Liberal voters warn Democratic officials: resist Trump or be replaced – The Guardian

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Activists have already circled a number of Senate Democrats who have failed to meet their standards, including vulnerable and increasingly rare red-state Democrats. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

On the evening Donald Trump announced his supreme court nominee, thousands of protesters gathered outside of Senate minority leader Chuck Schumers Brooklyn apartment. They chanted Just vote no and Obstruct while carrying signs Get a spine, Chuck and a prop skeleton to illustrate their point.

The protesters are part of a sudden swell of liberal activism that has drawn millions to city streets and airport concourses across the US, in a startling show of resistance to Trumps presidency. Emboldened by this groundswell, some progressives have started using the word primary as a verb and as a threat.

For Democrats in Washington, many of whom are still surprised by the scale and furiousness of backlash, the challenge is how to convert this energy into electoral success.

Schumer has significantly slowed the pace of Trumps cabinet confirmations and excoriated many of the presidents nominees. But the activists outside Schumers home on that January night were unimpressed by his votes in favor of Trumps nominees to represent the US in the UN and to lead the Pentagon, CIA and Department of Homeland Security.

Our message to Democrats is simple: fight Trump or well find someone who will, said Waleed Shahid, a co-founder of the progressive group All of Us and a former organizer with the Bernie Sanders campaign. This week, the group launched the political action committee We Will Replace You, the latest in a series of projects to warn Democrats that failures to oppose Trumps agenda will have consequences.

Our message to Democrats is simple: fight Trump or well find someone who will

The group argues that Democrats need to exercise the little political power they still have. The activists have a long list of demands: votes against all Trump appointees, opposing his supreme court nominee, using congressional procedures to bring all business to a crawl to block Trumps agenda and demand Steve Bannon be fired. Elected officials, they say, should publicly support impeachment if Trump is found to have broken the law or violated the constitution.

The activists have already circled a number of Senate Democrats who have failed to meet their standards, including vulnerable and increasingly rare red-state Democrats, such as Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. Both Democrats are up for re-election in 2018.

The Democratic party establishment wants the support of the Tea Party of the left but they dont want to earn it, Shahid said, alluding to the 2010 movement that mobilized rightwing activists, confronted moderate Republicans and helped the party take control of the House in a wave.

They say they love the grassroots activism, but they dont want to take the next step and challenge the Democratic leadership.

Their demands put leaders such as Schumer in a bind. With his party shut out of power in Washington, public shows of support are arguablyits most powerful weapon, but he must also worry about the lawmakers in his caucus facing elections in states where Trump won.

Democrats must defend 23 Senate seats in the 2018 election cycle, 10 from states that Trump won in November. Already, outside groups have targeted these vulnerable red-state Democrats to try to soften their opposition to Trumps nominees for the cabinet and supreme court.

Activists threatening to primary Democrats live in a bubble. They have no idea how to win places that arent sky blue

The activists threatening to primary [support a primary challenge to] Democratic candidates live in a bubble, said Jim Kessler, a former Schumer aide and co-founder of a centrist thinktank, Third Way. They have no idea how to win in places that arent sky blue already.

Kessler believes the path back to power will require the Big Tent party to grow geographically, and not just move sharply to the left with its demands. In his view, red-state Democrats are an endangered species worth protecting not threatening.

The activists campaign says its goal is not necessarily to primary the candidates and that the threat becomes a tool that successfully pushes Democrats to fight Trump harder.

Blanket obstructionism has proven to be a tall order even for progressive politicians from safely Democratic states. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a progressive favorite from Massachusetts, has already been forced to defend her vote for Ben Carson for secretary of housing and urban development.

A number of activists who support using this tactic agreed that the real test will be the supreme court battle. Senate Democrats have the ability to filibuster Trumps nominee, Neil Gorsuch, meaning that Republicans need to earn support from at least eight Democrats to confirm Gorsuch unless the controlling party changes the rules.

This nominee cannot be allowed to ever take the oath of office. It just cannot be allowed to happen, said Anthony Rogers-Wright, a Seattle-based climate and environmental activist who was a surrogate for the Sanders campaign.

If any Democrat does not take part in a mass filibuster theyre disqualified.

Already, a handful of senators have flatly refused to support Gorsuch, arguing that Republicans stole the seat from Barack Obama when they refused, for a record 293 days, to hold a hearing for his nominee, Merrick Garland. But more have said Gorsuch deserves a fair hearing, and that they will wait to hear more about his views and background before making a decision.

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Liberal voters warn Democratic officials: resist Trump or be replaced - The Guardian

Liberal backbencher says capital gains tax changes are still on table … – The Guardian

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Liberal MP John Alexander says people buying a home should be competing with other people buying a home, not wealthy investors with tax-favoured concessions. Photograph: AAP

The government is working on changes to capital gains tax despite senior figures insistence it has not formed a proposal or intention to do so, Liberal MP John Alexander has said.

Responding to the comments the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, has again rejected the suggestion the government could cut the capital gains tax discount.

Last week the Australian Financial Review reported that the government was considering reducing the 50% CGT concession for property investors, in a major about-face, or increasing the length of time a property would have to be owned before it was eligible for the concession.

On Thursday Malcolm Turnbull moved to shut down the suggestion, saying the government had no intention or plan to change capital gains tax or negative gearing.

But Alexander told Sky News on Sunday that the prime ministers statement did not mean CGT changes were off the table.

I think, again, listen to the words very carefully. When our prime minister says we have no plans that is correct, he said Are we working on plans? Yes we are.

And are those in our party who are promoting that as another issue that could be addressed, I think the answer is yes, were looking at that also.

Alexander also said the government should look again at negative gearing but stopped short of endorsing Labors plans to abolish it.

He said it was a a dynamic tool and it can be used to slow a car down or speed the market up, in reference to his plan to change rates of tax deductibility in response to market conditions.

People buying a home should be competing with other people buying a home, not wealthy investors with tax-favoured concessions.

The assistant treasurer, Michael Sukkar, who has responsibility for housing affordability, told Sky News on Sunday that there were literally dozens of different ideas generated by the government and public service on the issue.

Sukkar said he would not engage in a process of ruling in or out individual changes because a housing affordability package could contain multiple finely calibrated measures.

He repeated that there was no proposal or intention to change CGT.

Asked about Alexanders comments on Monday Cormann told ABCs AM there is no such proposal in front of the government.

We went to the last election promising no increases in taxes on investment specifically, no reduction in the capital gains tax discount, no changes to negative gearing we stick to our commitments.

Im not working on any plans I can assure you.

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Liberal backbencher says capital gains tax changes are still on table ... - The Guardian

Liberal Media Mocks Trump For Claim About Sweden – Daily Caller

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President Trump made a remark about Sweden at Sundays campaign-style rally in Florida.

Trump said, Weve got to keep our country safe. You look at whats happening in Germany, you look at whats happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this?

