Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton win Arizona primaries

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WashingtonRepublican and Democratic presidential frontrunners, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, cruised to big victories in the crucial Arizona primary even as they faced challenges from rivals in other nominating contests. With his easy victory in Arizona's winner-take-all primary, Trump added another 58 delegates to his tally of 681 delegates, while closest rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz with 425 delegates hoped to slow Trump's momentum with a victory Tuesday in the Utah caucuses. A strong victory in Utah caucuses with more than 50 percent support would give Cruz all the state's 40 delegates and help him narrow the gap with Trump a little in the race for 1,237 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination. Cruz is backed in Utah with its sizable Mormon population by the 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, who backed Ohio Governor John Kasich in last week's Ohio primary. Romney said he would vote for Cruz in Utah as part of an effort to deny Trump the nomination. "The only path that remains to nominate a Republican rather than Mr. Trump is to have an open convention," he wrote in a posting on Facebook. "At this stage, the only way we can reach an open convention is for Senator Cruz to be successful in as many of the remaining nominating elections as possible." Kasich, who entered the day with 143 delegates handily won his home state last week despite a strong push by Trump. But that is Kasich's one and only victory and he seemed unlikely to add to his win total on Tuesday Heading into the polls in the shadow of a series of explosions in Brussels, killing at least 30 people, Trump reiterated his proposal for an open-ended ban on Muslims entering the US and for using extralegal means to fight terrorists. Trump called for torturing Salah Abdeslam, a suspect in November's terrorist attack on Paris who was captured last week in Belgium.
"You know, he may be talking, but he'll talk a lot faster with torture," he told CNN Cruz responded to the attack with his own provocative proposal, calling for law enforcement authorities "to patrol and secure Muslim neighbourhoods before they become radicalised." But Kasich was more restrained. "We are not at war with Islam; we're at war with radical Islam," he said. Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, Clinton beat rival Bernie Sanders in the Arizona primary to take at least one of three Democratic presidential contests Tuesday in Western states. Arizona was the biggest prize of the night, with 75 of the state's 85 delegates at stake based on the results of Tuesday's primary. Utah and Idaho also held caucuses Tuesday where a combined 56 delegates were on the line.< Speaking in San Diego after Clinton's projected win in Arizona, Sanders cited "record-breaking turnouts" in states that held contests Tuesday and said his campaign appealed to voters because "we are telling the truth. "We cannot go forward as a nation unless we are prepared to confront the real issues facing our country."

Two explosions hit Brussels airpor

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Brussels: Two loud explosions were heard at the Zaventem airport in Belgium's capital, forcing authorities to hurriedly evacuate it, Sky News reported. There were reports of several casualties. The blasts centred on an American Airlines desk in a departure hall. Sky News correspondent Alex Rossi said from the scene: "I was at the duty free in Zaventem Airport and I heard two very, very loud explosions. "I could feel the building move. There was also dust and smoke as well... It is some kind of terrorist attack although that hasn't been verified by any of the authorities here," he said. "We are all being moved out of the airport towards the emergency exit. Belgian media reported that several people had been injured and that train services to the airport had been suspended. The Belgian capital is on high alert following the arrest of the November 2015 Paris terror attack suspect Salah Abdeslam in the city last week. -

Twitter sends 140-character message to users on 10th birthday

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NewYork: With 320 million users including celebrities such as Harry Styles, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber on its platform, the micro-blogging site Twitter on Monday wrote a 140-character thank you note to its users as it celebrated its 10th anniversary. Twitter users are creating 500 million tweets per day and 200 billion tweets every year. "On March 21, ten years ago, it began with a single Tweet. Since then, every moment of every day, people connect about the things they care about most - all over the world," Twitter posted. "As we mark this milestone, it's you we want to celebrate. As March 21 begins around the world, each of our global offices will kick off the day by showing our appreciation and gratitude - starting in Sydney and following the sun to headquarters in San Francisco. We are excited to celebrate with all of you," the post further read. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said last week that while several changes are being planned at the company, its 140-character limit represents a beautiful constraint, which helps deliver strong statements. The short character limit for tweets is an element that gives Twitter a unique identity. Appearing on a TV show, Dorsey said that the 140-character limit is "a beautiful constraint" and that Twitter "will never lose that feeling". "It's (140-characters) staying. It's a good constraint for us, and it allows for of-the-moment brevity… We're changing a lot. We're always going to make Twitter better," he was quoted as saying. The 140-character limit has been around as long as Twitter has and has become part of the product's personality. Twitter is also working on the idea of changing its reverse chronological timeline.
"Throughout the years, you've made Twitter what it is today and you're shaping what it will be in the future. Thank you for making history, driving change, lifting each other up and laughing together every day," Twitter post stated. Twitter has also proved itself as an excellent platform to raise awareness about political topics, spread political messages and coordinate collective action The use of Twitter by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump "as a microphone" is one of the several such cases to prove the point. In 2009, flight number 1549 of the US Airways made an emergency landing in the Hudson river between New York City and Weehawken in New Jersey. The first image of the rescue mission in which all the 155 passengers were evacuated to safety were taken by a Twitter user and it became viral within minutes of uploading it on the platform. -

India's monopoly to end as Nepal gets trade point in China.

