleague about the weapon, as a result of which the current investigation was launched.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNtkgFbyXhE

Greece Passes Law Allowing Refugees to Be Returned to Turkey

Diane A. Wade
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Greece Passes Law Allowing Refugees to Be Returned to Turkey

Greece has passed a law allowing refugees arriving in the country to be returned to Turkey.

The new law is essential for the implementation of an EU-Turkey deal aimed at easing the uncontrolled mass movement of people into Europe.

On April 4, Turkey is due to receive its first refugees returned from Greece.

However, there are warnings of a lack of preparation on both sides, while aid agencies are concerned refugees may be mistreated in Turkey.Greece refugee law

Greece had to amend its laws for the deal to be possible and the bill was passed by 169 members of the 300-seat parliament.

In 2015, more than one million migrants and refugees arrived in the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece, and Athens has struggled to cope.

Tens of thousands have been stranded in Greece after northern counties closed their borders.

Under the EU-Turkey deal, refugees arriving illegally in Greece are expected to be sent back to Turkey from April 4 if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected.

In return, Turkey will receive aid and political concessions.

The UN has called on Turkey and Greece to ensure safeguards are in place before returns begin, warning of “serious gaps” on both sides.

According to an Amnesty International report, Turkey has been illegally forcing thousands of refugees back to Syria.

Turkey is yet to respond to the Amnesty report but has denied sending back any refugees against their will.

Turkey has taken in 2.7 million Syrian refugees since the civil war began five years ago. Many live in camps near the border between Turkey and Syria.

Kolkata Flyover Collapse Death Toll Rises to 24

Diane A. Wade
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Kolkata Flyover Collapse Death Toll Rises to 24

The death toll in Kolkata flyover collapse has raised to 24 as rescuers worked through the night in the Girish Park area.

The flyover was under construction when it collapsed suddenly on March 31.

Hopes of finding more survivors trapped under the collapsed bypass are fading in the Indian city formerly known as Calcutta.

The 1.2 mile-long flyover started construction in 2009 and missed several deadlines for completion.Kolkata flyover collapse rescue

Indian police have opened a case of culpable homicide against the company in charge of the construction, IVRCL.

Reports say five of the construction company’s officials have been detained for questioning and its headquarters in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad have been sealed off.

The company said it would co-operate with investigators. However one of its senior officials said in a news conference that the collapse had been “an act of god” as the company had a good safety record.

Officials said more than 90 people have been rescued, some of whom are in hospital in a critical condition.

SS Guleria of India’s National Disaster Response Force told the Associated Press that the rescue operation was in its “last stage” and that “there is no possibility of finding any person alive”.

It is not clear how many people may be still trapped under the debris.

Rescue workers have struggled to get cranes and other machinery through the narrow and congested streets of Burrabazar area where the incident happened.

The cause of the disaster was not immediately clear, but safety issues such as lack of inspections and the use of substandard materials have plagued construction projects in India.

Things We All Avoid Doing (That We Really Shouldn’t)

Dana R
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Things We All Avoid Doing (That We Really Shouldn’t)

We’re all supposed to be grown-up, responsible adults, right? We shouldn’t be finding any aspect of a healthy, responsible lifestyle unappealing anymore. It’s not like back when we were kids and we’d cry at the idea of having to eat our greens. We’ve got more sense than that now… right?

Well, I don’t know about you, but in my experience, there are still plenty of things we still avoid doing. We know we should do them, but we avoid them because they sound uncomfortable and unfun. Here are some examples.

Going to the dentist

It was much easier going to the dentist when I was a kid. Of course, that’s only because my mother made me go to the dentist at least twice a year. I didn’t have a say in the matter. As soon as I was all grown up and got my own place, I started shirking this responsibility somewhat. My dentist visits declined quite dramatically.

dentist

YouTube

This is a pretty common thing amongst adults. Sometimes, adults even skip out on taking their kids to the dentist! We don’t want to be told to stop eating candy and to floss more. We’re even more scared of being told we need dental work like braces. But the fact is that avoiding the dentist is an incredibly silly thing. There is a strong link between oral health and heart health, so it’s not always about trying to perfect a nice smile! If you’re really worried, try finding a dentist that specialises in good customer service and comfort. Research it online. You can get dentures, dental implants and Invisalign clear braces at PaulCorcoranDDS.com.

