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The Democratic Republic Of Congo Confirms Ebola In Urban Zone

May 16, 2018, 3:09 pm
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A health worker is sprayed with chlorine after visiting the isolation ward at a hospital that received a new suspected Ebola case in Bikoro, the Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 12, 2018. The country's minister of health has since announced that Ebola has spread to Mbandaka, a regional capital to the north.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed a case of Ebola in Wangata, one of the health zones of the regional capital of Mbandaka ― which is home to over 1 million people. 

The World Health Organization had reported two probable Ebola cases in Wangata earlier this week, reportedly affecting two brothers who were returning from a funeral in Bikoro, the epicenter of the outbreak. According to Kalenga, one case later tested positive for Ebola.

With the confirmation of the Ebola case, Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga, the country’s minister of health, announced that the outbreak has spread to a “new phase” because an “urban health zone” is now affected by the disease.

“It is very concerning,” Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, told HuffPost. “Look, the reason why most Ebola outbreaks have tended to dissipate quickly is because they’ve mostly been in rural areas, so there haven’t been many people to spread it.”

When Ebola enters a more urban zone, there are more people to spread the disease and more contacts for health authorities to trace, Jha explained, making it much harder to track and contain. However, Jha pointed to two major changes since the devasting 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak: The world is watching, and health workers are deploying an experimental vaccine.

The first batch of the experimental Ebola vaccine, developed by the pharmaceutical company Merck, arrived Wednesday in the national capital of Kinshasa, and it will be targeted for use for “exposed health professionals, people who have been in contact with confirmed cases and contacts of these contacts,” according to Kalenga.

The reason why most Ebola outbreaks have tended to dissipate quickly is because they’ve mostly been in rural areas. Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute

Mbandaka, which contains the health zone of Wangata, is located on the Congo River ― the “superhighway of Central Africa,” according to Jeremy Konyndyk, who led parts of the 2014 Ebola response for the Obama administration and is now a senior policy fellow for the Washington-based Center for Global Development.

This proximity to the Congo River creates a potential pathway for the disease to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, which is home to over 12 million people. Then to the immediate north, there’s the capital of neighboring Republic of Congo, Brazzaville, whose population is 2 million. And the capital of the Central African Republic, Bangui, where over 730,000 people live, is not too far away.

“This [urban case announcement] confirms my worry that early reassuring messages from authorities were premature,” Ron Klain, who served as Ebola czar under President Barack Obama during the last major crisis, told HuffPost. “This requires a more urgent and comprehensive response, and a need for increased U.S. leadership and involvement.”

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization’s director-general, has tweeted that he spoke to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and USAID head Mark Green.

As of yet, the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, The Wellcome Trust, the U.K., the UN, and Gavi have contributed $8 million to contain the outbreak, which WHO estimates will cost at least $26 million to quell over three months. However, that was before news of the confirmed case in Wangata. 

Last week, President Donald Trump proposed cutting the $252 million in Ebola response funds for U.S. agencies. The day the WHO announced the Ebola outbreak, the global health security division was disbanded within the National Security Council.

Though only three cases of Ebola have been officially confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo so far, 41 other suspected or probable cases have been recorded since the start of the epidemic. In 23 cases, patients have died, said Kalenga, the country’s health minister.

The DRC has decreed free health care in the epidemic zones in light of the new case’s confirmation. Kalenga also warned people to “absolutely avoid touching and washing the deceased. This gesture may shock but it can save your life and that of the entire community.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Centre Orders Ceasefire In Kashmir During Ramzan

May 16, 2018, 9:25 pm
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SRINAGAR-- The Centre will suspend operations against militants fighting its rule in the disputed region of Kashmir during the holy Muslim month of Ramzan, the government said on Wednesday.

The move follows weeks of sporadic violence in the Muslim majority territory at the heart of decades of hostility between India and Pakistan, both of which claim the region.

More than 130 people have been killed this year in militant violence, prompting calls by the Jammu and Kashmir state government and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for a ceasefire during the fasting month that begins this week.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has ordered security forces to halt cordon and search operations across Kashmir, the government said.

Only last weekend, soldiers killed five suspected rebels in an operation in Shopian district that prompted protests from hundreds of people who pelted stones at the security forces.

"Decision taken to help the peace loving Muslims observe Ramzan (Ramadan) in a peaceful environment," the home ministry said in a Twitter post.

There was no immediate response from Kashmir's main separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, that has long sought a cessation of all operations and calls for dialogue between India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri people to decide their future.

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Karnataka Election Results 2018 Live Updates: Congress Calls Yeddyurappa's Government 'Short Lived', BJP Confident They Will Prove Majority

May 16, 2018, 11:03 pm
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1:25 pm: Congress Calls Yeddyurappa's Government A 'Short Lived' One, BJP Confident They Will Prove Majority In Assembly

Karnataka already has a chief minister, but the tussle for the chief minister's post continues with Congress and JD(S) sitting in protest. The Congress has said that Yeddyurappa's government will be a short lived one.

But the BJP remains confident that they have the numbers, they said that all independent MLAs are with them.

1:20 pm: BSP Chief Mayawati Says BJP Attacking Democracy


12:05 pm: Ram Jethmalani Seek's CJI's Permission To Intervene In Karnataka Matter

11:35 am: Congress-JD(S) Lash Out At BJP After Yeddyurappa's Swearing In

Congress president Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the BJP even as BS Yeddyurappa was sworn in as Karnataka's new chief minister. He said that the BJP was making a mockery of the Indian Constitution.

Meanwhile, HD Kumaraswamy told the press that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was misusing the the institutions of the Central government.

The Congress-JD(S) alliance continued their fight with even HD Deve Gowda reaching the Vidhana Soudha to show solidarity with the Congress leaders who were sitting in protest:

10:00 am: Congress Stages Protest Against Yeddyurappa's Swearing In

9:50 am: SC refuses to stay Yedyurappa's swearing-in, he takes oath as Karnataka chief minister

Congress-JD(S) alliance's last minute attempt to stall Yedyurappa's swearing-in by appealing to the Supreme Court late last night didn't work. Yedyurappa took oath as the chief minister of Karnataka minutes back.