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Kathmandu: Stung by the bitter lessons from Madhesi blockade of India trade points that caused acute fuel shortage, Nepal on Monday signed a transit and transportation treaty with China for its third-country commerce -- a move that is likely to end New Delhi's monopoly over the landlocked Himalayan nation's trade through Haldia port in Kolkata. The two countries signed the agreement along with nine other treaties in Beijing, a day after Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli began a week-long trip to China. Oli's maiden visit as the Nepal prime minister comes at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang. The visit is significant in the light of Nepal's efforts to reduce its decades old dependence on India after Madhesi protestors in southern plains, agitated over the the new Constitution, blocked supply trucks coming in from the southern neighbour. The five-month long blockade caused huge crises as fuel and medicine supplies dried up. Kathmandu blamed New Delhi for supporting the protestors but the allegation has been denied. The blockade halted for months Nepal's third-country trade, apparently prompting the Nepalese government to look for an alternative to the Haldia port. The transit agreement with China gives Nepal an option to use the next nearest Tianjin port in China that is 3,000 km from Nepal border. India's Haldia port is 1,000 km away. However, there are concerns that Nepal cannot immediately use the Chinese port as infrastructure in the tiny country is poor and the Chinese side is located at a higher altitude. Other important agreements signed during Oli's visit on Monday include an accord on the construction of a bridge in Hilsa, far west Nepal, that will connect the republic with Tibet. Hilsa was a traditional trade route to Nepal. China has also pledged $216-million soft loan to Nepal for construction of a regional airport in the second largest city of Pokhara, some 200 km from Kathmandu. The two neighbours also signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to boost the bilateral trade. China has also agreed to explore oil and gas resources in Nepal and will provide all technical and economic support for it. One of the commercial banks in China has also agreed to open its office in Nepal. Similarly, Nepalese banks can also open their branches in China. China has also agreed to help in installation of solar panels in 32,000 Nepalese households. Agreements in the fields of science and technology, sister-city relations between various Nepalese and Chinese cities, and establishment of Nepal's Consular General Office in Chengdu, China, were also signed, said Gopal Khanal, foreign relations expert to Prime Minister Oli. -

Australia to hold early election in July

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com] >Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday announded the country will hold an early election in July if the Senate fails to pass laws aimed at curbing union corruption. Turnbull will bring back both houses of Parliament for a sitting in April to deal with industrial relations legislation, and said he will call a double dissolution election to be held on July 2 if the bills are not passed, ABC reported. Under Australia's constitution, a double dissolution is used to break a deadlock between the upper and lower houses of parliament The prime minister said he would also bring forward the federal budget by one week to May 3, saying he had informed his Cabinet colleagues about his decision. "The time has come for the Senate to recognise its responsibilities and help advance our economic plans, rather than standing in the way," he said. "The restoration of the ABCC (Australian Building and Construction Commission) is a critical economic reform." Under the existing schedule, the House of Representatives was set for an extended break until May 10, when the budget was due to be handed down. Now both houses will be sent back to Canberra on April 18 to deal with the ABCC legislation and the registered organisations bill. If the bills are rejected by the Senate during the three-week sitting period, Turnbull is adamant he will call a double dissolution election. The decision for an early poll was taken when the Senate passed voting reforms on Friday after a marathon session. An election is due by January 2017 but had been widely expected by political pundits to be called for the second half of 2016.