Liberal outlets immediately seized on the comment to express indignation and mockery. Trump was seemingly discussing terrorism when he brought up Sweden. But Sweden hasnt had a terrorist attack recently.

Vox ran an article titled, Trumps invention of a Swedish terrorist attack was funny. But it likely comes from a dark place, that argued that Trumps mention of Swedens immigration policy was motivated by a long history of sexual panics in the West about non-white immigrants.

Washington Post wrote, The influx of refugees has not come without problems in Sweden, but mainstream politicians and immigration experts say the criticism has been disproportionate.

New York Times wrote, Last Night in Sweden? Trumps Remark Baffles a Nation.

Swedes joined in on the fun, too:

The Swedish government is alsoreportedly looking for an explanation from the U.S.

Its unknown how much crime is committed by immigrants in Sweden since the governmentrefuses to collect statistics on immigrant crime.

However, we do know that refugee gangs have also been a menace at Swedish festivals two years in a row.

Sexual assault has risen by 70 percent in two years, and more than 13 percent of women report being afraid to go out at night.

Other European countries with similar immigrant populations show evidence of a high incidence of immigrant crime. Despite making up 8 percent of Frances population, Muslims are estimated to make up more than 70 percent of the prison population.

Donald Trump responded Sundayon Twitter:

Follow Justin on Twitter

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Liberal Media Mocks Trump For Claim About Sweden - Daily Caller

Bill Maher And Breitbart Editor Agreed That Liberals Take The Bait, Which Was Confirmed When Liberal Guest…Took … – Townhall

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[Warning: Post contains some strong language]

Okayso it wasnt an explosive interview. There wasnt much drama. Nothing was set on fire. And no lives were lost. It was a cordial discussion between two people with opposing views. HBO host Bill Maher invited Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, where the discussion was mostly rooted in both mens support for free speech rights. Maher also said that he cared about the "environment and living" as well, taking a swipe at the conservative movements aversion to supporting policies to combat climate change.

The comedian brought up that both of themwere run out of the Berkley campus, albeit the reaction to Yiannopoulos led to violet protests, $100,000 in property, and an FBI investigation into the matter. Milo later noted that Bill literally is the only good liberal left that respects free speech rights and discusses Islamic extremism honestly.

Milo noted how the Democratic Party and the liberal movement has gone insane, Lena Dunham is the face of the partywhich he notes will only lead to that party getting less votes (one could hope) in future elections.

Lets not pick on fellow HBO stars, said Maher.

Yet, another area they found agreementwas comedy and humor, which has become avictim of the political correctness police. Milo noted that this form of progressivism is wholly authoritarian, hence they must more or less silencehumor because its unpredictable. They hate that.Maher agreed.

And also because when people laugh, they know its true, he said.

As we wrote previously,The Intercepts Jeremy Scahill was booked for Fridays episode of Real Time, but backed outwhen he found out Milo was a guest. Yiannopoulos aptly noted that when you dont show up, you lose the debatewhich drew applause from the audience. Maher had issued a statement defending his booking of Milo, notingthat these anti-free speech antics is one the reasons why liberals will keep losing elections.

And also stop taking the bait, liberals, said Maher. The fact that they all freaked out about this little impish British fag, you fucking schoolgirls. You schoolgirls. Of course, Milo relished this, agreeing with the HBOhostwith chuckles of laughter.Its so ridiculous, he replied.

Yet,Maher and Milo disagreed about theBlack Lives Matter movement, Twitter trolls, and other comedians, namely Sarah Silverman and Amy Schumer, but closed his interview by saying that Mio should get off the Trump train.

For a guy who loves free speech, you picked a weird boyfriend, my friend, said Maher. Milo tried to defend the president, but they were out of time.

During Overtime, which airs online after the show, comedian Larry Wilmore, who was a panel guest, took the bait, telling Milo to go fuck himself over his opinion about Leslie Jones, the star of the disastrous Ghostbusters remake, and for calling him, along with former intelligence operative Malcolm Nance, another guestawful and stupid. Former Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) was the conservative guest for the shows panel, but more or less opted to let Milo, Bill and Larry go at it.

The question that got caused the tension centered on the Breitbart editor going after a transgendered personat a college, who he says fought for the right to use the womens locker room after this person had left the school.

I dont have a problem with it [a biologically born male thinking hes female], but I think women and girls should be protected from having peoplemen who are confused about their sexual identities in their bathrooms, said Milo.

Thats not unreasonable, replied Maher.

So, at the beginning of the show, where Milo and Maher talked about liberals taking the bait, Larry Wilmore tookthe bait.

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Bill Maher And Breitbart Editor Agreed That Liberals Take The Bait, Which Was Confirmed When Liberal Guest...Took ... - Townhall

Tom Brokaw, liberal Democrat – Power Line (blog)

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In the introduction to Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?, the anthology of conservative thought he edited for publication in 1970, William F. Buckley memorably declared: Blindfold me, spin me about like a top, and I will walk up to the single liberal in the room without zig or zag and find him even if he is hiding behind a flower pot. Which reminds me.

As a young lawyer new to private practice but fresh from a clerkship on the Eighth Circuit, I was asked to work with South Dakota attorney Larry Piersol as local counsel on an appeal pending for one of Larrys clients in that court. Larry worked in private practice in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and was a South Dakotan through and through.

In late 1981 or early 1982 Larry came to town for the oral argument of the appeal in St. Paul. We had Larry over for dinner and got to talking about matters political. Larry had served in the South Dakota House of Representatives as Democratic minority whip and even for a term as majority leader. His success in politics was no accident; he was both likable and intelligent. Indeed, his legal skills and political service resulted in his appointment to the bench as a district judge by Bill Clinton in 1993. (Judge Piersol took senior status in 2009.)

In the course of our conversation Larry told me that he was an old friend of South Dakota native Tom Brokaw. Brokaw, he confided, is an interesting guy. You really cant get a good handle on his politics, he told me.

I disagreed. Hes a liberal, I asserted.

You really cant tell, Larry responded.

I can tell, I said. Hes a liberal.

How could I tell? I cant remember. Im not bragging; its not hard to tell. Bill Buckley would not have had to exert his great analytical powers to find Brokaw out. You can just tell.

If youve heard any of Brokaws brief commentaries served up in recent years as An American Story, or heard him opining on any of the NBC/MSNBC gabfests, you know hes a liberal, and an earnest one at that.

I love the tagline he uses for his American Story commentaries. This is Tom Brokaw reporting, he says. Hes still deep under cover. Its almost funny.

Reading Brokaws New York Times column yesterday about the opportunity he was offered to serve as President Nixons press secretary in late 1969, I thought back to my conversation with Larry. Brokaw writes in the Times column:

White House press secretary to Richard Nixon? I had been raised in a family of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman Democrats. My parents were skeptical about John F. Kennedy, but my wife and I were generational enthusiasts.

I worked hard at keeping personal beliefs out of my work, but there were limits. My first job, in a deeply conservative Omaha newsroom, was a test. Most of my colleagues thought I was a crazed liberal for supporting Medicare and the voting rights and civil rights bills.