Though the parties can challenge the governor's decision, they will have to wait and see if BJP is able to prove absolute majority in the floor of the house.

You can read all about what transpired between the SC and the Congress-JD(S) alliance here.

End of updates from 16 May

9:53 pm: It's Official, BS Yeddyurappa To Be Sworn In As Chief Minister Tomorrow Morning

After two days of drama, it looks like its finally over. A letter has been sent by the Karnataka governor to BS Yeddyurappa to form his government in Karnataka.

He has been given 15 days to prove majority.

Here's the letter:

Get more updates on what transpired in the last two days here.
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Karnataka Governor Who Invited Yeddyurappa To Take Oath Was An RSS Worker, Minister In Modi's Gujarat Cabinet

May 17, 2018, 12:42 am
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BJP's BS Yedyurappa was sworn in as the chief minister by Karnataka's governor today, even though the party failed to clinch absolute majority and the Congress-JD(S) alliance had more numbers than them. The governor also gave Yedyurappa 15 days to prove majority on the floor of the Assembly. This new turn of events has turned the spotlight on 80-year-old Vajubhai Vala who was appointed as Karnataka's governor in September 2014, a few months after Narendra Modi's government came to power at the Centre.

Vala, as several newspapers pointed out, is 'an old BJP hand' and was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for several years before he joined the Jan Sangh in 1971. Vala was also a member of Narendra Modi's cabinet when the latter was the chief minister of Gujarat. He served as the finance minister twice during his stint with Modi's cabinet between 1998 to 2012.

According to reports, during the 2002 Assembly polls in Gujarat, Vala vacated his constituency for Modi to contest from it. The Wire reports that in 2002, the BJP roped in Narendra Modi to be the face of the Assembly polls and also quash a rebellion brewing in the ranks of the party. Vala vacated his seat for Modi to take over and ever since is known to have been very close to the Prime Minister. Vala has also served as Gujarat's state BJP president twice.

Besides being referred to as an old Modi loyalist, the Karnataka governor has a history of conflict with JD(S)' chief HD Devegowda. Hindustan Timesreports that in 1996, Deve Gowda, then the Prime Minister of India, advised the President to dissolve a BJP government in Gujarat shortly after it has passed the floor test in the Assembly. The BJP state president at that time -- Vajubhai Vala -- had accused the prime minister of 'murdering the democracy'. Experts have observed that the tables have turned on Deve Gowda at present.

Hours after Vala invited Yedyurappa to form the government in Karnataka, Congress cried foul and accused him of being biased towards BJP. The Congress-JD(S) alliance challenged Vala's decision in the Supreme Court late last night, but their pleas were rejected. Now, lawyer Ram Jethmalani has sought the CJI's permission to intervene in the matter and challenge Vala's decision to let Yedyurappa take oath as the chief minister of the state.

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Deaf Activist Points Out That Marvel’s Diversity Problem Isn’t Just About Race

May 17, 2018, 1:31 pm
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Nyle DiMarco, a model and deaf activist, is shedding a little light on a big problem with inclusion.

And he used the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a jumping off point.

In April, the website Mic published an article about how MCU has a diversity problem.

The article discusses at length how Marvel tends to put white men at the forefront of its stories. But like many other articles and conversations about diversity, it neglects to mention people with disabilities.

So when the story popped up in DiMarco’s feed, the extremely vocal disability advocate wasn’t going to let that significant detail slide.

“Disability is also a part of diversity, @mic,” DiMarco, the winner of Cycle 22 of “America’s Next Top Model” and Season 22 of “Dancing With the Stars,” wrote on Twitter. “HawkEye is actually Deaf and MARVEL Cinematic Universe made the character hearing.”

Mic ’fessed up to its oversight and invited DiMarco to join in a lengthy and candid conversation on Tuesday about disability.

“So many times people forget the disability conversation in diversity,” DiMarco told Mic. “They think diversity has to do with race [and] gender, but there’s so much more to it. We are part of diversity as people with disabilities and the danger is that we get excluded.”

During the conversation, DiMarco said Hollywood has made some small strides in disability representation, but added that the film industry has quite a way to go and used the Avengers film franchise again as an example.

“There are a couple of issues where specifically Hawkeye is deaf,” DiMarco said, referring to the comic books. “And so they brought in an actor who can hear instead. I think it would have made [better movies]… if they brought a deaf person in to play a deaf Hawkeye.”

“I mean, no offense, but Hawkeye in the Avengers is boring. A lot of people don’t even like him… Let’s have a deaf actor in there instead, why not?”

To watch DiMarco’s entire interview, which also touches on many other interesting subjects such as his sexuality and growing up in a loving community, check out the video above.

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Explosive Eruption Rocks Kilauea Volcano's Summit

May 17, 2018, 9:33 am
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A crater on the summit of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupted with a powerful explosion early Thursday, hurling boulders and volcanic debris hundreds of feet into the air.

The eruption sent a massive plume of ash into the sky that reached 30,000 feet ― or five miles ― high. An eruption the night before caused a smaller explosion.

U.S. Geological Survey scientists had been warning residents about an explosive display as unpredictable fissures spewing lava, poisonous gases and hundreds of earthquakes have plagued the Big Island and devastated homes for the last two weeks.

They expect similar eruptions to occur in the near future, said Steve Brantley, deputy scientist-in-charge for the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. 

“We think that the explosions are on par with the activity that we’ve seen in 1924,” Brantley said, referencing a steam-driven eruption in Kilauea’s Halema‘uma‘u Crater that lasted for 30 minutes in May 1924. The most recent explosions only lasted a few minutes long, Brantley said, adding, “We expect to see more of that type of explosion.”

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey had already evacuated the volcano observatory near the crater, but cameras at the summit captured Thursday’s explosion.

The first recent “significant explosive event” occurred at a vent in the Halema‘uma‘u Crater on Wednesday night at around 6 p.m. local time. The second, larger, explosion occurred just after 4 a.m. and lasted for several minutes.