Writing a will

Who wants to write a will? I’m guessing I didn’t just get a big show of hands. It’s the last thing we want to do because it relates to the last thing we’re going to do. It involves sitting down and speaking practically and business-like about what will happen after you die.

testament

Flickr

But we shouldn’t be avoiding this responsibility. Just because it’s not required by law, it doesn’t mean it’s something that isn’t important! If you pass on without a will in place, the state will determine the distribution of your assets. If you know that you want certain things to go to certain people after your death, you need to make one. You can get help finding a will attorney at Lawyers.FindLaw.com.

Exercising

This is the ultimate one. It’s found on a million new year’s resolution lists across the country. We buy gym memberships to try forcing our future selves to exercise so as not to waste money. And yet so many of us still don’t exercise enough. Why? Maybe we’re not clear enough on how important daily exercise is. Maybe we don’t know just how dangerous the modern sedentary lifestyle is to our hearts. It could also have a lot to do with thinking that exercise requires a large time commitment. We’re all pretty busy, right? Who has time for exercise?

File:141100 - Athletics track Patricia Flavel finish line - 3b - 2000 Sydney race photo.jpg

Wikimedia

Did you know that you can get started on exercising and healthier living on just half an hour a day? You have forty-eight half-hours in your day. Reckon you could give up one of them a few times a week, make sure you get your heart rate elevated for at least half an hour. You’ll want to do more in the long run, but this is a great start! LiveStrong.com provides a great list of the risks of not exercising.

Number of Obese People Worldwide Hit 641 Million in 2014

Kathryn R. Bown
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Number of Obese People Worldwide Hit 641 Million in 2014

A major study on body mass index (BMI) evolution has found that there are now more adults in the world classified as obese than underweight.

The new study, led by scientists from Imperial College London and published in The Lancet, compared BMI among almost 20 million adult men and women from 1975 to 2014.

The researchers found obesity in men has tripled and more than doubled in women.

Lead author Prof. Majid Ezzat said it was an “epidemic of severe obesity” and urged governments to act.

The study, which pooled data from adults in 186 countries, found that the number of obese people worldwide had risen from 105 million in 1975 to 641 million in 2014.

Meanwhile, the number of underweight people had risen from 330 million to 462 million over the same period.

Global obesity rates among men went up from 3.2% in 1975 to 10.8%, while among women they rose from 6.4 % in 1975 to 14.9%.

This equates to 266 million obese men and 375 million obese women in the world in 2014, the study said.

The research also predicted that the probability of reaching the WHO’s global obesity target – which aims for no rise in obesity above 2010 levels by 2025 – would be “close to zero”.

The clinical definition of obese is a BMI – a measurement that relates weight and height – of 30kg/m2.Obesity worldwide 2016

Prof. Majid Ezzati said: “Our research has shown that over 40 years we have transitioned from a world in which underweight prevalence was more than double that of obesity, to one in which more people are obese than underweight.

“Although it is reassuring that the number of underweight individuals has decreased over the last four decades, global obesity has reached crisis point.”

“We hope these findings create an imperative to shift responsibility from the individual to governments and to develop and implement policies to address obesity.

“For instance, unless we make healthy food options like fresh fruits and vegetables affordable for everyone and increase the price of unhealthy processed foods, the situation is unlikely to change.”

The team also examined the number of people who are underweight, and over the same time period the study suggested the rates had fallen from 14% to 9% in men, and 15% to 10% in women.

Other statistics from the study include:

  • More obese men and women now live in China and the USA than in any other country
  • China has the largest number of obese people in the world with 43.2 million men and 46.4 million women
  • The US has 41.7 million obese men and 46.1 million obese women
  • Almost a fifth of the world’s obese adults – 118 million – live in only six high-income English-speaking countries – Australia, Canada, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, UK, and the US
  • By 2025, the UK is projected to have the highest levels of obese women in Europe (38%), followed by Republic of Ireland (37%) and Malta (34%)
  • Being underweight remains a significant health problem in countries such as India and Bangladesh

North Korea Jams GPS Signals near South Korean Border

Roy Siemens
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0
North Korea Jams GPS Signals near South Korean Border

North Korea is jamming GPS signals near the South Korean border, Yonhap news agency reports.

The radio waves have reportedly affected 110 planes and ships, and can cause mobile phones to malfunction.

South Korea’s unification ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee was quoted by AFP news agency as saying it was an “act of provocation”.

Tensions have been high between the two countries since North Korea’s fourth nuclear test in January.

The broadcasts appeared to have started a month ago from various locations along the border, but on March 31 North Korea discharged its largest amount of GPS-jamming signals, according to Yonhap, citing a senior government official.North Korea jams GPS signals

The South Korean coastguard reported about 70 fishing vessels had been forced to return to port after GPS navigation issues, AFP said. There has been no reported disruption to flights.