Not a crazed liberal, Tom, just a liberal. A decent liberal, a patriotic liberal, but a liberal nevertheless, of the Democrat variety.

This is Scott Johnson reporting.

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Talking ‘Islamophobia’ with Liberal MP Jol Lightbound – Macleans.ca

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Thousands of Canadians took part in a massive protest against President Trumps travel ban on Muslims during the National Day of Action against Islamophobia and White Supremacy in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on February 04, 2017. (Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto/Getty Images)

Jol Lightbound didnt much want to talk with me last Friday afternoon. But the rookie Liberal MP happened to be on duty in the House, after most MPs have headed home for the weekend, and he agreed to step out of the mostly empty chamber into the almost entirely empty foyer of the Commons. When I told him I wanted to ask him questions about what he had experienced since six Muslim men were shot dead in his riding on Jan. 29, while they were praying in the mosque called the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec, Lightbound replied in a flat, fatigued voice that he was sick of talking about it.

We sat down anyway on a stone bench in an alcove off a nearby hallway. Lightbound is a good talker. Everybody had seen that in his TV interviews outside the mosque after the shooting. And he again stood out in the often bitter debate in the House this past week over whats called Motion 103, introduced by Liberal MP Iqra Khalid to condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination. Many Conservatives opposed the motion on the grounds that the word Islamophobia isnt well defined, and thus the motion might somehow stifle legitimate criticism of Islamic extremism.

RELATED: Liberal MPs, Muslim community face verbal attacks over M-103

Lightbound was first elected MP for the Louis-Hbert riding in 2015. He was born in Toronto, but grew up in Sainte-Foy, where he returned to try his hand at politics following a stint working at the Montral firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, after he graduated from McGill Universitys law school. This is our conversation, edited for length and clarity:

I think its been for me the most challenging weeks of my life. Thats for sure. Not only was our community as a whole in Quebec City, and my riding, affected, I was affected personally. I have friends who go to the mosque; my very good friends mother left 30 minutes before the shooting. So just the shock of it, not just as a politician, but as a human being. It was it was a big shock. And having to deal with all that comes with it. As a politician it was also a challenge for sure.

I think Quebec City, if you look at the statistics, is not as diverse as metropolitan areas like Montreal or Toronto, for instance. But there are neighborhoods, and if you look, youll find that there is great diversity. In my neighborhood where I grew up it was particularly evident. I was raised in an apartment buildingand this is something I said in the Housewith Bosnians, with Muslim friends, Arabs, Asians. So it was very diverse. It was like the UN, my apartment building where I grew up.

Well, I think, on the one hand, I was very pleased by the reaction in my immediate region and in my community. I think weve seen an outpouring of support and solidarity, and people starting to talk to one another and reaching out to one another and focusing on the humanity that unites us, instead of that differences sometimes we get distracted by. Weve seen the vigilsthousands and thousands of people. In my office, weve received countless messages and phone calls of solidarity for the community. So this has been this has been very pleasing to see. Regardless of perhaps the tone of the debate that weve had in the House this week, I still think that some light might shine out of all of this.

RELATED: The Tories approach a point of no return

I was surprised and saddened to some extent that weve had this debate this week in the house about a motion which should have garnered the support of all members, just like it did back in October when the House unanimously condemned Islamophobia. And what sickens me most is there has been such misinformation spread about this motion, which is not a bill and does not restrict free speech. Its more of a symbolic gesture than anything else. I thought for once that we might unite than not have anyone try to use this for political purposes. I think this should rise way above partisan politics.

For sure. In a country where free speech is enshrined in the Charter, we can always have these debates, so long as theyve done in a responsible manner or not so as to spread fear, intolerance, and hatred. The motion isnt in any way, shape or form restricting free speech. So I fail to see why weve had this big argument.

RELATED: In Quebec City, a moment of painful truth

Well, I think for the Muslims in my community and my Muslim friends, theyve told me about this way before Jan. 29, 2017. So this event in Quebec City was a tragedy that occurred, but the problems that theyre facing, they faced for years. What theyve observed is that theyve kind of been taken hostage by a minority who claim to be acting on behalf of Islam but are not. A lot of generalizations have been pushed, sometimes by mainstream media, sometimes on social media, sometimes by politicians. Theyve seen the world change around them for the worse over the years. I think it probably started on 9/11. Weve had all sorts of incidents happen around the world and weve been fed easy answers to complex questions.

When I was thinking about this whole event, and how I think there has been a climate where Muslims face growing ostracization and stigmatization, I reflected on when I was a kid. We didnt see Muslims. We didnt perceive them as such. We saw our friends, our coach, our neighbours. And I think there is a collective reflection to be had on what kind of prejudices weve allowed to take hold within us. The majority of the population is open and tolerant, but we have were not immune to these feelings which weve observed around the western world. Yes, in the U.S., but around the western world.

No. I think for the most part, we won on these values. Prime Minister Trudeau has always been very adamant in his defense of openness and pluralism and tolerance, and we won a majority government. And I think the NDP shares the same values. I can speak for my generation. Im a millennial, and I can see from the support that I get from millennials across Quebec, I think we share an openness to the world.

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Talking 'Islamophobia' with Liberal MP Jol Lightbound - Macleans.ca

Oroville Dam exposes rift between conservative town, coastal liberals – USA TODAY

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Happy to return home after after damage to an Oroville Dam spillway in California prompted a massive evacuation, residents remain alert in case they are ordered to leave their homes once again. (Feb. 15) AP

Signs on a fence in Oroville urge residents to support secession and the creation of a new state, the State of Jefferson. Due to northern California's low population, the area has only six state-level representatives, compared to 114 for the southern half of the state, which is home to populous cities like Los Angeles.(Photo: Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY)

OROVILLE, Calif. Eldon Hofeling raises his voice over the roar of backhoes, helicopters, tumbling rocks, dump trucks and 750,000 gallons of water rushing past every second.

Its driving me nuts,hesays.

Steps away from his house, hundreds of contractors are struggling to repair the Oroville Dam before the spring rains arrive in earnest. A stream of semi-trailers unloads chunks of rocks, which backhoes then load onto large dump trucks to deliver to weak spots on the other side of the dam. Helicopters chatter overhead every 90 seconds, lifting in even more rocks to shore up the dams top. Diesel engines rumble day and night, contractors bark orders and neighbors wander by to take a look.

Every bedroom window in Hofeling's house looks out over the dam, at what is now a staging area. Contractors told him this repair effort could last weeks.

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The mere threat of a dam failurelast weekwas enough to temporarily evacuate about 200,000 people living downstream. And a collapse could cause death and devastation in both the short- and long-term: This reservoir stores water to irrigate downstream farms and provide drinking water for Los Angeles.

Residents here in Oroville, Marysville and Yuba City are now living with the fresh knowledge that maybe this dam isnt as safe as they thought. That fact thatthe water benefits people hundreds of miles away from this danger isreverberating around these conservative communities that see little commongroundwith the far more liberal Californians on the coastand in Silicon Valley.