State government to challenge EC's decision on schemes -

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Thiruvananthapuram: With Election Commission questioning its decision on free rice distribution to BPL families and supply of drinking water in poll-bound Kerala, the state government Monday said it would not hesitate to take legal recourse if permission was denied for the schemes. Speaking to reporters here, after a special cabinet meeting discussed the issue, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said Chief Secretary P K Mohanty would write a letter to the Election Commission seeking permission for the schemes The cabinet discussed the issue of state Chief Electoral Officer E K Majhi referring the matter to a committee headed by the state Chief Secretary to examine whether the move is violative of the model code of conduct in force since March 4. "The cabinet decided to take legal recourse, if EC refuses to give permission," Chandy said. The Chief Secretary would also refer to court orders which have stated that EC cannot interfere on decisions taken prior to the date of election announcement, he said, adding, government had received legal advice on this matter. He said the free rice distribution scheme was announced in the state budget for 2016-17 in February. "Necessary orders for the same had been issued before the poll announcement and funds for the scheme has also been allotted," he said. Referring to supply of drinking water by lorries in areas hit by shortage, he said the decision was taken and funds allotted before the poll announcement. "The government will think of steps, including legal action, if permission is not granted for the supply of drinking water... a cabinet meeting to be held tomorrow will take a decision," he said. Chandy said the EC had stated that drinking water can be supplied in areas declared as drought-hit. But it would not be possible to declare parts of state as drought-hit going by the guidelines and norms, even though these areas were facing severe drinking water shortage. "The government cannot in any way justify the move to deny drinking water to people in summer months," Chandy said. The Chief Secretary had gone to Delhi and explained the matter to Chief Election Commissioner, Chandy said, adding, a detailed letter was also sent to the EC on the matter. "But no decision has been taken on it," he said. The government fully accepted the core of the model code of conduct. "That is why to avoid any complaints, drinking water supply was being carried out by officials and people's representatives have been kept away from it," he said. Besides this, the EC had also restricted the supply of free ration materials for workers who had lost jobs due to closure of cashew factories, he said. The comprehensive health insurance scheme, distribution of financial assistance under Karuniya scheme and allocation of funds from CM's Relief Fund have also been affected due to Election Commission's decision, Chandy said. Hitting out at the government's reaction to the issue, CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan said it exposed UDF regime's "intolerance" toward the Election Commission.

Late night eating harms brain

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Now fight back your late-night craving for snacks. You don’t really want it after having dinner. Yes, you are not hungry.

Taking in at night more carbohydrates, saturated fats and refined sugar than you already have during the day is harmful.

Aside from piling on fat, it would alter your brain physiology, say researchers at Semel Institute in the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).  

The hippocampal area of your brain might suffer from it, causing deficiency in learning and memory. 

Hippocampus governs both long-term memory and the ability to recognise a novel object.

Also, it helps us associate senses and emotional experiences with memory, while organise and store new memories.

Having regularly fed mice late at night, the researchers found the rodents’ ability to recognize a novel object diminished. The habit impaired their long-term memory as well.  

The habit impairs a protein called CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) that help regulate the body’s circadian clock, ability to learn and memory, reports say.

A less active CREB means decreased memory, which might play a role in the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

"Since many people find themselves working or playing during times when they'd normally be asleep, it is important to know that this could dull some of the functions of the brain", says Dawn Loh from the UCLA Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine.

The findings haven’t yet been confirmed in humans.

However, the study confirms that shift workers perform less well in cognitive test

Provide security for online taxi services: Kerala HC -

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Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the state police to ensure necessary security to all drivers working for operators of online taxi services.

Justice V. Chitambaresh directed Kerala Police chief T.P. Senkumar to ensure the safety and security of all such drivers operating online taxi services at railway and bus stations and airports in the state.

An online taxi driver had moved the high court with a plea that he was unable to work unhindered as he was prevented by members of the traditional taxi drivers' unions.

Ever since online taxi providers like Uber and Ola Cabs launched operations in Kerala, their drivers have come under attack by other taxi drivers. 

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Mystery shrouds Mani’s death; forensic report reveals pesticide residue -

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Kochi: A forensic examination has revealed the presence of toxic pesticide Chlorpyrifos in the body of actor and singer Kalabhavan Mani who died on March 6.

Mani, 45, who acted in 200 films in Malayalam and other languages, suffered from a liver ailment and was admitted on March 4 to a hospital here in a serious condition. He died in the hospital on March 6.

Soon after his death, speculation surfaced that it was not a natural death as the hospital authorities reported presence of a chemical in his body.

On Thursday, Mani's brother Ramakrishnan said he suspected foul play behind the death of the actor.

"I suspect all those who had kept Mani company the day before he died," Ramakrishnan is reported in the media to have said.

Mani allegedly consumed liquor in the company of some friends in his outhouse near Chalakkudy in Thrissur district before taking ill and being taken to hospital.

Ramakrishnan suspects that those keeping the actor company tried to destroy evidence by cleaning the place where they consumed liquor before anyone from the family arrived at the spot.

He also dispelled the suggestion that things had been going wrong in Mani's family life.

The police have sealed the actor's outhouse and started a probe into his death.

"I was informed of Mani being admitted to a hospital by his brother only the next day. We want the truth to come out. He was one person who came up in life through hard work and enjoyed everything... he will never ever commit suicide," said the deceased actor's wife Nimmi.