According to Yonhap, since 2010 North Korea has been accused of jamming signals at least three other times. It is believed to be using equipment imported from Russia.

Pyongyang has called the allegations “sheer fabrication”.

Since North Korea’s nuclear test in January and subsequent launch of a long-range rocket, South Korea has stepped up security measures including border patrols and allowing the US to fly fighter jets near the border.

In return, North Korea has threatened “indiscriminate” nuclear strikes on the US and South Korea.

Model 3: Tesla Unveils Its Lowest-Cost Vehicle to Date

Clyde K. Valle
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Model 3: Tesla Unveils Its Lowest-Cost Vehicle to Date

Tesla has unveiled its lowest-cost vehicle to date, Model 3 electric car.

The price and range of the five-seater should make Model 3 appealing to new types of customers and could boost interest in other electric cars.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said his goal was to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at full speed.

Photo Tesla
Photo Tesla

The company needs the new car to prove popular if it is to stay in business.

The first deliveries of Model 3 are scheduled to start in late 2017, and it can be ordered in advance in dozens of countries.

The basic model will start at $35,000 and have a range of at least 215 miles per charge.

In 2015, Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan’s Leaf to become the world’s best selling pure-electric vehicle.

However, Tesla still posted a net loss of $889 million for 2015, partly because it spent $718 million on research and development over the period.

It left Tesla with cash reserves of $1.2 billion, down from $1.9 billion a year earlier.

Dilma Rousseff Impeachment: Two More Senior Brazilian Officials Resign

Diane A. Wade
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Dilma Rousseff Impeachment: Two More Senior Brazilian Officials Resign

Two more senior Brazilian officials have stepped down in the latest blow to President Dilma Rousseff’s government.

They are Sports Minister George Hilton and Col. Adilson Moreira, who was organizing security at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.

Col. Adilson Moreira reportedly wrote that he was ashamed Brazil was being led by “an unscrupulous group”.

The resignations come as President Dilma Rousseff battles for her government’s survival in an impeachment process.

Col. Adilson Moreira led the National Force for Public Security, whose members will guard sporting venues during the Olympics.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Brazilian media reported the colonel had sent an email to his colleagues criticizing President Dilma Rousseff and other senior officials.

Brazilian officials said the planning for the Olympic Games would not be affected by Col. Adilson Moreira’s and George Hilton’s resignations.

Dilma Rousseff’s supporters marched on March 31 in a number of Brazilian cities to show their opposition to the impeachment proceedings.

On March 28, Tourism Minister Henrique Eduardo Alves handed in his letter of resignation, pre-empting his PMDB party’s split from the governing coalition.

The PMDB was the largest partner in the governing coalition and its exit could deprive Dilma Rousseff of crucial votes she needs to block impeachment proceedings against her.

Dilma Rousseff is expected to announce sweeping changes to her cabinet on April 1 to replace up to seven ministers from the PMDB party.

The president’s critics say she is trying to buy the votes of smaller parties by offering them posts in the cabinet.

Congress is expected to start voting next month on whether to remove Dilma Rousseff from office over allegations that she manipulated accounts to hide a growing deficit.

If 172 out of the 513 members of the lower house of Congress vote against Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment, the proceedings will be shelved.

However, if 342 members vote for it, President Dilma Rousseff will be suspended for 180 days and Vice-President Michel Temer of the PMDB party will become interim president.

The impeachment would then by reviewed by the upper house, the Senate, and a final decision be taken in October.

Dilma Rousseff has denied any wrongdoing and has likened the moves to impeach her to an attempted coup.

Separately, ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva continues to be investigated as part of a corruption case involving the state-run oil company Petrobras.

On March 31, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was handed a boost as Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled it would take over the case.

Homework Essay Writing Help

James J. Williams
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Homework Essay Writing Help

Freelance essay writing is a great opportunity to get the professional writing assistance whenever you need one. You do not have necessarily to be the writer. Many of college and university students are actively engaged in freelance writing by helping their friends to complete homework tasks or being an active blog writer online, sharing personal ideas, views, and experiences with the entire world. Being a student is both entertaining, because student life will be the most memorable part of your life, and challenging because of multiple writing assignment you will have to complete.  For this reason, having access to essay templates is always a good option because you can quickly learn about the basic format requirements and ensure your paper in structured in a proper way. Asking freelance writers for assistance or just a piece of advice does not hurt either. There are millions of freelance writers online; someone will definitely help you with your question and may even share ideas on how to start writing your assignment.

