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10 Most Expensive Vessels In The World

Nancy Clayson
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10 Most Expensive Vessels In The World

Ownership of an expensive yacht signifies affluence. It is a status icon and floating luxury that the world’s wealthiest people can easily afford.

People started to conceptualize the building of large yachts for private use in the twentieth century for their personal aggrandizement.

To name a few of the early models is the famous Christina O & gorgeous Savarona with an enormous growth in making famous luxurious yachts between the year 1997 to 2008.

From the two, various designs gave life to some of the most expensive yachts that sailed the seas. Here are ten of the most exorbitant vessels in the world.

  1. The $210 million Lady Moura

Introducing Lady Moura at $210 million, the tenth most expensive and glamorous yacht worldwide. This luxury vessel was a creation of Blohm + Voss in 1990 right inside their shipyard for Nasser al-Rashid, a Saudi Arabian businessman.

The yacht is most prominent because of a 24-carat gold lettering of its name on the exterior side.

The extravagance did not stop there. Inside the 344-feet long Lady Maura is a swimming pool with a retractable roofing, a 75-feet dining room with a Viscount Linley table, and a luxurious chopper.

However, the best attraction on Lady Moura is the hydraulic scaffolding, which is a sand-covered area sliding out of one side of the yacht. It is re-adjustable for an individual to sit directly on the waterline. It is a floating oasis real time.

  1. The $250 million Al MirQab

Completed in 2008, this luxury yacht, Al Mirqab, was made for Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar by Peters Schiffbau Wewelsfleth, Germany.

The yacht has ten suites that can accommodate twenty-four guests. It has a living room, double bedroom, and bathroom in every suite.

The millionaire has two VIP suites for his own and 55 rooms for members of the crew and the house. On board, Al Mirqab has a cinema, pool, helipad, sun deck, outside bars, jacuzzi, and a broad range of equipment for watersports.

  1. The $256 million Dilbar

The Dilbar super vessel was built for Alisher Usmanov, the Russian oligarch, in the year 2008 by the Lurssen Yachts. The ship is one of the largest boats in the world, measuring 360.89 feet in length.

The billionaire uses the luxury yacht to wind up on his private island. On board are some pools and helipad and other features. It can accommodate crew members of 48 and 20 guests.

  1. The $300 million Al Said

Lurssen Yachts built the luxury water vehicle for Qaboos Al Said, the Sultan of Oman. The vessel can house a 50-piece concert and can host more or less 70 visitors and 154 crew members.

  1. The $323 million SuperYacht A

The name of the luxury vessel is standard however its designs are original. The four hundred feet long has no copycat.

Reminiscent of a submarine or a clandestine warship, Blohm + Voss built the luxury liner and engraved the first letter of the names of the Russian billionaire owners, Aleksandra and Andrey Melnichenko.

It contains a two thousand five hundred square feet bedroom for the owners, a disco, and six suites for guests, which can turn into staterooms because of the movable walls.

The best feature of this vessel are the rooms with mirrors, furniture, glassware, and tablewares all made of French crystals. On the upper deck, is a helipad, speed boats, and three large pools with one of them having a bottom made up of glass.

  1. The $350 million Dubai

The shipbuilding was a joint venture of  Blohm + Voss & Lurssen shipyard for Brunei Prince, Jafri Bolkiah, ten years before the launching of the ship. It was bought by the Platinum Yachts for H.E. Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, Dubai ruler, who made the design of the interior.

The excellent features of the vessel include plenty of room for sunbathing, many jacuzzis, and a swimming pool with handwoven tiling. It has a circular staircase made of glass with changing colors coming from the top deck lights, many VIP suites, and an 115-crew area.

Finally, it has a helipad that can carry a ten-tons chopper, making this vessel one of the largest ships worldwide.

  1. The $650 million Azam

The $650-million vessel was made for Sheikh Khalifa al-Nayan, UAE President and Abu Dhabi Emir by Lurssen Yachts. It ranks as the fourth exorbitant yacht in the whole world.

The vessel is so large it measures 590 feet in length and holds the title as the largest luxurious yacht worldwide. Aside from that, it has the fastest speed traveling at 30 to 35 knots.

The interior by Christopher Leoni, the great French interior designer, has one of the most sophisticated and extravagant styles ever conceived.

  1. The $1.1 Billion Street of Monaco

As the title indicates, this world-class vessel design is a replica of the City of Monaco. It is an expensive yacht because all the billionaire’s landmark in Monaco is inside the luxurious yacht: a racetrack, the famous casino in Monte Carlo, Hotel de Paris, La Rascasse, Cafe de Paris, and Loews Hotel.

The Atrium is the ship’s central area with reception rooms, dressing rooms, bathroom, and balconies. The billionaire’s suite is 4800 square feet spread out over three floors. Also on board are a mini waterfall, a unique cafe bar with underwater viewing, a chopper, and a submarine.

  1. The $1.5 billion Eclipse

Roman Abramovich, the billionaire from Russia, owns Eclipse, the second most exorbitant vessel worldwide. It was Blohm + Voss that built the ship worth $1.5 billion.

It contains several hot baths, two pools, disco halls, 24 cabins for guests, two landing pads for the chopper, boats, and small submarines capable of going 50 meters deep.

The luxurious yacht has sophistication when it comes to security. It has an intruder detectors system and a missile system capability with bulletproof plating and armor. It also has counter-paparazzi lasers to restrict the taking of photos.

  1. The $4.5 billion History Supreme

Finally, here comes the most high-priced luxurious vessel worldwide, the History Supreme. The British designer Stuart Hughes completed the design in three years time. A Malaysian billionaire bought the yacht for four billion and a half dollars.

The luxury liner has 220,000 pounds worth of precious stones and metals including diamonds and gold. The master bedroom is made from a meteorite. And it has a statue made out of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton. It has a panorama aquarium made from sixty-eight kilograms of 24-carat gold and a wine bottle that features an eighteen karat diamond worth forty-five million dollars.

It also has an iPhone with 500 pieces of cut diamonds. More rare diamonds are inside the History Supreme that’s why it is so expensive.

 

Takeaway

You can just imagine the great wealth these ten high-priced expensive luxury yachts have combined. It’s a big fortune.

However, the rich and affluent on this earth find satisfaction in spending their wealth on personal luxuries and extravagance. Also making it easy for them to make boat donations.

Outstanding are the builders of these vessels. They are gifted as they can even place a miniature replica of a city inside the luxury liner. They’re genius!

Luxury is comfort and satisfaction for those who can afford it. Looking at these extravagances show that somewhere out there, expensive yachts like these exist no matter how outrageous they might be for the ordinary individual.

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New Zealand Expels US Diplomat Amid Police Investigation

Diane A. Wade
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New Zealand Expels US Diplomat Amid Police Investigation

New Zealand has expelled a US diplomat after the embassy refused to waive his immunity during a police investigation.