This isnt just idle talk: One of the first signs heading into Oroville, population 16,000, urges residents to support seceding from California to create a new state of Jefferson. Here in inland California, Gov. Jerry Browns name evokes disgust, and President Donald Trump is seen as the one who really cares. Here, residents distrust a state government they think is all-too-eager to help undocumented immigrants and build a bullet train to serve the rich coastal elites, leaving them with little.

I bet that if they put this effort into building it right the first time, they wouldnt have to do all of this, Hofeling, 66, saysas a backhoe drops rocks into a dump truck, shaking the ground.

Its a refrain voiced time and again in Oroville and the surrounding towns: The liberal, more populated parts of California suck up all the political attention and public dollars, leaving little for the men and women who help grow the nations food, fruits and nuts. That dichotomy has bred a mistrust of state government and a healthy skepticism of federal officials, Trump excepted.

How is it, the people here ask, that state and federal officials didnt seem to have the money to properly fix the dams problems when they were first identified, but have seemingly untold millions available when the crisis finally arrived.

To understand the situation, you have to look more carefully at Californias voting tallies. Statewide, Hillary Clinton clobbered Trump, winning 61% of the popular vote and 4.2 million more votes than Trump. On one hand, this is a state that utterly rejected Trump. On the other hand, because California is so big, theres wide variation in political affiliations.

Eldon Hofeling watches contractors load rocks being used to repair the Oroville Dam. The work continues 24 hours a day, making it hard for Hoteling and his wife to sleep in their own home. "I bet that if they put this effort into building it right the first time, they wouldn't have to do this," he says.(Photo: Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY)

The farmers and ranchers of Butte County, surrounding Oroville, live vastly different lives than the millionaires strolling Santa Monicas beaches or riding the Google buses to Mountain View or the Facebook coaches to Menlo Park. Butte County favored Trump in the election 46% to 42%, despite the presence of the more urban and traditionally more liberal Chico within its boundaries. Downstream neighbor Yuba County, home of Yuba City and Marysville, is perhaps a more accurate barometer: It went for Trump at nearly 58%.

In this part of the state, Brown is the bad guy for picking fights with the president over immigration, climate change and national priorities. Trump, in turn, called California out of control and suggested he might try to withhold federal funding, particularly over whether the more liberal coastal cities were acting as sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants.

As you know, Im very much opposed to sanctuary cities. They breed crime. Theres a lot of problems, Trump told Fox News host Bill OReilly. If we have to, well defund. We give tremendous amounts of money to California. California in many ways is out of control, as you know.

Brown, for his part, has lauded Trump for promising to repair the nations roads, bridges and dams, but has also promised to use the states scientists, lawyers and resources to fight the presidents alternative facts.

The bad blood has flowed downstream, from the retired homebuilder who trusts Trump over the locally managed state Division of Water Resources, to the traffic flagger who laughs that liberal environmentalists arent worried about rare fish when their own homes are endangered, to the evacuee who refuses to return home or be quoted by name because she doesnt trust what the government will do with the information.

A rainbow arches above the Feather River where it crosses beneath power lines beneath the Oroville Dam. Workers severed the lines during the flooding fear, worried that a flood could rip out both lines and towers, causing even more damage.(Photo: Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY)

Everyonehere, it seems, has a reason to distrust some level of the government. Nowhere was that more evident than when a video showing a National Guard soldier giving out wrong information about the state of the dam and evacuation began ricocheting around social media hours after the evacuation order was lifted. What he said contradicted the official line from dam managers, and the public seemed ready to accept his version over theirs, especially as some Californians already believed dam managers had covered up the extent of repair work conducted in 2009.

Dam managers say theyre making good progress on repairing the damage caused when the reservoir overtopped its emergency spillway, scouring away trees, dirt and boulders. Managers had feared the emergency spillway could collapse, sending a wall of water downstream. That threat has eased, and workers are now shoring up the spillway and removing debris from below the dam.

Still, social media has been filled with rampant rumors and speculation that government officials were misstating the risk for some political gain, and theres skepticism bordering on paranoia that the real story isnt being told by the media or the government.

We have this longstanding history in our country, based on the idea that people control the government, not the other way around, said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea, who ordered the evacuation and then spent days defending it against critics on both sides of the aisle.

Wading into that political tension are the state and federal emergency-management agencies trying to help.

Basically, theyre like dont mess with us. We dont need youuntil we need you, said Craig Fugate, the head of FEMA under President Obama. You have to understand that level of mistrust. Its not personal.

Fugate said the political dynamic in California mirrors that of many states, from his native Florida to the urban-rural divide of Washington state. The Oroville Dams potential failure could have been the first major test of the relationship between Trump and outspokencritic Brown, who after opposing the president asked him to declare a disaster in Oroville.

An engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers monitors water spilling from the Oroville Dam. The dam is controlled by the California Division of Water Resources, but the Army Corps of Engineers was providing assistance in monitoring and developing repair plans.(Photo: Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY)

Without addressing the conflict, Trump quickly approved the request via FEMA, freeing up potentially hundreds of millions of dollars and resources to pay for the repairs that are now disturbing Hofelings days and nights. Ballpark costs for repairs are set at $200 million.

I learned early on that all disasters are local, as all politics are local, Fugate said. You drop your logos and your egos at the door this is not about you, this is not about your ego, your publicity. Its about the people we are serving in a time of need. Because that need is a non-political need.

In Oroville, few people see it that way. Everyone gets run through the lens of politics. Theyre mad about Browns election (Gov. Moonbeam, they remind visitors), his plans for a high-speed train along the coast, and about the meddling of government in the ways they heat their homes, get their electricity and the kinds of cars they drive.

They feel the dams managers only respond to crises and only when they impact Democratic voters on the coast. And theyre heartened that Trump has vowed to rebuild the nations infrastructure on Saturday night at arally in Florida, he called upon Congress to pass a $1 trillion infrastructure package.

For the people beneath the dam, the fact that no Trump-Brown feud materialized is an example of the new presidents munificence. But theyre also well aware that things could have gone very differently here.Its very frustrating, says 23-year police officer and Oroville resident Jeff Wiles, as he watched the emergency repair work with his son. It just irritates you.

Wiles worked several days straight during the evacuation as police officers, sheriffs deputies and the California Highway Patrol emptied the Butte County Jail and then flooded the town with officers to prevent burglaries and looting. Wiles says he looks forward to retirement in a few years, so he can move his family, maybe to Idaho, to be among fellow conservatives. Hes tired, he says, of living in a state so split between Democrats and Republicans.

You tell the president, we dont want anything to do with you, and then you ask for help? Wiles says. At least hes not holding a grudge. I wouldnt blame him if he did.