Photo Flickr
Photo Flickr

 

What is so difficult about writing? At first thought, there is nothing special in writing a simple narrative essay, but it seems so only at the first glance. If only writing was so easy, every student would become a professional writer upon graduation, or at least, could get a job as a professional writer after the successful graduation. The fact is you are not asked whether you like writing or not, you are just being given the assignments and there is nothing to do with that. So, you come up with the idea that you will never succeed in writing. If you tell this to your professor or parents they will not appreciate this much. Though, it is not the best idea that could came to your mind, it is good to know one`s weak and strong points.

 

Do not waste your time if you know well in advance that the result would satisfy neither you nor your teacher or professor. In that particular case, freelance writing service may be helpful for you. Nowadays, it is quite a common kind of service. Freelance writers could easily provide you with all that academic stuff whether it is an essay or a research paper. If you like writing academic papers you must be not really interested in providing yourself with this kind of services. It is good for you to have strong writing skill because you will have to apply them very often, anyway. However, you can find lots of ready-made essay templates completed by freelance writers and make sure they meet all the academic requirements stated in the attached instruction to your homework writing assignment.

 

It is good for you that there is a freelance writing service that will help you complete this complicated writing assignment. Research paper writing is nothing comparable to ordinary essay writing. You won`t be able to complete a proper research paper in a couple of hours. You can write an essay in a couple of hours, but nothing is more complicated than this particular type of academic paper. However, it might be rather an unreal task for many students who have no idea how to start collecting or analyzing sources. Anyway, if you dare to try to complete your research paper the day before submission, you are a challenge-driven person, or a freelance writer. Freelance writers are not afraid to take challenging orders because they know well the stuff they are going to work with.

 

Freelance writing is a student-friendly service. There is no task for a freelance writer that he/she cannot complete. Let the professionals do their job. Ask a freelance writer for a writing assistance and you will be surprised and pleased with the result. Freelance writers complete any kind of academic papers regardless of their level of complexity. If you find it hard to get ready with the homework for tomorrow, feel free to get from helphomework.net to get more about this service. Once you have made an acquaintance with this service, you won`t ignore it in the future.

Brussels Airport Ready for Partial Reopening after Attacks

Roy Siemens
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0
Brussels Airport Ready for Partial Reopening after Attacks

Brussels International Airport is ready to partially reopen but flights will not restart until Friday evening (April 1) at the earliest.

Zaventem airport has been closed since March 22 when two suicide bombers blew themselves up in the departure hall.

The departures area would only be operating at 20% of normal capacity, the airport’s operators said in a statement.

The attacks on the airport and another suicide bomb on the Brussels Metro killed 32 people and injured hundreds.

ISIS has said it was behind the bombings.

The reopening announcement follows days of tests for a temporary check-in system at Zaventem.

“Brussels Airport Company has received the go-ahead from the fire services and the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority for a partial restart of passenger flights at the airport,” the airport’s statement said.

“The airport is thus technically ready for a restart of passenger flights in the temporary infrastructure foreseen for check-in.

“However, the authorities have yet to take a formal decision on the restart date. Until Friday evening no passenger flights will take place at Brussels Airport.”

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The airport said the temporary system could receive 800 departing passengers per hour, far fewer than normal.

However, the baggage reclaim and arrivals area was only slightly damaged and has since been made ready for use, it added.

“The final step for the restart is the formal political approval. In the meantime, it has been decided that there will be no passenger flights until Friday evening.”

Zaventem Airport CEO Arnaud Feist said earlier this week that the airport would take months to reopen fully.

Meanwhile, Brussels airport police have said they criticized security well ahead of the attacks.

In an open letter to authorities published by Belgian broadcaster VRT, police said they had sent “strong daily signals regarding the overall security at the airport”.

They complained “there had not been any security control of passengers or luggage from the airport complex right up to the centralized body searches” area.

They also alleged that too many airport employees had criminal backgrounds.

Police are still searching for the third man who took part in the airport attacks. The man, pictured on CCTV wearing a hat, was said to have fled the scene without detonating his explosive device.

The two airport bombers who died have been named as Najim Laachraoui and Ibrahim el-Bakraoui.

Ibrahim el-Bakraoui’s brother, Khalid el-Bakraoui, blew himself up at Maelbeek metro station.

Police later found a computer in which Ibrahim el-Bakraoui left a final message.

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