The diplomat was allegedly involved in an incident on March 12, but police were unable to question him after the US embassy in Wellington declined their request.

New Zealand then asked the US to remove the man, who American officials confirmed had left on March 18.

Police have refused to give further details of the allegations.

Image spurce Flickr

However, according to New Zealand Radio, the man – who has not been named – had left the country with a broken nose and a black eye.

Police did say they were continuing to investigate the incident, which took place just outside Wellington.

All diplomatic staff working in New Zealand are immune from prosecution, thanks to the 1961 Vienna Convention.

New Zealand’s foreign ministry said it makes it “clear with all diplomatic missions in New Zealand that it expects foreign diplomats to abide by New Zealand law, and to waive immunity… if there are allegations of serious crimes”.

The US embassy in Wellington – which is without a permanent ambassador after President Barack Obama’s appointee was recalled by Donald Trump’s administration in January – said it did not comment on the specifics of matters under investigation.

The embassy added: “We take seriously any suggestion that our staff have fallen short of the high standards of conduct expected of US government personnel.”

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

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North Korea Tests High-Performance Rocket Engine

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Tests High-Performance Rocket Engine

North Korean military has tested a new high-performance rocket engine, the state media says.

Kim Jong-un declared the test “a new birth” for North Korea’s rocket industry, state news agency KCNA said.

The North Korean leader said the engine would help his country achieve world-class satellite launch capability, it added.

The development, not confirmed elsewhere, comes as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits China – Pyongyang’s main ally.

Photo Reuters/KCNA

After personally overseeing the test, Kim Jong-un “emphasized that the world will soon witness the great significance of the epoch-making victory we achieved today”, KCNA reported, adding that it marked the birth of the country’s rocket industry.

Rex Tillerson’s East Asian tour has been dominated by anxieties over North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.

In South Korea on March 17, the secretary said a US military response would be on the table if North Korea threatened South Korea or US forces.

The US and China pledged to work together to get North Korea to take “a different course” and move away from its weapons programs after Rex Tillerson met his Chinese counterpart on March 18.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests and a series of missile launches. Experts and government officials believe it is working to develop nuclear-warhead missiles that can reach the US.

Kim Jong-un has said North Korea is close to a test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Chuck Berry Dead: Rock and Roll Legend Dies Aged 90

Sonia Pantiss
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Chuck Berry Dead: Rock and Roll Legend Dies Aged 90

Chuck Berry has passed away at the age of 90, Missouri police reported.

The rock and roll legend was found unresponsive at lunchtime on March 18, St Charles County Police Department said.

Chuck Berry‘s seven-decade career boasted a string of hits, including classics Roll Over Beethoven and Johnny B. Goode.

The singer received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 1984 and was among the first inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

The St Charles County PD said in a Facebook post that they were called to reports of an unresponsive man at 12:40 local time.

“Unfortunately, the 90-year-old man could not be revived and was pronounced deceased at 1:26pm,” the statement said.

Image source Wikimedia

“The St. Charles County Police Department sadly confirms the death of Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr., better known as legendary musician Chuck Berry.”

High-profile musicians were quick to pay tribute to Chuck Berry’s talent and influence.

Motown legends The Jacksons tweeted: “Chuck Berry merged blues & swing into the phenomenon of early rock’n’roll. In music, he cast one of the longest shadows. Thank You Chuck.”

Ringo Starr quoted one of Chuck Berry’s own lyrics on Twitter, saying: “Just let me hear some of that rock ‘n’ roll music any old way you use it.”

“I am playing I’m talking about you,” the Beatles drummer wrote.

The Beatles and the Rolling Stones covered Chuck Berry’s songs, as did The Beach Boys and scores of other acts – including Elvis Presley.

Mick Jagger said that Chuck Berry “lit up our teenage years and blew life into our dreams”.

Chuck Berry was born in St Louis, Missouri, in 1926, and had his first hit, Maybellene, in 1955.

In 2016, Chuck Berry announced he would be releasing his first album in nearly four decades. He dedicated the album to his wife of 68 years, Themetta “Toddy”.

Orly Airport Attacker Shot Dead After Seizing Soldier’s Gun

Roy Siemens
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Orly Airport Attacker Shot Dead After Seizing Soldier’s Gun

Security forces at Paris’ Orly airport have killed a man after he tried to seize a soldier’s weapon, French officials say.

The man, named as “Ziyed B”, was shot dead on March 18 after attacking a patrol in the airport’s south terminal.

Earlier in the day, the man had been involved in a shooting and then a carjacking in the Paris area.

Prosecutors have opened an anti-terror investigation. Ziyed B had been reported as radicalized in the past, and was on a police watch-list.

Image source Wikimedia

The man had a long criminal record including convictions for armed robbery, French media report.

The attack comes at a sensitive time. France has presidential elections starting next month and remains under a state of emergency.

Early in the morning, the suspect was stopped at a checkpoint in Garges-les-Gonesse, north of Paris, where he reportedly lives.

Ziyed B fired at police with a pellet gun before escaping in a car that was later found abandoned.

Police say the man then stole a car at gunpoint from a woman at Vitry, south of Paris. That car was later found at Orly airport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbMVQY-xUQc

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China Urges US to Remain Cool-Headed over North Korea

Diane A. Wade
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China Urges US to Remain Cool-Headed over North Korea

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged the United States to remain “cool-headed” over North Korea.

The situation was at a “crossroads”, but must not be allowed to develop into a conflict, he said after meeting Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Rex Tillerson spoke of “dangerous levels” of tension, a day after suggesting the US might launch a pre-emptive strike against North Korea.

North Korea is working to develop nuclear missiles that can reach the United States.

Rex Tillerson is in Beijing in the final leg of his East Asia tour, which has been dominated by anxieties over North Korea.

Last week, North Korea launched four ballistic missiles – defying UN resolutions.

Image source Flickr

In South Korea on March 17, Rex Tillerson said a US military response would be on the table if North Korea threatened South Korea or US forces.

And President Trump tweeted that North Korea was “behaving very badly”.

Donald Trump also said that China – North Korea’s main ally – had done “little to help”.

Wang Yi defended China’s position, saying all parties were duty-bound to implement UN sanctions against North Korea, but also to seek dialogue and diplomatic solutions.

He said: “We hope that all parties, including our friends from the United States, could size up the situation in a cool-headed and comprehensive fashion and arrive at a wise decision.”

Secretary Rex Tillerson did not repeat his threat in Beijing, but stressed that the US and China shared “a common view that tensions on the peninsula are quite high right now – and that things have reached a rather dangerous level”.

However, he added that they had both committed “to do whatever we can to prevent any kind of conflict breaking out”.