The summit’s crater is far from residential areas in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has been shut down amid the explosions.

“We expect activity could wax and wane like this in the near future,” USGS volcanologist Michelle Coombs said in a Thursday morning update.

Coombs noted that rain in the area has helped minimize ash, limiting it mostly to the Kilauea summit area.

“At any time, activity may again become more explosive, increasing the intensity of ash production and producing ballistic projectiles near the vent,” USGS said on Thursday.

It is unclear what the fallout from the recent explosions looks like, as scientists have been ordered to stay away from the area for safety. 

The explosions could have launched boulders weighing as much as 12 tons ― roughly the size of refrigerators ― up to half a mile, according to USGS.

Cheryl Chipman of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park said during a Thursday press call that the largest boulders could fall within a mile from the crater, while “marble to pea-sized rocks” could fall within four miles of it.

An ash plume follows a major eruption on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on May 17, 2018.

Big Island resident Linda Ugalde told the Honolulu Star Adviser that she didn’t hear or feel the explosion itself but noticed a fine layer of ash in her yard afterward.

“It’s totally weird,” Ugalde said. “I mean, I expected there would at least be one of the bigger earthquakes just before, or a boom or something.”

Residents of the Big Island are being advised to shelter in place if they’re in the path of the ash plume and to avoid driving in conditions of poor visibility.

Roads coated in volcanic ash can also become extremely slippery.

“During explosive eruptions, volcanic ash can disrupt downwind populations by causing breathing problems, impacting water quality, clogging air filters, shorting out power systems and making transportation difficult,” the USGS warned on Thursday. 

The agency advised people in the area to seal windows and doors, cover air intakes and open water sources, and remain indoors. Anyone who has to go outside should cover their mouths with a mask or cloth.

The ash plume billows upward from Kilauea.

The ash plume, which was already 12,000 feet high on Wednesday, soared to 30,000 feet after Thursday’s explosion, according to USGS.

Also on Wednesday, a vent inside the crater began emitting what the agency calls “ballistic blocks.” The dense, microwave-sized boulders traveled a few hundred yards before coming to rest in a parking lot nearby.

Kilauea volcano has been continuously erupting since 1983, but activity picked up on May 3 after new fissures opened up in the Leilani Estates subdivision of the Puna district, located on the volcano’s lower east rift zone.

Since then, at least 20 fissures have opened up and erupted with lava, claiming dozens of homes in the area. Two thousand residents have been evacuated from their homes, as one fissure continues to splatter lava.

In light of the activity, the USGS has issued a warning and code red, its highest alert levels, for Kilauea volcano and its summit as toxic gases and ash continue to inundate surrounding areas.

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Researchers Uncover Secret Pages In Diary Of Anne Frank

May 16, 2018, 9:41 am
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Nearly 76 years after Anne Frank went into hiding from the Nazis during World War II, two previously hidden pages from her famous diary have been uncovered for the first time thanks to digital technology.

The Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam revealed the pages’ content on Tuesday, showcasing the Jewish teenager’s once-secret writings on sex, puberty, prostitution, and even some “dirty jokes.”

“I’ll use this spoiled page to write down ‘dirty’ jokes,” Anne writes before sharing a few, along with her understanding of menstruation and sex, which she notes isn’t done “before one is married.”

Anne Frank wrote about sexual education, prostitutes and 'dirty' jokes in her diary, something that researchers say she had written about before.

“Anyone who reads the passages that have now been discovered will be unable to suppress a smile,” Frank van Vree, director of the Netherlands Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, which partnered in the research, said in a statement. “The ‘dirty’ jokes are classics among growing children. They make it clear that Anne, with all her gifts, was above all also an ordinary girl.”

The secret entry, dated Sept. 28, 1942, had been previously unseen, hidden beneath pieces of brown paper pasted over it by Anne, the museum said.

The covered entry was first discovered in 2016 during a regular inspection of the diary. But it was only recently that researchers said they were able to use light to peer beneath the brown paper without touching the pages, which could have caused damage. Combining photos of the pages with advanced digital technology, they were able to decipher her words.

Researchers uncovered a never-before-seen entry by Anne Frank beneath these pages of brown paper. It's dated September 28, 1942.

The museum, which houses the diary on permanent loan, said it was unclear why Anne covered up the pages. She wrote about sexuality and “dirty” jokes in other diary entries.

In the newly uncovered entry, Anne writes as though she were giving a lesson on sex education to someone else. She mentions there were houses in Paris ― which she says her father once saw ― where one could go to find prostitutes.

The museum noted that Anne expressed worry in her other writing that someone in her family’s hidden annex would read her diary. She also mentioned that others in the hideaway had asked to see it, and that her father had threatened to take it away.

Ronald Leopold (left), executive director of the Anne Frank House, presents two unknown pages of Anne Frank's diary, during a press conference on Tuesday in Amsterdam.

Peter de Bruijn, a senior researcher at the Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands, which also partnered in the research, suggested to The New York Times that Anne may have edited the pages because she hoped to have her diary published one day.

Anne kept more than one version of her writings after hearing on the radio that the Dutch government, which was in exile at the time, intended to publish personal accounts of those who suffered under the German occupation. She planned to submit a new diary, which she called “The Secret Annex,” after the war, the Times reported.

Anne hid in the secret annex with her family and documented her time there for more than two years. On Aug. 4, 1944, her family was discovered and deported to Auschwitz.

Anne hid in the secret annex with her family for more than two years before they were discovered in 1944. She died at a concentration camp just before her 16th birthday.

Anne and her sister died at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. Anne’s death was just before her 16th birthday.

Anne’s father, Otto Frank, was the only member of her family to survive the war. He went on to publish his daughter’s diary and bequeathed the original copies to the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Dutch state.

The museum defended its right to publish the secret entry, citing major public interest in Anne’s writings, which have been read by millions of people around the world.

“The diary of Anne Frank is a world heritage object with great historical value, and this justifies research into it,” the museum said. “Rejected versions are just as important for insight into her working method as passages that were added. The covered sections of the text are part of the object of research.”