Silhouetted by the afternoon sun, a civilian version of a military Blackhawk helicopter flies back to a work yard next to the Oroville Dam.(Photo: Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY)

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Sri Lanka’s govt. integrity, economic freedom deteriorate – Daily Mirror

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By Chandeepa Wettasinghe Sri Lanka slipped down to the Mostly Unfree country territory this year in the Index of Economic Freedom, with the lack of government integrity being the only contributor towards the slip in both the ranking and the score. The perceived level of corruption is debilitating, the US-based Heritage Foundation, which compiles the index, said. Sri Lanka slipped to the 112th place from the 93rd place last year, while the country score, which had increased to 59.9 out of 100 in 2016, just 0.1 below a Moderately Free country, declined to 57.4 this year, recording a 6 year low, since 57.1 recorded in 2011. A score below 50 indicates a Repressed country, while a score above 70 denotes a Mostly Free country, and above 80 is classified as Free. Under the rule of law category, the score for property rights increased to 48 in 2017 from 40 in the last year even though the Heritage Foundation noted, investors claim that protection could be flimsy. The unity government, which came to power in 2015, had attracted greater rankings on government integrity, reaching up to 39 in 2016, before nose-diving to 30 this year, matching the lowest levels of 1995 and 1996. Global corruption watchdog, Transparency International, too in its Corruption Perception Index recently pointed out the increasing threats to transparency in Sri Lanka under the current government. However, government ministers claim there is a gap between their good work and the communication of their endeavors to the public. The current government had come to power promising to eliminate corruption, on a wide platform of good governance and transparency. However, many stakeholders are now contradicting the publicly announced policies with the policies formulated in secrecy. The countrys government securities market was also shaken through insider deals allegedly connected to a Central Bank Governor appointed by the unity government, for which action has been slow. Judicial effectiveness for this year was recorded at 48.3. Meanwhile, Sri Lankas tax burden was considered as free, with a score of 85.3, up from 85.1 YoY, despite the increases in taxation legislated in late 2016. Government spending too fared well, increasing to 90.2 from 90.0 YoY continuing an upward trend, despite cuts witnessed in expenditure in 2016 to bring the budget deficit. Fiscal health however, recorded at 31.2. Regulatory efficiencies recorded all-around improvements in 2017, with business freedom increasing to 72.8 from 70.3 YoY, labour freedom increasing to 57.5 from 56.5 YoY and monetary freedom increasing to 76 from 71.5 YoY.

The business start-up process has been streamlined, and the number of licensing requirements has been reduced, the Heritage Foundation said, but noted that labour market lacks efficiency. Sri Lankas commitment towards open markets remained relatively unchanged, with only trade freedom increasing to 74.5 from 72.4 YoY, while investment freedom and financial freedom remaining stagnant at 35.0 and 40.0, respectively. Sri Lanka ranked 25th in the entire Asia Pacific region, while China ranked 24th, Bangladesh 28th, Pakistan 32nd, India 33rd and Vietnam 35th. Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia were ranked in the top 5 both in Asia Pacific as well as in the World. Switzerland managed to edge out Australia by ranking 4th in the world, while Taiwan filled up the 5th position in Asia Pacific.

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Sri Lanka's govt. integrity, economic freedom deteriorate - Daily Mirror

State lawmakers looking at forced treatment as option to combat opioid crises – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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HARRISBURG As state legislators seek to address the heroin and opioid overdose epidemic, support appears to be growing for the idea of forcing some drug abusers into treatment.

The Senates highest-ranking Democrat this month introduced legislation that, if enacted, would let family members petition to involuntarily commit a relative to treatment. In the House, the Republican chairman of the Health Committee says he is preparing a separate bill that would allow involuntary treatment of a drug user after an overdose.

The proposals reflect what some say is a wave of despair fueled by an opioid epidemic rippling the state and the country.

I heard from a number of folks throughout the commonwealth that have expressed to me that they feel helpless at times trying to get treatment options for a loved one, said Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny.

The numbers have been sobering: Drug-related overdose deaths in Pennsylvania spiked 23.4 percent, to 3,383, from 2014 to 2015, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. State officials have projected that the final tally for 2016 will be even higher.

Gov. Tom Wolf has made battling the opioid epidemic a priority. He has asked the Legislature for $10 million in the next fiscal years budget to expand access to naloxone, the drug used to revive people from overdoses.

But its not an issue divided along party lines.

This is the first time I can recall in 25 years there seems to be a strong bipartisan level of support for some form of procedure by which individuals or families are able to pursue treatment for loved ones that need professional help, said Rep. Matt Baker, R-Tioga, the Health Committee chairman who is building support for his own involuntary commitment bill.

The details of how such a law would be implemented and enforced are still evolving. Some critics have already emerged.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania said it will oppose Mr. Costas bill, which would allow involuntary drug-treatment commitments after a petition from a spouse or relative, an evaluation by a physician and a hearing.

While drug and alcohol addiction is a serious problem, ACLU spokesman Andy Hoover said, We have concerns about this approach undermining peoples fundamental rights to liberty.

He noted the bill does not define what kind of imminent danger a person must be in to qualify for involuntary commitment and that it allows for a single doctor to sign a statement that the person has an addiction.

David Hickton, who as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania made opioids one of his top concerns and co-chaired a national task force on heroin use, said a balance must be struck.

The opioid battle has shown that many times parents are frustrated trying to get help for their kids, especially people who are in the throes of opioid dependence where they are resistant to the help they need, Mr. Hickton said. Its a balance, but there is no liberty and there is no freedom once you die of a drug overdose.

Deb Beck, of the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania, said most people dont enter treatment without some kind of push, whether from family members, doctors or employers.

Theres no question that forced treatment can be effective, Ms. Beck said. The problem is we have no locked facilities in Pennsylvania, and frankly we dont have much bed space at this point.

Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, R-Bucks, who is an advocate for addicts and their families, said the concept is a good idea but echoed that it would face a challenge in the lack of secured treatment facilities for drug and alcohol addiction.

Mr. DiGirolamo has firsthand experience with trying to persuade a loved one to get help. His son was a heroin user, he said.

We finally convinced him, after a long struggle, to get into treatment, Mr. DiGirolamo said. Hes 17 years in recovery. I know how frustrating for families this can be.

Karen Langley: klangley@post-gazette.com; Twitter: @karen_langley.com.

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Cash Course – Binghamton University Pipe Dream

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Staff Editorials

By The Editorial Board - February 20, 2017

There are 57 days until Tax Day, a date which holds varying levels of significance to different students.

To the sophomore who is working two jobs to pay for their tuition and groceries, finances are in the forefront of their mind. To the junior whose family is fortunate enough to pay for their full tuition up front, their biggest financial concern may be splitting the tip at Thai Time.

Yet, no matter where you lie on the spectrum of financial responsibility, as a student, you are likely on the path to financial independence. After college, many graduates will feel the full force of repaying loans, filing taxes, paying insurance and the other fiscal joys that come with adulthood. Despite the attention needed to start preparing for this impeding leap, students tend to treat financial planning as an afterthought.