The US has deployed its Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) in South Korea in a move it says is designed to protect against threats from North Korea.

However, China has claimed the system goes “far beyond” the defense needs of the Korean peninsula.

Secretary Tillerson, a former oil executive with no prior diplomatic experience, will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on March 19.

President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit the US in April for his first meeting with President Donald Trump.

Some commentators expect Rex Tillerson to downplay any tensions between the two countries ahead of that encounter.

Secret Service Laptop with Sensitive Material Stolen

Nancy Clayson
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Secret Service Laptop with Sensitive Material Stolen

A Secret Service laptop with Trump Tower floor plans and other sensitive material has been stolen from an agent’s car in New York.

The computer was protected by encryption and carried no classified information, the Secret Service said.

However, the laptop does have details on a criminal inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, ABC News said.

Police are looking at surveillance footage to identify a suspect.

Image source Wikimedia

The Secret Service released a statement saying “an employee was the victim of a criminal act in which our Agency issued laptop was stolen”.

The agency added that its computers “contain multiple layers of security including full disk encryption and are not permitted to contain classified information”.

According to ABC, the female agent’s car was targeted in the Bath Beach area of Brooklyn on March 16.

CBS News said the laptop also carried important files on Pope Francis.

A police source told the New York Daily News: “There’s data on there that’s highly sensitive. They’re scrambling like mad.”

Secret Service “lapel assignment pins” for President Trump, the Clinton campaign and the UN General Assembly were also taken with the laptop.

The items were reportedly stolen from a bag inside a car in the agent’s driveway. The bag has since been recovered but the computer has not, media reported.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRea2-VvZ7s

Donald Trump Makes Wiretapping Jibe in Joint Press Conference with Angela Merkel

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Makes Wiretapping Jibe in Joint Press Conference with Angela Merkel

President Donald Trump, who believes he was wiretapped under Barack Obama, told visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel: “At least we have something in common, perhaps.”

US intelligence agencies under President Barack Obama reportedly monitored Angela Merkel’s phone, sparking an angry response.

However, both Republican and Democratic congressional leaders have said they do not believe Donald Trump was wiretapped.

President Trump and Chancellor Merkel have discussed key issues including NATO and trade.

Angela Merkel’s visit to the US had been scheduled for March 14, but was postponed due to Winter Storm Stella.

Donald Trump made his wiretapping jibe in a joint press conference with Angela Merkel. She gave a quizzical look.

The president was also asked about a comment by White House press secretary Sean Spicer that the UK’s GCHQ spy agency had carried out wiretapping on candidate Donald Trump during the election campaign.

Donald Trump said Sean Spicer had been quoting a comment on Fox TV. The president said he had not offered an opinion on it, adding: “You shouldn’t be talking to me, you should be talking to Fox.”

Image source NBC

Fox later read out a statement on air, saying: “Fox News knows of no evidence of any kind that the now president of the United States was surveilled at any time in any way, full stop.”

GCHQ rejected the allegations against it as “nonsense” and Downing Street says it has been assured the US will not repeat the claims.

President Trump was also asked if he regretted any of his regular tweets. He said “very seldom”, adding that it was a way to “get round the media when it doesn’t tell the truth”.

The body language was at times awkward. In an earlier photo opportunity in the White House, Angela Merkel asked him quietly: “Do you want a handshake?”

Donald Trump looked forwards with his hands clasped and did not reply.

NATO and trade were key points of discussion for the two leaders.

President Trump reiterated his strong support for the alliance, but also “the need for our NATO allies to pay their fair share for the cost of defense”.

Germany is among many NATO members that do not meet the benchmark 2% of GDP to be spent on defense.

Angela Merkel said Germany was committed to increasing its defense spending.

On trade, President Trump bristled at a suggestion that he believed in “isolationist” policies. He told the reporter asking the question: “I don’t know what newspaper you’re reading, but I guess that would be an example of fake news.”

Donald Trump added: “I believe a policy of trade should be a fair trade. And the United States has been treated very, very unfairly by many countries over the years and that’s going to stop.”

Angela Merkel, who was travelling with top executives from German companies Siemens, Schaeffler and BMW, said she hoped the US and the EU could resume talks on removing barriers to bilateral trade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtTDorw5t_o

Don’t Call It An Accident: Rethinking Car Crashes

Clyde K. Valle
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Don’t Call It An Accident: Rethinking Car Crashes

The first step towards understanding civil liability for car crashes in the Golden State is knowing what to call them, because in our society, words have power.

In 1997, the Massachusetts Highway Safety Commission became one of the first of some thirty agencies to shift terminology from accident to crash; in 2016, Nevada became the first state to make such a move. Later in 2016, the Associated Press followed suit, declaring that its reporters would no longer use the term if negligence is either claimed or established.

After all, according to advocates, airplanes crash, trains wreck, and ships sink, so vehicles should crash as well. To label these incidents as “accidental” implies that they were completely unavoidable by anyone involved, and typically, that is not the case. Other people counter that “accident” is proper, because the term correctly implies that the negligent driver did not intentionally set out to hurt other drivers.

“Accident” was first used in this context in the early 1900s, when some business owners referred to workplace injuries as “industrial accidents” to shift blame away from dangerous factory conditions and onto the injured workers.

What Causes Car Crashes?

Alcohol impairment is a factor in about a third of the fatal car crashes in the United States. This depressant slows down the nervous system, so impaired drivers cannot react to changing conditions as quickly as sober drivers. Furthermore, alcohol impairs judgement skills in such basic tasks like when to apply the brakes in time to stop. Finally, alcohol disrupts concentration, making it all but impossible for drivers to focus on more than one task at a time.

Many prescription drugs, street drugs, and over-the-counter drugs cause similar effects in drivers. The evidence is unclear as to whether or not marijuana impairs driving skills, but driving under the influence of cannabis is still illegal in most states, including California. In fact, the “drugged driving” law in the Golden State is very broad. In 2016, prosecutors charged a Fairfield man with DUI-Drugs because he was under the influence of caffeine; a few months later, Solano County prosecutors reluctantly dismissed the charges.

Excessive speed is a factor in another third of fatal car crashes. Velocity increases the force in any collision between two objects. So, in car crashes, a non-injury collision at low speeds becomes a serious injury crash at higher speeds. Velocity also reduces reaction time because it increases stopping distance. At 30mph, most passenger vehicles take about six car lengths to stop, but at 60mph, stopping distance triples to eighteen car lengths.

California lawmakers recently passed a tougher cellphone law to combat the rising tide of distracted driving, because this behavior causes over 431,000 injury crashes per year. At 55mph, most cars travel the length of a football field while the driver sends or reads just one text message.

Drowsy driving causes at least 100,000 car crashes a year, and that figure is probably vastly underreported. Fatigue and alcohol or drugs have about the same effect on the brain and on motor skills. In fact, driving after eighteen consecutive awake hours is like driving with a .08 BAC, which is above the legal limit in California.