She also denied reports that there was discord in their family life.

A few days ago the police probe team had taken into custody three of Mani's close aides who were with him when he fell ill at the outhouse.

Popular TV artiste Sabu was questioned and then let off. He was reportedly present at the outhouse, but left the place before Mani fell ill.

"I was in Chalakkudy for a shoot that day and after, along with Jaffer Idukki. Another actor and myself visited the outhouse of Mani. There were quite a few people at that time and I left after some time," Sabu told media persons on Friday.

The police also suspect that all is not well because when they first reached the outhouse, the place had been cleaned up.

"He always lived for his friends even at the expense of his family... Why did they do this? We want the truth to come out and how this happened," said Ramakrishnan.

യമുനാതീരത്തെ മലിനീകരണം: ശ്രീ ശ്രീ രവിശങ്കര്‍ 100 കോടി പിഴയടക്കണം

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ന്യൂഡല്‍ഹി: യമുനാ തീരത്തെ മലിനീകരണവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട് ശ്രീ ശ്രീ രവിശങ്കറിന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തിലുള്ള ആര്‍ട്ട് ഓഫ് ലിവിങ് ഫൗണ്ടേഷന്‍ 100 കോടി രൂപ പിഴയടക്കണമെന്ന് ദേശീയ ഹരിത ട്രൈബ്യൂണല്‍. മൂന്ന് ദിവസത്തെ ലോക സാംസ്‌കാരികോത്സവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട് ഡല്‍ഹിയിലെ യമുനാതീരത്ത് ഒരുക്കിയ മേക്ക്ഷിഫ്റ്റ് വില്ലേജിന്റെ നിര്‍മ്മാണവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടാണ് മലിനീകരണം. അതേസമയം, പരിപാടിക്ക് അനുമതി നല്‍കുന്നത് സംബന്ധിച്ച് ഹരിത ട്രൈബ്യൂണല്‍ തീരുമാനിക്കും.

പ്രൊഫ സി.ആര്‍ ബാബു സ്ഥലം പരിശോധിച്ചു. നദീതീരത്ത് വ്യാപകമായ നാശനഷ്ടമാണ് പുതിയ നിര്‍മ്മാണങ്ങളുണ്ടാക്കിയിട്ടുള്ളത്. 100 മുതല്‍ 120 കോടി വരെ ഇതിന് പിഴ ഈടാക്കാമെന്നും നാശന്ഷ്ടങ്ങള്‍ പഠിക്കാന്‍ വേണ്ടി ട്രൈബ്യൂണല്‍ നിയോഗിച്ച പ്രൊഫ സി.ആര്‍ ബാബു വ്യക്തമാക്കി.

യോഗാ, ധ്യാന പരിപാടികള്‍, സമാധാന പരിപാടികള്‍, സാംസ്‌കാരിക പരിപാടികളെന്നിവയാണ് സംഘടിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്. ഇതിനായി നദീതീരത്തെ 50 മുതല്‍ 60 ഹെക്ടര്‍ വരെ സ്ഥലമാണ് ആര്‍ട്ട് ഓഫ് ലിവിങ് ഫൗണ്ടേഷന്‍ കയ്യേറിയിരിക്കുന്നത്. പരിപാടിയുടെ ഭാഗമായി വലിയ രീതിയിലുള്ള മലിനീകരണമാണ് ഉണ്ടായിട്ടുള്ളത്. ഇത് നദീതീരത്ത് മാത്രം കണ്ടുവരുന്ന 320ഓളം വിഭാഗങ്ങളില്‍പ്പെട്ട പക്ഷികളുടെയും 200ഓളം വിഭാഗങ്ങളിലുള്ള സസ്യങ്ങളുടെയും ആവാസ വ്യവസ്ഥയെ തകര്‍ക്കുമെന്നും ബാബു പറഞ്ഞു.

150 രാജ്യങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്നുള്‌ല 35,000ത്തോളം കലാകാരന്‍മാര്‍ക്ക് ഏഴ് ഏക്കര്‍ സ്ഥലത്താണ് സ്‌റ്റേജുകള്‍ ഒരുക്കിയിരിക്കുന്നത്. താത്കാലികമായ പാലങ്ങള്‍, മൊബൈല്‍ ടവറുകള്‍, പാര്‍ക്കിങ് ഏരിയ എന്നിവ നിര്‍മ്മിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. അതേസമയം, വലിയ നിര്‍മ്മാണ പ്രവര്‍ത്തനങ്ങളൊന്നും നടത്തിയിട്ടില്ലെന്നാണ് ആര്‍ട്ട് ഓഫ് ലിവിങിന്റെ വാദം.