BU students come from an array of backgrounds and operate on different levels of financial independence throughout their college careers. Some are glued to their online bank portal, tracking every dollar and saving into a long-term retirement account, while others avoid opening it like it contains an active wasps nest.

Most of us lie somewhere in between, with good intentions about our financial futures but without full awareness of the financial options available to us. After all, who has time to think about building credit, investing in the market and growing a savings account when we are meant to juggle a full academic course load?

Our school is rich with opportunity to prepare students in their academic disciplines. General education requirements require us to learn outside our major, and even prepare us to lead healthy, active lives. However, there is no such requirement when it comes to financial planning an aspect of life that every student will face. Such a program would undoubtedly benefit BU graduates, enabling them to avoid potentially long-term financial mistakes.

Its heartening to see that the University has taken steps to provide financial planning services in partnership with Visions Federal Credit Union through the Fleishman Center. For the motivated student, this is an accessible way to start preparing for the future.

However, if the University is to make teaching fiscal responsibility a priority, we suggest it does more. A mandatory financial lecture or seminar as part of general education requirements would act as a smart investment in BU students. The course would not have to be intensive, but rather meant to inform students of their options in navigating finances and connect them with resources to do so. A weekly one-credit class would do the trick.

It doesnt make sense that financial planning is not a part of our countrys secondary schooling or higher education curricula. As students face increasing economic uncertainty, BU has the opportunity to adapt accordingly.

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Cash Course - Binghamton University Pipe Dream

Lenkom Theater: From Soviet utopia to post-modern dystopia – Russia Beyond the Headlines

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In February one of Moscow's most celebrated theaters marks 90 years of bringing some of the finest works to the stage. Lenkoms performances are almost always sold out, and it was here that the world-famous rock opera, Juno and Avos, was first staged.

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Besides Soviet authors, Lenkom staged Ibsen, Tolstoy, Dickens and Rostand, which communist officials were not particularly happy about. Photo: Mark Zakharov, 1987. Source: Andrey Soloviev/TASS

The Theater for the Working Youth was established in the USSR in 1927, riding the wave of leftist ideas and universal access to art. In the evenings after work, young men and women could stage plays here. This was a socialist utopia, which soon ended. The theater then became professional and received a new name: Lenin's Komsomol Theatre (Komsomol was the Communist Youth Organization), or Lenkom for short.

Lenkom was supposed to stage contemporary plays that accorded with Soviet propaganda, but the theater tried to step out of ideological boundaries. Besides Soviet authors, it staged Ibsen, Tolstoy, Dickens and Rostand, which communist officials were not particularly happy about.

The young theater director, Anatoly Efros, came to Lenkom in 1963 and raised particular concern among authorities. His poetical, frank and profound direction stood out from Soviet clichs, and clashed with the socialist realist mold, and so in 1967 he was dismissed. However, he went on to even greater success, in another Moscow theater - Malaya Bronnaya. Efros productions are now classics of Russian art. After Efros' departure, Lenkom went through a period of decline.

A new golden era began with the arrival of director Mark Zakharov. In 1974 he stagedTill, a rollicking musical comedy about the Middle Ages and the Inquisition, but which really meant about something else. The audience understood the Aesopian language it used.

Soviet censorship did not at first understand his pungent and subtle play, initially not picking up on the obvious allusions to the country's horrid state of affairs. After the premiere, however, officials were shocked and wanted to shut down the production and fire the director, but it was too late. The news of the brazen play had spread throughout Moscow, and the lead actor, Nikolai Karachentsov, woke up famous the following morning.

Two years laterthe theater stagedThe Star and Death of Joaquin Murrieta, one of the first rock operas in the USSR. Even though it was based on a work by Pablo Neruda, the Chilean poet and communist, the Soviet authorities didnt like the plays format. They thought the genre of a rock opera was strange and dangerous.

At this time, Andrew Lloyd Webber'sJesus Christ Superstarwas rocking the world, and Zakharov and composer Alexei Rybnikov clearly drew inspiration from it. The sympho-rock music and half-naked girls of The Star and Death of Joaquin Murrieta shocked Soviet censors. The production was banned but nevertheless the premiere took place, having the impact of a bomb going off. The first viewers thought, "That's it. Now they're going to arrest us all."

Soviet actor Nikolai Karachentsov (L) as Till Eulenspiegel and actress Inna Churikova as Nele perform in the play Till based on Belgian playwright Charles de Coster's 1867 novel and staged by Mark Zakharov at the Lenkom Theatre in 1983. Source: Yuri Lizunov/TASS

World fame came with Rybnikov's next rock opera, Juno and Avos, based on poems by Andrei Voznesensky, and which premiered in 1981. The sad love story between a Russian count and a young Spanish lady in California touched the hearts of people from various countries. Fashion designer Pierre Cardin fell in love with the play and brought it to Paris and then New York, where the theater had to remain for two months, so great was its success.

Zakharov remembers that, "Pierre Cardin did a courageous thing. He had received threats over the phone, letters saying that he should not get involved with Russians! But he wasn't afraid. I thought that going on tour in Paris was utopic. The play was considered anti-Soviet, shaking our moral and artistic foundations. We were allowed to stage it no more than once a month and in no way during communist party holidays."

The play toured half the globe, had more than 1,000 performances, and is still being staged. It became the theater's calling card, with its snappy, vivid, and audacious style.

World fame came with Rybnikov's next rock opera, Juno and Avos, based on poems by Andrei Voznesensky, and which premiered in 1981. Photo: Yelena Shanina as Konchita and Nikolai Karachentsov as Count Rezanov in Alexei Rybnikov's rock opera "Juno and Avos", Lenkom Theater. Source: Rybchinskiy/RIA Novosti

Zakharov was able to assemble an incredible troupe of stage and film stars - Alexander Abdulov, Oleg Yankovsky, Inna Churikova, and others. It was often impossible to get a ticket to Lenkoms plays.

In the early 1990s, the theater officially changed its name to Lenkom, as it had long been informally known among the public. The name of Lenkom sounded like an expensive cosmetics brand, which suited the theater very well. While the Taganka Theater was an open political party, and the Sovremennik Theater impressed audiences with its honest depiction of modernity, Lenkom enticed with the lights of Broadway, promising a show and a celebration.

In recent years the theater has suffered many losses, especially as many stars passed away, but Zakharov is still at the helm. He sometimes invites one of Russia's most radical young directors, Konstantin Bogomolov, and occasionally he himself stagesThe Day of the Oprichnik, based on the novel by Vladimir Sorokin. This modern-day masterpiece describes a dystopia that is a veiled criticism of today's political establishment. Once again Lenkom is pushing the boundaries of what is possible and causing a stir.

In recent years the theater has suffered many losses, especially as many stars passed away, but Zakharov is still at the helm. Source: Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

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Team Wellington look to crowdfund $25000 Oceania Champions League shortfall – Stuff.co.nz

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LIAM HYSLOP

Last updated15:41, February 20 2017

JOHN HAWKINS/FAIRFAX NZ

Southern United's Andy Mulligan challenges Leo Villa of Team Wellington during the Football match at Rugby Park in Invercargill on Sunday.