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Chemical Weapons Likely Used In Syria, Watchdog Finds

May 16, 2018, 6:44 am
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Chlorine gas was likely used during an attack in Syria this past February, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed.

While the OPCW didn’t lay the blame with any one party, it said in a report released Tuesday that interviews with witnesses, the collection of environmental samples and the symptoms that patients exhibited in the aftermath allowed it to conclude that chlorine was dropped from two cylinders on the Saraqib area on Feb. 4, 2018. 

The attack left 11 people in need of emergency treatment, Amnesty International said at the time. 

“We heard people crying for help somewhere on the road and others on the roof of a house,” a volunteer with the White Helmets rescue group told the aid organization. “While driving, I started to feel a shortness of breath, as if I couldn’t breathe alone, and itchiness in my eyes. I felt nausea as if I wanted to throw up.”

The Syrian government has been accused multiple times of carrying out chemical weapons attacks on civilians since the civil war began in 2011. Most recently, a large-scale suspected chemical attack on the town of Douma killed more than 40 people in April. 

President Donald Trump has twice ordered strikes on Syrian military assets in retaliation for the attacks, calling them “atrocious.”

OPCW teams are still assessing the situation in Douma and are expected to release another report with their conclusions about last month’s attack in the coming weeks.

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The BJP Is Shopping In Karnataka: Who Are The Congress MLAs On Offer?

May 17, 2018, 9:00 pm
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Lawmakers from the Congress party and the Janata Dal (Secular) protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa's swearing-in as Chief Minister of Karnataka, in Bengaluru, May 17, 2018.

BENGALURU, Karnataka — The Bharatiya Janata Party staked its claim to form the government in Karnataka on Thursday morning. But by evening, all eyes were on the city's chartered flight terminals as the Congress sought to herd its 78 legislators away from the clutches of the BJP, and into a private jet bound for Kochi.

The Congress MLAs were eventually put on Hyderabad-bound buses, but two got away: Anand Singh is one of the state's richest politicians and is accused of smuggling iron ore; and Pratapgouda Patil, who claims to be the state's poorest politician, is believed to have taken a private jet out of the city in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Paranoia over horse trading in Karnataka has peaked as the Congress, with 78 MLAs, and the Janata Dal (Secular), with another 37, struggle to prevent the BJP from inducing their legislators to switch sides.

Senior Congress sources said they were particularly concerned about four MLAs, apart from Singh and Patil, who fell under three categories: those with pending criminal cases who were worried that the BJP would use India's supine law enforcement to hound them; those who had won elections before but had been denied ministerial roles, and Lingayat MLAs belonging to the same caste group as Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

HuffPost has the names of these MLAs, but is not publishing them until they can be reached and asked for comment.

Winning over these three MLAs, errant Congressmen Singh and Patil, and independent MLA R Shankar — who has already switched support more than once — brings the BJP to 110 MLAs, two shy of the 112 MLAs needed to form the government.

"We are doing our best but it can get difficult to control so many people for long," said a Congress source involved in the "protection" of its lawmakers. "Ultimately, it comes down to what one has entered politics for and these days there is more profit than idealism."

Ultimately, it comes down to what one has entered politics for and these days there is more profit than idealism.

Keeping it together

The imperative to control MLAs began as soon as the results trickled in, senior Congress leaders said. Party officials exchanged messages about potential defectors and made plans to monitor them.

A chartered flight was sent out to collect one Lingayat lawmaker located in the northern part of the state. When Ganesh Prakash Hukkeri didn't show up at a gathering of newly elected congress MLAs on Wednesday morning, his absence put his party in a panic. Hukkeri, who won the Chikkodi-Sadalga seat by over 10,000 seats, was eventually tracked down and put on the bus to Kochi.

"Senior or junior (lawmakers) does not matter. It depends on what they want and what is being offered," the Congress source said. "With our MLAs also, these days it is very difficult to fight elections, especially in Karnataka. It is the costliest election to date."

The Centre for Media studies described the polls as a "money-guzzler", with political parties reportedly spending over 10,500 crore rupees in the recently-concluded state election. JD(S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy claims that the BJP has already offered bribes worth 100 crores to lawmakers. The BJP has denied the allegation.

Horses for courses

While first and second time lawmakers can be placated with either a pep talk or a position on the board of a public body, those who have been elected multiple times are cause for worry.

"We are saying tell us what you want, but the truth is that everyone cannot be made a minister," the Congress source said.

We are saying tell us what you want, but the truth is that everyone cannot be made a minister.

The Congress believes its Lingayat lawmakers are especially susceptible to poaching. Former chief minister Siddaramaiah's move to grant Lingayats the status of a religious minority ahead of the election backfired: 38 Lingayat leaders from the BJP were elected to power — more than double that of the Congress. With the exception of M.B. Patil, five other Lingayat ministers in Siddaramaiah's cabinet lost their seats.

The BJP is also counting on Congress Lingayats refusing to work under Deve Gowda and his son Kumaraswamy, who is the president of Janata Dal Secular JD(S), as they are Vokkaligas.

"The Lingayats did not fight an election to serve under the Vokkaligas," said a BJP source, aware of the high-level discussions within the party.

The Lingayats did not fight an election to serve under the Vokkaligas.

Flight risk

The Congress is keeping a close eye on the Lingayats who are suspected of being flight risks.

One is a legislator who has won three consecutive elections, but is yet to be made a minister. His contemporary from the same region, also a thrice-elected lawmaker, was a minister in the previous Congress cabinet. "A thrice-elected MLA, who has never been made a minister, might switch to another party," said the Congress source.

Another lawmaker considered at flight risk was a sitting MLA when he was denied a ticket in 2013. While coming back into the Congress fold and winning his seat this time around, the lawmaker is believed to have been deeply anguished by the experience.

The third has a brother in the BJP and is considered close to Yeddyurappa. Some within the Congress believe that he supported his brother's campaign in the recently-concluded election.