Legal Issues

All four of these behaviors could constitute a breach of the duty of reasonable care, and Gagne v. Bertran is one of the earliest California cases to explain this duty. The court held that people have “a duty to exercise the ordinary skill and competence of members of their profession, and a failure to discharge that duty will subject them to liability for negligence.”

Minimally competent drivers obey the speed limit, focus on the road, are sober, are well-rested, and otherwise obey “the rules of the road” in the Vehicle Code and elsewhere.

If the breach of duty caused the car crash (e.g. Driver A hit Driver B because Driver A was speeding), the victim is entitled to damages. These damages usually include compensation for noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering, and economic losses, such as medical bills.

Many of these behaviors also involve a violation of the Vehicle Code or some other law; for example, speeding may violate Vehicle Code 22350 or another provision. In these cases, victims only need to prove cause, thanks to the negligence per se rule. Drivers are liable for damages as a matter of law if:

  • They violated a law, and
  • That violation substantially caused the victim’s damages.

In many extreme negligence per se cases, such as drivers with a high BAC or reckless drivers, additional punitive damages may be available as well.

Donald Trump Welcomes Angela Merkel at the White House

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Welcomes Angela Merkel at the White House

President Donald Trump has met German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House for a key summit.

NATO, trade and Ukraine are on their agenda, but the focus will also be on how the two leaders interact.

President Trump has called Angela Merkel’s migration policy “catastrophic”, while she has criticized his planned travel ban on several mainly Muslim nations.

The visit was scheduled for March 14, but had to be postponed due to Winter Storm Stella that hit the East Coast last week.

Ahead of March 17 talks, Angela Merkel told German media she was looking forward to her first meeting with Donald Trump.

She told Saarbruecker Zeitung: “It’s always better to talk with each other than about each other.”

Donald Trump and Angela Merkel will hold more than two hours of talks, followed by a working lunch and joint press conference.

The summit has been highly anticipated given that the two leaders have publicly differed on several key issues.

Image source RT

Two months ago, President Trump said Angela Merkel had made “a catastrophic mistake” by allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants into Germany.

And when Time magazine chose the Germanchancellor as its person of the year in 2015 instead of him, Donald Trump said she was “ruining Germany”. However, he has also said in the past she is a leader he greatly respects.

Donald Trump also has German ancestry. His grandfather emigrated to the United States in 1885 at the age of 16 from the town of Kallstadt, about 30 miles south-west of Frankfurt.

For her part, Angela Merkel has criticized President Trump’s controversial travel ban that targets the citizens of several mainly Muslim countries.

In her first phone conversation with President Trump after he took office, she explained that the Geneva Convention obliges signatories, including the US, to take in refugees of war on humanitarian grounds.

Angela Merkel also had a strong relationship with President Barack Obama. His final call to a foreign leader as president was said to be to Angela Merkel, thanking her for her leadership.

This first meeting comes as Angela Merkel prepares for an election battle later in the year, seeking a fourth term as chancellor.

Trade will be a key issue for the summit.

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump threatened higher import taxes for countries such as Germany that have a trade surplus over America.

Angela Merkel is being accompanied by top executives from German companies Siemens, Schaeffler and BMW and will point out the large direct German investment in the US.

She said BMW’s plant in the US exported “more cars than GM and Ford together” from the United States, adding: “I’ll make that clear.”

On March 17, Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said Germany could file a suit against any hike in import duties at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

She told Deutschlandfunk radio: “There are procedures laid out there because in the WTO agreements it is clearly laid out that you’re not allowed to take more than 2.5% taxes on imports of cars.”

President Trump has suggested a 35% levy.

“It wouldn’t be the first time that Mr. Trump has lost in the courts,” Brigitte Zypries added.

NATO is also on the two leaders’ agenda.

President Trump has insisted members pay their fair share. Only four nations currently reach the benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defense. Germany is not among them.

The meeting agenda is also expected to cover foreign policy issues involving Russia, Syria, Iran, North Korea and the Middle East peace process.

Time Management For Time-Squeezed People

Dana R
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Time Management For Time-Squeezed People

(Flickr)

If you’ve got career goals that you want to achieve, but your working life feels overwhelmingly busy, it’s a good idea to take a step back and evaluate the situation. Rather than having way too many things to fit in, the issue may be the way you’re approaching them. Here are some great time management strategies that will help you to regain control.

Break Goals Down into Smaller Ones

(Pexels)

If you feel immediately defeated every time you think about your to-do list for the week ahead, try to break those big goals down into smaller, more manageable sections that you can tackle one at a time. If you focus more of your energy on working through these miniature goals, you’ll stand a much better chance of accomplishing your larger, overarching ones. Take some time to write down your smaller targets for the week ahead, and what you need to do to achieve each little milestone. Try to foresee any issues that will take things off track or push you behind schedule. Set out plans for getting around these issues, and organise people who can support you if needed.

Use A Timetable

(Pexels)

Setting yourself a timetable of the day can be very helpful, as it allows you to concentrate more on individual tasks, rather than having them all pile on at once. With time, you’ll also make it much easier to know what kind of tasks you can tackle, and how much time you have to leave yourself to meet certain deadlines. Trying to juggle the responsibilities of your day job, while keeping up with a demanding qualification like a healthcare administration bachelors, often requires strict time management. Just make sure you’re honest about how you spend your time. If you know you can’t resist a session on social media or reading the headlines, be sure to factor this in.

Step Back and Re-evaluate

(Pexels)

You may know from experience that setting yourself goals isn’t the only factor that goes into accomplishing things. Even after structuring your goals like this, if you feel that you’re still procrastinating over a certain task, it’s a good idea to step back and ask yourself why. Do you need some kind of extra support to remain on-task? Perhaps the task itself simply doesn’t feel all that important to you, or it feels too far away from the end-game rewards you’re actually gunning for. Perhaps one of your miniature tasks isn’t actually necessary, and there’s some other, better solution which you should be engaging in.

Appreciate your Own Achievements

(Flickr)

I saved the best tip until last: give yourself a break once in a while! Rather than dwelling on the things you haven’t achieved in the week for one reason or another, make a point of recognising what you have done. No matter how much you feel you’ve fallen short, there’s a fair chance that you’ve checked a lot of other things off in the process, and brought yourself at least a little bit closer to achieving your goal.

Canadian Teacher Suspended After Giving Crystal Meth Homework Assignment

Dana R
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Canadian Teacher Suspended After Giving Crystal Meth Homework Assignment

When parents send their children to school, they expect their kids to receive a good education. They want their offspring to learn more about topics such as math, geography, and history. However, for one Canadian parent, her 13-year-old son’s drama lesson at school was more akin to a narcotics project.