Team Wellington need $25,000 to cover an Oceania Champions League budget shortfall, just six days before their first match of the competition.

Club chairman Peter Chote wrote on the club's website on Monday asking for people to buy aTeam Wellington First XI Membership, costing $2200 each.

That would cover the shortfall, which makes up about 20 per cent of the total cost of taking 25 players and staff to Kone, New Caledonia for nine days from this Friday.

MARTY MELVILLE/PHOTOSPORT

Team Wellington's Guillermo Moretti (right) celebrates a goal with team-mates Tom Jackson (left) and Nicolas Zambrano earlier in the season.

Chote said it wasn't a matter of missing the tournament, which has the carrot of a spot at the Club World Cup for the winner,if they couldn't find the money.

READ MORE: *Early Wellington blitz hurts Southern *HBU hammer Wee Nix *City beat Wanderers, again

"We're going, we leave on Friday. There's no chance that I'm aware of that we won't be going,but we do need the support of the local football community and that's effectively what we're asking for.

"There are people that can help us and there are people that can't and even if the people that can't send it to people that might be able to then it all helps.

"We're not trying to make money out of this, we're just trying to deliver a balanced budget."

Team Wellington receive no financial support from either New Zealand Football or Oceania Football to play at the tournament.

The three games they play in Koneis just the group stage, with two more away trips possible if they make it to the semifinals and finals as this year's format features home and away legs for the knockout stages.

Funding this competition presented unique challenges, Chote said.

"The problem is that the domestic competition is affordable. The O-League is very difficult because you can't get community trust support for overseas events, you don't know from one minute to the next how much it's going to cost you.

"Oceania [Football] notify you very late about where you're heading, so you're just guessing all the time, it's very tricky.

"At the end of the day we'll fundit somehow and repay it somehow. That's what we've done over the last three years."

For the franchise to see any financial benefit they not only need to win the OCL, but they then need to do well at the Club World Cup, Chote said.

"For it to be of any financial benefit for the franchise you've really got to win a game at the Club World Cup and that's a big ask.

"What intrigues me is that if you get to the Club World Cup then NewZealandFootball does benefit, but they don't invest. They would say they invest by making the national league affordable."

Team Wellington start their OCL campaign on Saturday against Cook Islands team Puaikura. They then play New Caledonia's Hienghene Sportbefore taking on Fijian side Ba on March 4.

Team Wellington made it to the final last year before losing to Auckland City.

-Stuff

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Team Wellington look to crowdfund $25000 Oceania Champions League shortfall - Stuff.co.nz

New Zealand U-17 footballers complete perfect record in pool play at Oceania champs – Stuff.co.nz

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ANDREW VOERMAN

Last updated20:15, February 19 2017

ROBERT KITCHIN/FAIRFAX NZ

Max Mata (left) was on the scoresheet for the NZ U-17s.

The New Zealand under-17 men's football team have prepared for Wednesday's semifinal at the Oceania championships in perfect fashion.

They beat Fiji 5-0 at Stade Pater in Tahiti on Sunday afternoon, finishing pool play with a perfect three-win record, 18goals for and one against, and are just one win away from qualifying for October's World Cup in India,.

Matthew Jones opened the scoring in the 12th minute from a header, and completed his brace in stoppage time the same way.

In between, Elijah Just, in the 41st minute,and Max Mata, in the 76th, joined him on the scoresheet, while Charles Spragg scored from the penalty mark after him, his sixth goal of the tournament.

READ MORE: * NZ U-17s one win away from World Cup * NZ U-17s begin by thrashing Samoa

New Zealand will now play Papua New Guinea in the semifinals on Wednesday, with the winner securing a place at the World Cup, as both finalists qualify.

New Caledonia, who topped group A, will play the Solomon Islands in the other semifinal earlier that day, with the final then to follow on Saturday. The Solomon Islands made it in over Fiji from group B on goal difference, after beating Samoa 12-0 in Sunday's early match.

AT A GLANCE

Oceania Under-17 Championship Group B, Rd 3

New Zealand 5 (Jones 2, Just, Mata, Spragg) beat Fiji 0 HT: 2-0

-Stuff

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New Zealand U-17 footballers complete perfect record in pool play at Oceania champs - Stuff.co.nz

Asia Oceania Floorball holds annual meeting in Wellington – Insidethegames.biz

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The Asia Oceania Floorball Confederation (AOFC) held their Annual Meeting in Wellington in New Zealand during the recent Women's World Floorball Championship qualification event.

Nine countries were represented at the meeting as they discussed future regional competitions, membership and development of the sport in the area.

The Asia Oceania region has shown strong growth over recent years, with a steady increase in the number of member countries.

With the membership of China and Hong Kong confirmed by the International Floorball Federation (IFF) central board in 2016, both these countries were also accepted to the AOFC, bringing the current number of members to 15.

Floorball has successfully been a part of the South East Asia Games in the past and there is an opportunity for it to be part of many other multi-sport events in Asia.

The AOFC Competition committee is working to secure participation once again in the South East Asia Games, but also in both the Asian Games and Asian Indoor Games.

They will also introduce a new tournament of their own, the AOFC Cup, which will be held in Thailand for the first time in June.

The hosts for future World Floorball Championships qualification events was also discussed during the meeting.

A provisional plan saw the 2018 men's tournament go to South Korea while the women's competition in 2019 is due to be held in one of Thailand, the Philippines or China with a confirmed host to be announced at a later date.

Referee, coaching and development seminars are also planned over the coming year, as well as the consideration of the future employment of a full-time development officer.

It was also announced that Yoshino Takanobu will be awarded with the IFF Service Award.

Takanobu was head coach of the Japanese women's team that competed at the Open European Championships in 1995.

Twenty-two years later, he is still at the helm, steering his team to win the latest women's World Floorball Championships qualification event and qualify for the tournament later this year.

The award will be presented during the event in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava in December.

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Ba, Rewa in Oceania battle – Fiji Times Online – Fiji Times

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Update: 8:48PM THE Vodafone Ba football team will field all local-based players in the upcoming Oceania Football Confederation Champions League Group B matches that will be played in New Caledonia from February 26 to March 4.

Ba will face Team Wellington (New Zealand), Hiengene Sport (New Caledonia) and Puaikura (Cook Islands) during the pool stage.

Ba's early trip to New Caledonia has been affected because of a visa delay. The side was supposed to leave today, but will now depart later this week.

Rewa is the other team from Fiji that will feature in the OFC Champions League. The Delta Tigers are in Group D with Tefana (Tahiti), Marist Fire (Solomon Islands) and Erakor Golden Star of Vanuatu. The Group D matches will be played from March 11-17 in Tahiti. The winner of the OFC Champions League will qualify for the 2017 FIFA World Club Cup which will be played in the United Arab Emirates.