Amaregowda Bayyapur, who has the distinction of representing the Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress in the past two decades, but has only served as a minister once, was also considered at flight risk. Earlier this week, Bayyapur claimed that he had been offered a ministry by the BJP and he had turned it down.

Also on HuffPost India:

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Inside Myna Mahila, The Indian Charity Transforming Women's Lives That's Been Invited To The Royal Wedding

May 18, 2018, 1:56 am
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Meghan Markle India 2017

MUMBAI, India — When Suhani Jalota won Glamour magazine's College Women of the Year award in 2016, little did she know this would be the start of a deep relationship with Hollywood star, and soon-to-be Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.

Jalota, who was a 21-year-old student at the Duke University in North Carolina at the time, is the founder of Myna Mahila Foundation, a women's menstrual health foundation that provides affordable sanitary napkins to women from Mumbai's most impoverished neighborhoods.

Today Myna Mahila Foundation is one of seven charities, chosen by Markle and Prince Harry, where guests can send contributions in place of gifts for the royal couple.

"What means a lot to us is that Ms. Markle chose a small organization like ours when there are many large ones operating across the world," Jalota said. "More than the donations, the spotlight on our NGO will undoubtedly benefit us in ways we can't imagine."

It all began in New York

In May 2016, Markle was one of the guests at a party, at the NoMad hotel in New York City, to honour the 10 women shortlisted by Glamour. One of them was Jalota, who had won $20,000 for the Myna Mahila Foundation.

The foundation seeks to empower women by providing them with the tools and materials to manufacture their own sanitary napkins, and then sell them to their community at a fraction of the cost of regular napkins.

A study conducted by the NGO Spot On! in 2014 had found that, in India, nearly 23 million girls drop out of school each year when they start menstruating. These girls can neither afford napkins, nor do they have someone they can speak to about their menstrual health and hygiene because of the stigma associated with menstruation in the country.

The more Markle learnt about the Myna Mahila Foundation, the more she got into it. In 2017, she flew down to Mumbai and visited the small factory.

Markle even wrote about Jalota's foundation in Time magazine in March that year.

"Ninety-seven percent of the employees of Myna Mahila live and work within the slums, creating a system which as, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. Jockin Arputham shared with me, is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and allowing access to education," she wrote. "In addition, the women's work opens the dialogue of menstrual hygiene in their homes, liberating them from silent suffering, and equipping their daughters to attend school."

Success Stories

Myna Mahila Foundation currently employs 15 women to manufacture their low-cost pads, and another 20 saleswomen who fan out into Mumbai's densely populated informal settlements to sell their products. The foundation claims to have about 3000 customers in all, 90% of whom buy their products on a regular basis. The foundation expects to reach 10000 women by end of 2018.

The women working at Myna Mahila Foundation, like Archana Amre, say the foundation has offered them steady employment and has broadened their horizons.

Twenty-five-year-old Amre, who passed Class 12 but couldn't afford college, has even been invited to attend the royal wedding with Jalota and a colleague.

"As a kid, I always dreamt of getting inside a plane. That's all I wanted. But to sit in a plane and go to London to attend the Royal wedding? This feels like a dream," she said. "I've never been more excited about anything in life."

Previously, Amre was worked in a self-help group for women and was a local kabaddi player.

"I've been working with Myna Mahila for the past 8 months and it has transformed my life," she said.

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Karnataka Elections: As BJP Hunts For MLAs, Anglo-Indians Bow Out Of Floor Test

May 18, 2018, 6:54 am
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BENGALURU, INDIA - MAY 17: Governor of Karnataka Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala felicitates the Bharatiya Janata Party leader B. S. Yeddyurappa after the oath taking ceremony as the 23rd Chief Minister of Karnataka at Raj Bhawan on May 17, 2018 in Bengaluru, India. Yeddyurappa was sworn in as Karnataka?s new Chief Minister on Thursday morning after the Supreme Court refused to stay the oath-taking ceremony in a late-night hearing. (Photo by Arijit Sen/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

A 142-year-old organisation is the latest group to enter the mess that is the Karnataka election result. Three days after the state polls resulted in a hung assembly, The All-India Anglo-Indian Association filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court requesting that no Anglo Indian member should be nominated for the Karnataka assembly until the floor test at the House was conducted, citing concerns that such an appointment may be used for political gains.

"Over the last few decades, our seats have been politicised," said Barry O'Brien, President-in-chief of the organisation that was established in 1876 and has 62 branches in India. "The voice of the people (of the community) is not heard, some people are just thrust on us just because they serve a political party's interest."

The apex court has accepted the petition, filed by the Anglo-Indian association's Bengaluru branch's vice president Clive Michael Van Buerle. The court ordered a floor test to be held on Saturday at 4 pm. The Anglo-Indian member of the legislative assembly will be nominated only after the BS Yeddyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party government is able to prove their majority.

"We would have the same stance in any state," said O'Brien. "We are equally friendly with all political parties."

"Over the last few decades, our seats have been politicised."Barry O'Brien, President-in-chief of The All-India Anglo-Indian Association

The Anglo-Indian community's decision to move the Supreme Court is an extreme reaction to years of manipulation by political parties. There is no proper procedure to nominate such a member, and political parties often use this opportunity to pick a person close to the ruling government instead of a person who would serve the Anglo Indian community, said O'Brien.

"They don't care who they are nominating, parties use this for their own selfish reason," he said. "The person they nominate should be known in the community who can represent us."

Supporters of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrate after learning of the initial poll results of Karnataka state assembly elections, in Bengaluru, India May 15, 2018. REUTERS/Abhishek N. Chinnappa

Under Article 333 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of a state can nominate a member of the Anglo-Indian community in the state legislative assembly. Currently, this takes place in states which have a significant Anglo-Indian population — like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal — among others. It is usually done to adequately represent the Anglo-Indian community in a state assembly. Two such nominations are also allowed at the Lok Sabha level, chosen by the President of India.