Delight Greenidge, of Ontario, was shocked when she learned her son had come home with instructions on how to cook crystal meth. Speaking to CBC News, Greenidge first discovered her son’s unusual assignment when the Grade 8 youngster asked her how to make a tourniquet.

Crystal

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

According to the stunned parent, when she asked her son why he needed to know that, he told her that his drama lesson assignment was on how to make and inject crystal meth. Aghast with shock, Greenidge says that she “popped a blood vessel” at the time.

School board astonished at shocking revelation

Greenidge’s son, who asked not to be identified, is a student at Erin Mills Middle School in Mississauga, Ontario. The boy claimed that his drama class teacher handed out the printed instructions for his group as part of an assignment.

The group was initially meant to make a skit about an old television program using emotions. At the time, the team’s idea didn’t come to fruition. Greenidge says that her son’s drama class teacher then suggested a crystal meth sketch instead.

The Peel District School Board shared Greenidge’s concerns when she brought the revelation up with Erin Mills Middle School. They have confirmed that the teacher in question handed out the crystal meth cooking instructions. But, they would not comment further except to say that the teacher has been suspended on full pay pending a full investigation.

Carla Pereira, the communications manager at the school board, says that they share Greenidge’s concerns. She also added that the teacher had downloaded the instructions from the Internet for the group in his drama class.

Seth Fletcher, a counselor with Canadian Centre for Addictions, adds that giving Grade 8 students such material (crystal meth cooking instructions) is dangerous. He also says that the perception of someone in the classroom thinking that it’s okay to take drugs is just as bad as being told how to take them.

The Peel District School Board is unlikely to make the results of the investigation public, stating that it’s a “personnel issue.”

What is crystal meth, and why is it a growing problem?

Depicted by TV programs such as Breaking Bad, crystal meth, also known as “ice” or “glass” is a colorless, odorless, powerful, and highly addictive synthetic psychostimulant. It gives users a long-lasting euphoric effect and produces similar effects to cocaine, boosting dopamine levels by 1,500%.

Often smoked in pipes, crystal meth has become a growing problem for Canada in recent years. According to official statistics, almost 5% of the population have admitted trying crystal meth, with 70% of crystal meth abuse happens during “rave” parties. Further, the country is also a big producer of the substance, with much of the drug exported to Europe and Japan.

Spouse Support: What Not To Do When Dealing With A Psychotic Loved One

Dana R
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Spouse Support: What Not To Do When Dealing With A Psychotic Loved One

Being diagnosed with a psychotic condition can make someone feel worthless. That is especially the case if the victim is aware of the illness. Some people with psychotic disorders will never admit to themselves that they have a problem. In many instances, that’s easier for loved ones because you can avoid the issue as much as possible. However, there are still lots of things you could get wrong. The last thing you want to do is make the situation worse, and so we’ve published some tips here today. Use them to ensure you always take the right approach when your partner or a family member becomes unwell.

Flickr

Don’t encourage their fantasies

While you don’t want to spend all day reminding your spouse they’re ill; it’s also sensible to refrain from taking part in their delusions. Playing along might seem like a harmless move, but it could make their condition worse. At the end of the day, you will effectively validate their fantasies and make it even harder for them to admit their problem. At the same time, you don’t want to push the issue too much either. Just change the subject if they start talking about something that doesn’t make sense.

Flickr

Don’t stop telling them to get help

It’s important that you remind your loved one they need to get help every day. That is of particular importance if they don’t have an official diagnosis. It can take a long time for someone to notice they’re acting in a strange manner. In many situations, they will feel like it’s the rest of the world that’s gone mad. Gentle reminders from people who care about them could go a long way towards making them understand their issue. That could be enough to encourage them to get the medication they require to improve. So, make sure you make a conscious effort to highlight their illness in a calm and collected way.

Flickr

Don’t add to their stresses

The last thing you want to do is add to the stresses of your spouse’s mental health problem. You could make the condition worse if you’re not careful. For example, people who have schizophrenia often deteriorate when they feel under too much pressure. Indeed, it can push them into a state where their body functions stop working. You might have heard the term before, but what is catatonic schizophrenia? Well, it’s a stage of the illness that can have drastic effects on someone’s ability to live a normal life. There’s lots of information online you should read if that applies to your situation.

You should now have a good idea about the things you shouldn’t do when dealing with a psychotic loved one. So, what about the things you SHOULD do? Well, in most instances it’s sensible for you to ensure they attend medical appointments. You could go along with them to provide support if they’re nervous. You also need to make sure they always take any prescribed medication. At the end of the day, it will help to balance their mood and remove all those delusions. You could also encourage them to get out of the house as much as possible. Many people with mental health issues shut themselves off from the world, and that just makes things worse.

Military Action against North Korea Is An Option on Table, Says Rex Tillerson

Roy Siemens
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0
Military Action against North Korea Is An Option on Table, Says Rex Tillerson

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said during a visit to South Korea that a military action against North Korea is “an option on the table”.

He said that the policy of “strategic patience” had ended and the US was exploring a new range of diplomatic, security and economic measures.

Rex Tillerson also defended the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea – a move that has angered Beijing.

Seoul and Washington say the system is needed to defend against North Korea.

Rex Tillerson spoke shortly after visiting the demilitarized zone which divides the two Koreas.

The secretary of state arrived in South Korea from Japan, where he said that 20 years of efforts aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions had failed.

Asked if the possibility for military action existed, Rex Tillerson said: “Certainly we do not want to, for things to get to military conflict.”

However, he added: “If they elevate the threat of their weapons program to a level that we believe requires action, then, that option’s on the table.”

Rex Tillerson also called on China to fully implement sanctions imposed by the UN in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests.

He said: “I don’t believe we have ever fully achieved the maximum level of action that can be taken under the UN Security Council resolution with full participation of all countries.”

The US accuses China, North Korea’s main ally, of not doing enough to rein it in. However, Beijing remains wary of any action that could destabilize the North Korean regime and potentially create chaos on its border.

China is also strongly opposed to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea.

The US says the system is aimed at countering the threat North Korea, but China says its powerful radar will allow the US to spy on its territory.

In recent days there have been multiple reports of apparent economic retaliation aimed at South Korea by Beijing.

Secretary Rex Tillerson called these actions “unnecessary and troubling”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lWc45Ukha4

Pharaoh Statue Is Not Ramses II, but Psamtek I

James J. Williams
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Pharaoh Statue Is Not Ramses II, but Psamtek I

According to Egypt’s antiquities minister Khaled el-Anani, an ancient statue which was pulled from the mud in Cairo is not the Pharaoh Ramses II, but could be another king.

The minister told a news conference the statue was almost certainly Psamtek I, who ruled between 664 and 610BC.