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Woman suffering diabetic shock airlifted by Coast Guard from Royal Caribbean cruise ship – ABC News

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A 75-year-old woman experiencing diabetic shock was airlifted by the U.S. Coast Guard Saturday morning from a cruise ship located approximately 100 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

The Coast Guard said its 5th District Command Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, was notified at about 9:55 a.m. that a passenger in distress was on board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Anthem of the Seas.

"An HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, launched to assist," the Coast Guard said in a statement. "Upon arrival, the Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted the woman to the helicopter and transported her to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, arriving at about 1:50 p.m."

The unidentified woman's rescue was captured in the following video, which was released by the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Lt. Courtney Wolf, the command duty officer for the case, said, "Cases like this highlight the importance of cooperation between the Coast Guard, cruise ship personnel and local hospital staff. Today's hoist went seamlessly due to the coordination between all involved parties, and as a result we were able to transport this individual quickly and safely."

Diabetic shock -- or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) -- is a diabetes complication that can lead to unconsciousness, during which the individual has dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

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Caribbean Nations Concerned President Trump’s Immigration Policy Will Slow Tourism – South Florida Caribbean News

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Caribbean Nations except St. Kitts and Nevis express concern President Trumps immigration policy will slow tourism

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS All but oneCaribbean country St. Kitts and Nevis have expressed concern that US President Donald Trumps immigration policies could lead to a slowdown in travel to a region dependent on tourism.

As Caribbean leaders, except St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris ended their mid-term summit in Guyanas capital city Georgetown, incoming CARICOM Chairman Dr. the Right Hon. Keith Mitchell Prime Minister of Grenada said the trade bloc has adopted a wait-and-see attitude with respect to Americas evolving migration policy and how it affects the regions vital tourism industry.

No representative from the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis attended the Inter-Sessional and there has been no official statement from the Office of Prime Minister Harris on his absence or that of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign affairs or the Ambassador to CARICOM.

Hon. Keith Mitchell, PM Grenada

The Grenada Prime Minister Mitchell told a news conference: We must obviously be concerned with the recent issue related to immigration, and the impact it will have on our citizens and on tourism.

Millions of Caribbean nationals including citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis live in the United State as permanent residents, naturalized citizens or illegal aliens.

Many travel regularly to their home countries, while others send remittances totalling hundreds of millions of dollars each year to relatives who remain in the Caribbean.

Prime Minister Mitchell said he understands the reluctance of some Caribbean residents in the US not to leave the country.

Trumps attempted crackdown on refugees and immigrants from some majority Muslim countries has raised concerns that he may try to impose harsher travel restrictions on them as well.

The uncertainty is there so clearly that has to be settled, said the Grenadian leader, who once lived in the US for 14 years.

Dr. Mitchell said he hoped that the US Congress would temper Trumps executive actions on immigration.

You cant ignore the voices of the people of the United States, so I expect that this thing has to settle the uncertainty cannot continue, Mitchell said.

I believe when the dust is settled, things must improve, because our borders are too close to the United States for them to risk uncertainty or problems in our direction, he said.

Trump said on Thursday he will announce a new executive order on immigration next week, after his original, much-criticized travel ban was blocked by US courts.

The January 27 order was widely criticized as amounting to a ban on Muslims, and also for being rolled out sloppily with virtually no warning to the public or preparation of the agencies tasked with enforcing it.

CARICOM INTER-SESSIONAL 28

The Twenty-Eighth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was held at Georgetown, Guyana, on 16-17 February 2017.

The President of Guyana, His Excellency Brigadier (Retd) David Granger, chaired the proceedings. Other members of the Conference in attendance were Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Honourable Gaston Browne; Prime Minister of Barbados, Rt. Honourable Freundel Stuart; Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr. the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit; Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. the Rt. Honourable Keith Mitchell; President of Haiti, His Excellency Jovenel Moise; Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves; and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley.

The Bahamas was represented by Honourable Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration; Belize was represented by Honourable Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Jamaica was represented by Senator, Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Saint Lucia was represented by Honourable Sarah Flood Beaubrun, Minister in charge of External Affairs; Suriname was represented by Honourable Yldiz Pollack-Beighle, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Associate Member in attendance was Turks and Caicos Islands, represented by Deputy Premier, Honourable Sean Astwood, Minister of Border Control and Labour.

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Caribbean Nations Concerned President Trump's Immigration Policy Will Slow Tourism - South Florida Caribbean News

Caribbean trained attorneys are taking over the judiciary in the region – Stabroek News

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Dear Editor,

While the Guyana government is processing applications for the appointment of a Chancellor and Chief Justice, the Caribbean Court of Justice has commented on impartiality and the importance of judicial appointments, and stressed that there must be independence of the judiciary.

The comments came a day before the regional court announced the appointment of a Belizean to replace retiring Trinidadian Justice Rolston Nelson on the court. The new appointee is Denys Barrow, a West Indian trained attorney who will assume office on June 1.

It seems as if the Caribbean trained attorney is taking over the judiciary in the region. Three other CCJ judges were also trained in the Caribbean: Adrian Saunders of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Maureen Ragnauth-Lee of Port of Spain and Jamaican Winston Anderson. Anderson however was further trained in London where he was called to Lincolns Inn. In addition he gained his PhD in Philosophy. And speaking of Caribbean trained lawyers, the heads of the judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Guyana as well as Belize-Guyanese Kenneth Benjamin were also graduates of the Council of Legal Education in the region.

Justice Nelson is the fourth CCJ judge to go into retirement. The others were the first President Michael La Bastide, a Trinidadian, and two Guyanese, Duke Pollard and Desiree Bernard. The present composition of the court is Sir Denis Byron of St Kitts/Nevis (President), Nelson (who is going into retirement on May 31), Saunders, Jacob Wit of the Netherlands, David Hayton of the UK, Anderson of Jamaica, and Ragnauth of Trinidad and Tobago. It is interesting to see who will be named to head the judiciary in Guyana and whether the Presidents choice will get the nod from the Opposition Leader; if not he or she has to act until there is an agreement or the Constitution is amended to remove agreement and replace it with in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition as was the case before 2002. There must also be agreement for the confirmation of the Chief Justice as well. However Appellate Court and first instant judges are appointed by the Judicial Services Commission. Appellate Court Judge B S Roy is scheduled to go into retirement next month.

Yours faithfully,

Oscar Ramjeet

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Caribbean trained attorneys are taking over the judiciary in the region - Stabroek News

Royal Caribbean cancels all cruise stops in Turkey in 2017 – Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

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Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)
Royal Caribbean cancels all cruise stops in Turkey in 2017
Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)
Royal Caribbean has decided to cancel all scheduled stops in Turkey for the 2017 cruise season, citing "unpredictability" in the country. In a statement to travel agents, Royal Caribbean said that due to the current unpredictability of Turkey, and ...

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Royal Caribbean cancels all cruise stops in Turkey in 2017 - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)