The All-India Anglo-Indian Association's decision to file a writ petition on Friday was a last-ditch attempt. The organisation had already written a letter to the Karnataka governor on Wednesday, May 16, requesting him to not nominate any one until the floor test took place at the state assembly. The community had decided to send the letter to the governor after some members were believed to have been approached by political party representatives to send their resumes for the position. Though it is unclear who was approached, it sent alarm bells ringing through the agitated community following which O'Brien shot off a letter to the Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala voicing their concern.

"Sir, we implore you to protect our constitutional rights by not allowing any political party or group to use this nomination to seek political advantage for its own gain or benefit," O'Brien wrote in the letter. "In the current situation that has evolved in the state, if a person is nominated to this seat before the 'floor test' or 'vote of confidence' is carried out to prove the majority in favour of any political party or group, it would be highly unethical and unconstitutional, and cause great damage to the democratic process as well the rights of a minority community."

Shri Vajubhai Vala

Honourable Governor

The State of Karnataka

Raj Bhavan

Bengaluru

Karnataka

Your Excellency,

Subject: Nominated Anglo-Indian seat in the Legislative Assembly

We send you our greetings and best wishes!

I write to you in my capacity as the elected President-in-Chief of The All-India Anglo-Indian Association, the oldest and largest organisation of the community, since 1876, with 62 branches spread across the country. In Karnataka we have active branches in Bengaluru (two branches), Mysore, Hubli and Kolar Gold Fields.

Sir, Article 333 of the Constitution of India empowers the Governor of a state to nominate a member of the Anglo-Indian community to the State Legislative Assembly.

Sir, we implore you to protect our constitutional rights by not allowing any political party or group to use this nomination to seek political advantage for its own gain or benefit. In the current situation that has evolved in the state, if a person is nominated to this seat before the 'floor test' or 'vote of confidence' is carried out to prove the majority in favour of any political party or group, it would be highly unethical and unconstitutional, and cause great damage to the democratic process as well the rights of a minority community.

We urge you, Sir, to nominate a person from our community only after the political process of installing a government is completed after the 'floor test' or 'vote of confidence' has been won by the concerned political party or group, irrespective of who it is.

We are confident that you will protect our constitutional rights as a minority community and not allow our seat to be politicised and used for political gain.

Thank you.

With warmest regards and best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Barry O'Brien

President-in-Chief

The All-India Anglo-Indian Association

After not getting any reply from the governor, the organisation decided to approach the Supreme Court. The Karnataka Congress, too, had submitted a similar writ petition in court on Thursday. "It is submitted that taking advantage of the power under Article 333 of the Constitution the Respondent No. 3 (BS Yeddyurappa) and his party (BJP) are now attempting to nominate an Anglo Indian MLA to fill nominated seat immediately to illegally raise their strength in the House with a view to outnumber the Petitioners who enjoy support of majority of the elected legislators being 116 in number," according to the petition submitted by Congress in the court.

Meanwhile, reports surfaced in some newspapers suggesting Vinisha Nero, a sitting MLA in the Karnataka assembly, had been nominated to the post, that was later denied by both Nero and the Anglo-Indian association. "This is absolutely fake news," wrote Nero in a Facebook post on Thursday. "Secularism and Congress are in my DNA and I will not sell my integrity or commitment to such values for money or power."

Vinisha Nero clarified her position on social media.

Now the Anglo-Indian community is hoping to use this moment to call for a fair process of nomination of such members to state legislative assemblies across the country. "We want to put a procedure in place," said O'Brien, adding that at the moment nominated Anglo-Indian MLAs are not required to be interviewed or declare their assets.

"There is currently no call for applications and no clear weightage given to certain aspects of an application like who represents the community well and has a proven record of serving Anglo-Indians," he said. "Thanks to the digital world now the whole community can finally voice themselves."

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'You Will Make 100 Times The Wealth You Made So Far': Congress Releases Audio Tape Alleging BJP Tried To Bribe MLA

May 18, 2018, 8:58 am
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BJP leader and mining baron Janardhan Reddy during an interview at his rented bungalow at Hangal on April 21, 2018 in Chitradurga, India.

Just one day before Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has to prove his majority in the Karnataka Assembly, the Congress Party today released an audio clip which the party said was proof of Janardhan Reddy, a former minister of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), trying to bribe its lawmaker.

In this audio clip, the Congress alleged, Reddy, the tainted mining baron from Bellary, can be heard offering money and a ministerial post to its lawmaker from Raichur Rural, Basanagouda Daddala, who hails from the Valmiki community.

While Reddy allegedly assured Daddala that he can arrange a one-on-one meeting with BJP's national president, Amit Shah, the Congress MLA refused to switch sides.

"And I will arrange a meeting with the national president and you can speak to him one-on-one and we can take the next step."

"You will become minister. Did you understand? Directly we will make you meet the big man. I will make you speak to him... you will make 100 times the wealth you made so far."

READ: The BJP Is Shopping In Karnataka: Who Are The Congress MLAs On Offer?

Rubbishing the Congress Party's allegations, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar described the audio clip as a "utter falsehood."

HuffPost India has not verified the authenticity of the audio clip. Below is the transcript of the alleged conversation between Reddy and Daddala.

Janardhana Reddy: Is it Basanagouda? Are you free?

Daddala: Yes it is me.

JR: Forget all that has happened before, forget all the bad things. I am telling you, that my good time has begun. And I will arrange a meeting with the national president and you can speak to him one-on-one and we can take the next step.

BD: No sir, when I was on my last leg they made me MLA.

JR: I will tell you one thing. BSR time we had a very bad time when we formed the party, where there was a lot of opposition. There is no doubting that you have lost a lot by believing in us. But I am telling you, you will grow a 100 times more. Shivanagouda Nayak became a minister because of me. Today he is strong and able to look after himself. It all happened because of me. Raju Gowda also benefitted because of me.

JR: It was your misfortune that it was our bad time. Today Shivanagouda winning is not useful. You will become minister. Did you understand? Directly we will make you meet the big man. I will make you speak to him... you will make 100 times the wealth you made so far.

BD: I am sorry sir. I was on my last leg when they gave me a ticket and made me win. In such a situation I cannot betray him. I respect you.