Experts had thought the statue was Ramses, who ruled 600 years earlier, because it was close to a temple dedicated to the ruler.

Image source Wikipedia

However, one of Psamtek’s five names was found engraved on the huge statue.

Even so, the find is still significant, Khaled el-Anani said.

The discovery was made after they moved the statue – which was 29ft tall originally – from a wasteland in between apartment blocks on the site of the ancient capital, Heliopolis, to the Egyptian museum in central Cairo.

It was found by an Egyptian-German archaeological team, and was partially submerged in water, and had split into a number of parts. Its torso alone weighed three tonnes.

Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities said it hoped the two parts could be put back together again.

McDonald’s Deletes Tweet Insulting Donald Trump

Nancy Clayson
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McDonald’s Deletes Tweet Insulting Donald Trump

McDonald’s has apologized after it sent an insulting message to President Donald Trump and said its Twitter account was “compromised”.

The company tweeted: “You are a disgusting excuse of a President and we would love to have @BarackObama back.”

It also asserted that the president had “tiny hands”.

Not long after the message was removed, McDonald’s tweeted: “We deleted the tweet, secured our account and are now investigating this.”

McDonald’s said that it had been notified by Twitter that the account had been “compromised”.

It was not clear whether this meant that the account had been hacked or taken over by a rogue employee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0ENQnWlztQ

The Hottest Tech Careers Of The Future

Dana R
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The Hottest Tech Careers Of The Future

cloud-storage

Image Source

The best way to make money is to meet the demands of the future. Getting behind the latest tech trends could see you on a six figure salary in years to come. But with so many new technologies constantly being developed, which ones are not fads and are likely to really make a difference.

Cloud technology

More and more people are seeing the benefits of freeing up their hard-drives and storing files on the cloud. More cloud servers are having to be built as a result, which is resulting in a demand for more cloud computing specialists both for manufacture, maintenance and marketing. As more and more of are files go cloud-based, it’s thought that hackers are soon going to turn their sights this way. Already these servers are extremely secure, but digital security will constantly need to be improved to stop cybercriminals catching up. Such industries are thought to earn megabucks in the future.

Image Source

Analytics

Data analysts (or data scientists) are already earning huge salaries. Their job is to take huge amounts of data – that previously not computer could deal with – and use them to better the productivity of a business. By analysing huge amounts of web traffic, data scientists can find the places and best places to target when marketing a specific product. Huge masses of financial data can be dissected to find the best way of cutting costs and making profit for a company. As more and more data becomes available, analysts are thought to become even more sought after in all trades.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Virtual and augmented reality is the stuff of sci-fi movies, now brought to life and readily available in our homes through headsets such as the Oculus Rift. The military, surgeons and pilots are all already using VR as a safe training tool. Estate agents are already using VR to give virtual tours of homes that are for sale. The future of AR and VR is thought to be extremely lucrative and may be something worth considering for those with a creative mind.

robotics

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Robotics

We already have automated hoovers, self-service scanners and, most recently, self-driving cars. Robotics is thought to continue to take off – quite literally in some cases as NASA continues to build new robots to journey into space. AI is thought to permeate huge sections of everyday life by 2025, with many people losing their jobs to robotic processes. Being the creator behind the robots will secure your job for years to come.

The Internet of Things

‘The internet of things’ is the linking of various items and objects through the power of the web. Once upon a time, we could only access the internet through our PCs. Soon phones and TVs started to broaden our connectivity and now kettles, fridges and central heating is all being linked to the internet. More household items are thought to become connected so that we can control them from our phone. On top of this, ‘smart cities’ are thought to emerge. Internet linked traffic lights and train timetables will monitor public transport delays, weather warnings and traffic jams and react accordingly.

Kim Jong-nam Assassination: Interpol Issues Red Notice for 4 North Koreans

Nancy Clayson
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Kim Jong-nam Assassination: Interpol Issues Red Notice for 4 North Koreans

Four North Koreans are wanted by Interpol in connection with the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Kim Jong-nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur airport with lethal VX nerve agent last month.

Malaysia said the four men were at the airport on the day Kim Jong-nam was killed and had since left the country. They are thought to be in North Korea.

A “red notice” issued by Interpol is the nearest equivalent to an international arrest warrant.

The move is unlikely to result in arrests as North Korea is not a member of Interpol.

Two women – one Vietnamese woman and one Indonesian – have been charged with killing Kim Jong-nam. Both reportedly believed they were participating in a TV prank.

Image source Getty Images

Malaysia has not directly blamed North Korea for the assassination, but there is widespread suspicion Pyongyang was behind it.

Investigators have demanded North Korea hand over suspects, three of whom are thought to be hiding in the North Korean embassy in Malaysia.

The four named in the Interpol red notice are Ri Ji-hyon, 33, Hong Song-hac, 34, O Jong-gil, 55, and Ri Jae-nam, 57.

North Korea strongly denies any role in the assasination and has demanded that Malaysia turn over Kim Jong-nam’s body.

Last week, Malaysia finally formally identified the murder victim as Kim Jong-nam. Authorities say this was done using DNA from one of his children, although they did not say which one.

Malaysia says Kim Jong-nam’s body has been embalmed to prevent it from decomposing.

It is not clear where Kim Jong-nam’s wife and children are, although his son appeared in a video last week and said the family members were together.

Kim Jong-nam, who was the estranged, elder half-brother of Kim Jong-un, had been passed over for the North Korean succession and was living in the Chinese territory of Macau at the time of his death.

Grasse School Shooting: Students Incident Sparks Terror Alert as Several Injured

Roy Siemens
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0
Grasse School Shooting: Students Incident Sparks Terror Alert as Several Injured

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in the southern French town of Grasse after two people were hurt in a shooting at a school, sparking a terror alert.

A second suspect was on the run with one French media report suggesting it was an incident between two students.

Image source EPA

Anti-terrorist commandos from the elite Raid force were sent to the scene.

Grasse, the capital of French perfume industry, is about 27 miles from Nice, where a truck attack killed 86 people in July 2016.

France remains under a state of emergency after a string of deadly attacks in the past two years.

Salvează

Donald Trump Budget: State Department Bracing for Dramatic Cuts in Foreign Aid

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Donald Trump Budget: State Department Bracing for Dramatic Cuts in Foreign Aid

The Trump administration has revealed plans to boost US defense spending by $54 billion while cutting funding for foreign aid.

The federal government budget plan will be submitted to Congress on March 16.

The state department, which oversees foreign affairs, faces a budget cut of about 28%.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in line for cuts to programs President Trump does not agree with, such as climate change and renewables.

These include initiatives intended to bring the US into line with its Paris Agreement climate deal obligations.

Image source Flickr

The New York Times reported that the EPA could be cut by 31%.

The defense department budget will be boosted by 10%, and homeland security will get a 6% boost.