Also on HuffPost India:

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Texas School Shooting Leaves 10 Dead, 10 Wounded

May 18, 2018, 6:15 am
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  • Ten people were killed in a school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, on Friday morning.

  • At least 10 people were wounded, including one police officer.

  • The suspect is 17-year old Dimitrios Pagourtzis.

  • Police are investigating “explosive devices” found at the high school and surrounding area, including at a home and in a vehicle.

Ten people were killed and at least 10 others were wounded in a school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, on Friday morning, according to Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

Law enforcement officials told several news outlets that the one male suspect taken into custody was 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirmed at a Friday morning news conference that another “person of interest” was detained, and one police officer was injured.

Santa Fe High School remains “an active crime scene.” An official confirmed that explosive devices were found in the school and the “surrounding areas adjacent to the high school,” and urged nearby residents to keep an eye out for suspicious items.

Courtney Marshall, 15, told Reuters that the gunman entered her classroom on Friday and opened fire.

“I wanted to take care of my friends, but I knew I had to get out of there,” Marshall told the news agency. “I knew the guy behind me was dead.”

Pagourtzis has been charged with capital murder and aggravated assault.

Santa Fe High School student Dakota Shrader is comforted by her mother, Susan Davidson, following the shooting at the school.

At least seven victims killed in the shooting have been identified by family, friends or organizations: Sabika Sheikh, an exchange student from Pakistan; Cynthia Tisdale, a substitute who was teaching an art class when she was shot; student Chris Stone; student Angelique Ramirez; student Shana Fisher; student Kyle McLeod; and student Kim Vaughn.

Abbott said Friday afternoon that police were investigating two residences near the school and had found explosive devices at a home and in a vehicle.

Pagourtzis had two weapons, a shotgun and .38 revolver, obtained from his father, who likely had them legally, according to Abbott. The alleged shooter had information on his computer and in journals saying that he wanted to commit the shooting and to kill himself, but “didn’t have the courage” to do the latter, Abbott said.

During a hearing for Pagourtzis later on Friday, Galveston County Judge Mark Henry denied bond for the teen gunman and he, in turn, requested a court-appointed attorney. After the hearing, Henry told reporters that Pagourtzis was being held in solitary confinement.

The judge also said that police found several different explosives while investigating the shooting, including a Molotov cocktail, a pressure cooker device and a CO2 device. 

All schools in the Santa Fe Independent School District will be closed next Monday and Tuesday. Santa Fe High School has less than two weeks left before the end of its academic year.

Dozens gathered Friday evening for a prayer vigil at the Texas First Bank on Highway 6 to honor the victims of the shooting. Politicians and religious leaders offered prayers and words of solidarity for the small, tight-knit community.

Abbott addressed the gathering, telling the people that he and other state leaders wouldn’t be “here today and gone tomorrow.”

“No child, no parent, no student, no community should ever have to go through this again,” the governor said. “So we will work until we come up with answers to address the challenge that Santa Fe encountered today.”

Earlier Friday, school district officials confirmed on their Facebook page that the school was on lockdown, following reports of an “active shooter.” Santa Fe police told HuffPost that officers were on the scene. Officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced shortly thereafter that they were also responding to the situation.

Students were evacuated from Santa Fe High School Friday morning. The high school serves about 1,500 students, according to statistics reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Students were sent to a gym near the elementary and junior high schools, about a mile and a half from the high school, according to the school district. 

Three patients with gunshot wounds were taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, hospital spokesman Raul Reyes told HuffPost.

As of 8:00 p.m. local time, one middle-aged male patient had undergone seven hours of surgery and was transferred to the intensive care unit in critical condition. A middle-aged female patient was also in critical condition and in the ICU. The third patient, under the age of 18, suffered gunshot wounds in the leg and was in “good condition,” Reyes said.

The Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, a level II trauma center, treated eight patients from the Santa Fe shooting and released six. Two additional patients were treated and released from the Mainland Medical Center, located on Clear Lake Regional’s campus.

Santa Fe is located about 25 miles northwest of Galveston and 40 miles southeast of Houston. The high school serves about 1,500 students, according to statistics reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

In February, the same school went on lockdown after reports of shots fired. However, after investigating, the police did not find any evidence of shots, and no one was injured, according to local news reports.

A man hugs a woman outside the Alamo Gym where parents wait to reunite with their children.

Friday’s shooting was the 16th school shooting so far this year, according to a count by The Washington Post. It was also the 10th since the February massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 dead and sparked a nationwide conversation about gun violence in America.

Other sources, such as CNN, have even higher tallies for shootings this year, though they use a broader definition of any incident in which a gun was discharged on a school campus. 

One of the Santa Fe student survivors, Paige Curry, said that she was not surprised by Friday’s shooting.

“It’s been happening everywhere,” she told the local ABC affiliate. “I’ve always kind of felt like eventually it was going to happen here too.” 

Abbott has pledged to work with state legislators to look into solutions to gun violence. 

At the White House, President Donald Trump called the shooting “a horrific attack.”

“This has been going on too long. Too many years and decades now,” he said. “We will be with you forever.”

Earlier Friday morning, Trump and first lady Melania Trump both tweeted their condolences about the shooting.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Antonia Blumberg, Andy Campbell, Sebastian Murdock and Nick Wing contributed reporting.

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33 Of The Best Chicken And Rice Recipes To Make For Dinner

May 17, 2018, 2:48 am
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It’s a proven fact that looking at food will make you hungry, and that’s why we’re craving chicken and rice for dinner this week.

When you see an image of delicious-looking food, your stomach releases a hormone called ghrelin into your bloodstream, stimulating your appetite. You haven’t been imagining it, and it’s not just psychological: It’s a very real physical phenomenon.

If you want to test this for yourself, watch this video about Israeli chicken pilaf from Frankie Celenza, whose virtues we’ve praised before here at HuffPost:

Now you’re hungry for chicken and rice, right?

It’s only natural that you’d want to make every possible version, so we’ve got 33 recipes below that cover all the bases, from creamy casseroles to fiesta skillets and, of course, plenty of options for your slow cooker and Instant Pot. 