The budget will include a $1.5 billion request for pilot schemes to determine construction methods and locations for Donald Trump’s promised wall between the US and Mexico.

The White House wants a 30% cut from an energy department office that promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The energy department could see steep cuts for its 17 national laboratories, which conduct research into subjects including nuclear power and advanced materials for energy generation, storage and use.

There will also be a complete cut to funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the largest source of public broadcasting funding in the US.

The budget, known as a “skinny budget”, will be limited to the $1 trillion portion of the $4 trillion annual federal budget that pays for US agencies and departments.

The remainder of Donald Trump’s budget, which will include proposals on taxes, mandatory spending and deficits and projections on the economy, will not come out until May.

Hawaii Judge Blocks Donald Trump’s Revised Travel Ban

Diane A. Wade
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Hawaii Judge Blocks Donald Trump’s Revised Travel Ban

A Hawaii federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban, hours before it was due to begin after midnight on March 16.

District Judge Derrick Watson cited “questionable evidence” in the government’s argument that the ban was a matter of national security.

President Donald Trump described the ruling as “unprecedented judicial overreach”.

The executive order would have placed a 90-day ban on people from six mainly Muslim nations and a 120-day ban on refugees.

President Trump insists the move is to stop terrorists from entering the United States, but critics say it is discriminatory.

An earlier version of the order, issued in January, sparked confusion and protests, and was blocked by a judge in Seattle.

Judge Derrick Watson said the court had established a strong likelihood that, were the ban to go ahead, it would cause “irreparable injury” by violating First Amendment protections against religious discrimination.

Hawaii had argued that the ban would harm tourism and the ability to recruit foreign students and workers in the state.

The 43-page ruling argued that a “reasonable, objective observer” taking into account the context of the Executive Order would conclude it “was issued with a purpose to disfavor a particular religion”.

Image source Flickr

It notes statements made by Donald Trump such as a 2015 press release calling for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States”, and his adviser Rudolph Guiliani, who said in a TV interview in January: “When [President Trump] first announced it, he said, <<Muslim ban>>. He called me up. He said: <<Put a commission together. Show me the right way to do it legally>>.”

It also says there is a “dearth of evidence indicating a national security purpose”.

Speaking at a rally in Nashville, Tennessee on March 15, Donald Trump said the ruling in Hawaii was “flawed” and a case of “unprecedented judicial overreach”.

The Trump administration argues that the constitution gives the president the power to suspend immigration when he deems it to be in the national interest of the country, and that neither the initial or revised orders discriminate on the basis of religion.

DoJ lawyers argue that the revised ban is an extension of President Barack Obama’s move towards stricter screening of travelers from the six countries.

Donald Trump said he will take the case “as far as it needs to go”, including to the Supreme Court.

An appeal against the Hawaii decision would be expected to go next to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals – the same court which in February said it would not block a ruling by a Seattle court to half the original travel ban.

However, also on March 15, five judges at that court wrote a letter saying they believed that decision was an “error”, and the first Executive Order was “well within the powers of the presidency”.

California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Washington are all taking part in legal actions against the revised ban.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who is attending a court hearing in Seattle in his efforts to block the travel ban, described the ruling as “fantastic news”.

Donald Trump to Bring Wiretap Evidence “Very Soon”

Diane A. Wade
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0
Donald Trump to Bring Wiretap Evidence “Very Soon”

President Donald Trump is standing by his claim that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower in 2016.

The president told Fox News a “wiretap covers a lot of different things” and hinted more could emerge in the coming weeks.

Barack Obama has denied the charge and former spy chiefs and several lawmakers have said they have seen no evidence.

The latest senior figure to cast doubt on the allegation was the Republican chairman of the House intelligence committee, Devin Nunes.

He said on March 15 he doesn’t believe “there was an actual tap of Trump Tower”.

Earlier this month, President Trump tweeted that President Obama had wiretapped his phones during the presidential campaign.

In a series of tweets, Donald Trump accused his predecessor directly, asking: “Is it legal for a sitting President to be <<wire tapping>> a race for president?”

Image source Wikipedia

Talking to Fox News in an interview that was broadcast in full on March 15, he made his first comments about the wiretap accusation he made two weeks ago.

Donald Trump said: “Wiretap covers a lot of different things. I think you’re going to find some very interesting items coming to the forefront over the next two weeks.”

Despite repeated requests from reporters, the White House has not provided any evidence to support his claim.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said President Trump “used the word <<wiretap>> in quotes to mean broadly surveillance and other activities”.

Sean Spicer also said that President Trump was not accusing Barack Obama personally.

Donald Trump asked Congress to examine the allegation as part of an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in last year’s election.

Senator Lindsey Graham, who is leading the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of allegations of Trump-Russia ties, has pressed the FBI to come forward with more details of its own probe into the issue.

Lindsey Graham said on March 15 he would use a court order to force FBI Director James Comey to submit details on its Russian investigation and whether there was any evidence of Donald Trump’s phones being wiretapped.

James Comey promised on March 15 to provide answers in a classified briefing.

Intelligence agencies found that Russia conducted cyber-attacks against the Democratic Party as part of an effort to influence the election in Donald Trump’s favor.

Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement.

Donald Trump has been dogged by claims that his advisers and staff had ties to Russian officials, but there has been no evidence of any collusion between his campaign and Moscow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKN9uj2HFbg

Fed Raises Interest Rate by 0.25% for Third Time In A Decade

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Fed Raises Interest Rate by 0.25% for Third Time In A Decade

The Fed has raised its benchmark interest rate by 0.25% for only the third time in a decade.

It voted to raise its key rate target to a range of 0.75% to 1%.

The central bank had been expected to raise rates after a robust February jobs report, solid pay gains, rising inflation and a dip in the unemployment rate to 4.7%.

Its policymakers are expected to increase rates a total of three times this year.

The Federal Reserve aims to keep the cost of lending between banks within a specified band, which it does by buying or selling financial assets.

It is raising that band by a quarter of a percent.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen said the committee judged that a “modest increase” in the rate is appropriate “in light of the economy’s solid progress.”

She added: “Even after this increase, monetary policy remains accommodative, thus supporting some further strengthening in the job market, and a sustained return to 2% inflation.”

The decision was approved with a 9-1 vote. Neel Kashkari, the head of the Fed’s regional bank in Minneapolis, cast the dissenting vote.

This is the second time the Fed has raised rates in three months. It signaled that further hikes this year will be gradual.

The Fed’s statement said its inflation target was “symmetric,” indicating that after a decade of below-target inflation it could tolerate a quicker pace of price rises.

Wall Street stock indexes jumped after the announcement, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 112 points at 20,950 in afternoon trading.

The US dollar fell about 0.9% against the euro and more than 1% against the pound.

The Fed’s outlook for the economy changed little, with officials expecting economic growth of 2.1% this year and next year before slipping to 1.9% in 2019.

Those forecasts are far below the 4% growth that President Donald Trump has said he can produce with his economic program.

However, Janet Yellen told reporters that she didn’t believe it is “a point of conflict” between the Fed and the Trump administration.

“We would certainly welcome stronger economic growth in the context of price stability, and if policies were put in place to speed growth… those would be very welcome changes that we would like to see,” she said.

Salvează

Utah To Lower DUI BAC Level

Nancy Clayson
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Utah To Lower DUI BAC Level

Governor Gary Herbert said he would sign a measure that reduces the legal alcohol limit from .08 to .05. Other states may follow suit, and some people are curious as to the possible effect on civil liability.

After a spirited debate, House Bill 155 cleared the Senate by a fairly wide margin. Republicans, including Majority Whip Stuart Adams, claimed the bill “helps prevent drinking drivers from getting behind the wheel in the first place.” Many other countries already have a .05 BAC limit, he added. Democrats, including Sen. Jim Dabakis, expressed concern that the bill would damage hospitality and tourism because it made Utah look like a “peculiar” place.

Advocacy groups were split as well. The American Beverage Institute said the bill would do very little to reduce drunk driving crashes, since most of these drivers have a BAC over .15. On the other side, the Sutherland Institute praised House Bill 155 as a “common sense policy” that is supported by a “mountain of evidence [which] suggests that moving Utah’s DUI blood alcohol content (BAC) standard to .05 will save lives and improve public safety on Utah’s roads.”

 

Criminal vs. Civil Court

In Utah and most other states, prosecutors can use either direct or circumstantial evidence to convict people in DUI cases. With a lower BAC limit, it’s obviously easier to obtain convictions based on the per se law, but circumstantial evidence cases (normally the field sobriety tests) would be largely unaffected.

Also in Utah and most other states, victim/plaintiffs have two ways to establish liability for damages, and these methods are outlined below. The biggest difference is that the burden of proof in criminal court is much higher than the burden in civil court.

Prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which usually means that the evidence must be so overwhelming that guilty is the only possible verdict. Victim/plaintiffs must only establish liability for damages by a preponderance of the evidence, which means more likely than not. So, if one of the “scales of justice” is just a tiny bit higher than the other one, the plaintiff wins the case.

Image source Wikimedia

 

First Party Liability

Since drivers are impaired after just one drink, evidence of consumption is usually tantamount to evidence of impairment in civil court, because of the lower standard of proof. Such evidence often includes:

  • The point of departure (e.g. the negligent driver had just left a bar or restaurant),
  • Erratic driving,
  • Bloodshot eyes, and
  • An odor of alcohol.

If the tortfeasor (negligent driver) is arrested for DUI, the negligence per se shortcut usually applies. The exact rule varies from state to state, but typically the tortfeasor is liable as a matter of law if the driver:

  • Violated a safety law, and
  • That violation substantially caused the plaintiff’s damages,

The effect also varies. In some jurisdictions, negligence per se is conclusive proof of liability; in other places, negligence per se only creates a presumption in favor of liability.

 

Third Party Liability

Many states have dram shop laws that hold third-party alcohol providers, like bars, grocery stores, and party hosts, liable for damages in certain situations. Generally, if the tortfeasor was under 21, the provider is automatically responsible and there is no possible legal defense. If the tortfeasor was over 21, the plaintiff must also prove that the provider was somehow negligent, perhaps by serving someone who was obviously intoxicated.

Some states, including California, have done away with their dram shop laws. When asked why, Sherwin Arzani, an attorney that handles personal injury matters in California, responded, “It’s because some people believe such laws undercut personal responsibility in alcohol-related crashes.”

Third party liability may still apply even in the absence of a dram shop law, under a more complicated legal theory. For example, assume a party host promises to call a taxi for an intoxicated guest, the host does not make the call, the guest drives home, and causes a car crash along the way. Under these facts, the host could still be a responsible third party even if there is no dram shop law, under a theory called negligent undertaking.

 

The Netherlands Elections 2017: Race Dominated by Mark Rutte’s and Geert Wilder’s Parties

Diane A. Wade
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0
The Netherlands Elections 2017: Race Dominated by Mark Rutte’s and Geert Wilder’s Parties

Dutch voters are going to the polls in the first of three crucial eurozone elections in 2017.

The race is dominated by PM Mark Rutte’s center-right party and Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party, running on an anti-immigration platform.

Mark Rutte has said the election is an opportunity for voters to “beat the wrong sort of populism”.

Geert Wilders has pledged to take the Netherlands out of the EU, close all mosques and ban the Koran.

His party had been leading in opinion polls but they have since suggested his support may be slipping.

Voter turnout so far has been high, with turnout at midday at 33%, compared to 27% at the last election in 2012, Reuters reports.

Image source Getty Images

France goes to the polls next month to elect a new president while Germany is due to hold a general election in September.

March 15election also comes amid a diplomatic spat between the Netherlands and Turkey.

Geert Wilders declared after casting his vote: “Whatever the outcome of the elections today, the genie will not go back into the bottle and this patriotic revolution – whether today or tomorrow – will take place.”

Protracted coalition talks are the likely outcome.

After casting his vote, PM Mark Rutte asked his fellow citizens to imagine how the world would react if the Freedom Party came first.

“I think the rest of the world will then see that after Brexit, after the American elections, again the wrong sort of populism has won the day,” he said.

Earlier, in TV debates, Mark Rutte and Geert Wilders clashed over how to stem immigration.

Mark Rutte dismissed Geert Wilders’s plan to close borders and mosques and to ban the Koran as “fake solutions”.

Geert Wilders accused Mark Rutte of providing better healthcare for immigrants than for the Dutch themselves.

Lodewijk Asscher of the Labor Party, the junior party in Mark Rutte’s coalition, called Geert Wilders a man of “10,000 angry tweets and no solutions”.

Several of the smaller party leaders are being seen as potential power-brokers.

Seven of the 28 parties running could win more than 10 seats in the 150-seat parliament, the polls suggest.

Christian Democrat Sybrand Buma and liberal Alexander Pechtold might go into coalition in the event of Mark Rutte’s victory.

However, other parties could end up as king-makers too, such as the Green-Left under Jesse Klaver and the Socialist party.

None are likely to take part in a coalition with Geert Wilders.

All of the parties forecast to win 10 seats or more are led by men yet women made up more than a third of MPs in the outgoing parliament (58 out of 150).

In the past, the Green-Left was regularly led by a woman, including Femke Halsema, who held the post for more than eight years (2002-2010).

Now only some of the very small parties have female leaders: Sylvana Simons from Article One (which campaigns against discrimination) and Marianne Thieme from Party for the Animals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wrs2OoYhcA

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