1. One Pan Autumn Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Get the One Pan Autumn Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole recipe from Half Baked HarvestHalf Baked Harvest

2. Fiesta Chicken and Rice

Get the Fiesta Chicken and Rice recipe from Oh Sweet BasilOh Sweet Basil

3. One Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice

Get the One Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe from The Girl Who Ate EverythingThe Girl Who Ate Everything

4. Crock Pot Chicken and Rice

Get the Crock Pot Chicken and Rice recipe from Well PlatedWell Plated

5. Chili Lime Mango Chicken and Rice

Get the Chili Lime Mango Chicken and Rice recipe from Lovely Little KitchenLovely Little Kitchen

6. Skillet Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Rice Bake

Get the Skillet Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Rice Bake recipe from Half Baked HarvestHalf Baked Harvest

7. Golden Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Get the Golden Instant Pot Chicken and Rice recipe from Well PlatedWell Plated

8. Slow Cooker Chicken Rice Casserole

Get the Slow Cooker Chicken Rice Casserole recipe from Simply RecipesSimply Recipes

9. One Pot Chicken and Rice Dinner

Get the One Pot Chicken and Rice Dinner recipe from Lovely Little KitchenLovely Little Kitchen

10. Creamy Chicken With White and Wild Rice Casserole

Get the Creamy Chicken With White and Wild Rice Casserole recipe from Oh Sweet BasilOh Sweet Basil

11. Instant Pot Thai Chicken

Get the Instant Pot Thai Chicken recipe from Completely DeliciousCompletely Delicious

12. Easy Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Get the Easy Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Rice recipe from Lovely Little KitchenLovely Little Kitchen

13. Indian Butter Chicken

Get the Indian Butter Chicken recipe from Averie CooksAverie Cooks

14. One Skillet Fajita Style Chicken and Rice

Get the One Skillet Fajita Style Chicken and Rice recipe from Lovely Little KitchenLovely Little Kitchen

15. Crockpot Creamy Cashew Chicken

Get the Crockpot Creamy Cashew Chicken recipe from Half Baked HarvestHalf Baked Harvest

16. Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole

Get the Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole recipe from Damn DeliciousDamn Delicious

17. Spanish Chicken and Rice

Get the Spanish Chicken and Rice recipe from Foodie CrushFoodie Crush

18. One Pan Coconut Chicken Curry and Rice

Get the One Pan Coconut Chicken Curry and Rice recipe from The Girl Who Ate EverythingThe Girl Who Ate Everything

19. One Pot Beans, Chicken and Rice

Get the One Pot Beans, Chicken and Rice recipe from Damn DeliciousDamn Delicious

20. Chicken Biryani With Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Get the Chicken Biryani With Cilantro Yogurt Sauce recipe from Feasting at HomeFeasting At Home

21. Homemade Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

Get the Homemade Teriyaki Chicken and Rice recipe from Lovely Little KitchenLovely Little Kitchen

22. Lime Cilantro Chicken With Mixed Rice and Black Beans

Get the Lime Cilantro Chicken With Mixed Rice and Black Beans recipe from Averie CooksAverie Cooks

23. Pomegranate Sesame Chicken With Ginger Rice Pilaf

Get the Pomegranate Sesame Chicken With Ginger Rice Pilaf recipe from Half Baked HarvestHalf Baked Harvest

24. 20-Minute Cilantro Chicken With Rice and Beans

Get the 20-Minute Cilantro Chicken With Rice and Beans recipe from Averie CooksAverie Cooks

25. Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Get the Crockpot Chicken and Rice recipe from Oh Sweet BasilOh Sweet Basil

26. Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

Get the Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Rice recipe from Damn DeliciousDamn Delicious

27. Chicken and Rice Casserole

Get the Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe from Pinch of YumPinch Of Yum

28. Grilled Tandoori Chicken

Get the Grilled Tandoori Chicken recipe from Averie CooksAverie Cooks

29. One-Pot Autumn Herb Roasted Chicken With Butter Toasted Wild Rice Pilaf

Get the One-Pot Autumn Herb Roasted Chicken With Butter Toasted Wild Rice Pilaf recipe from Half Baked HarvestHalf Baked Harvest

30. Pressure Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Get the Pressure Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala recipe from Averie CooksAverie Cooks

31. Pressure Cooker Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowls

Get the Pressure Cooker Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowls recipe from Simply RecipesSimply Recipes

32. Weeknight Chicken Biryani

Get the Weeknight Chicken Biryani recipe from Simply RecipesSimply Recipes

33. One Pan Chicken Fajita

Get the One Pan Chicken Fajita recipe from The Girl Who Ate EverythingThe Girl Who Ate Everything
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The Internet's Most Popular Questions About Meghan Markle, Answered

May 16, 2018, 8:03 am
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With just days to go before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding, the internet has a lot of questions. While Harry has captured the world’s attention for decades, Meghan has piqued many people’s interests in the last few years, first for her acting role on “Suits” and her humanitarian work, and now as she prepares to join the British royal family.

We wanted to know what exactly the internet was wondering about Meghan. So we mimicked a Google search about the former actress to learn what people were searching in real time and turned to Google Trends to see popular searches over the last year and in the last 30 days. Here are some of the most common questions, keywords and searches associated with Meghan on Google.

‘Meghan Markle father’

In a 2015 essay for Elle, Meghan shared that her dad, Thomas Markle, and her mom, Doria Ragland, met in the late 1970s. Doria was a temp at the studio where Thomas was working as a lighting director for a soap opera. Thomas also worked on the sitcom “Married With Children,” which Meghan brought up in an interview with Esquire in 2013. 

“I wasn’t allowed to watch it at home,” she said. “I could watch the end credits so I could give the screen a kiss when I saw my dad’s name go by.”

The recent surge in searches for Meghan’s dad likely has to do with his probable absence the day of the wedding. On May 4, Kensington Palace confirmed that Thomas would walk his daughter down the aisle. In the weeks prior to the wedding, her dad was photographed preparing for the event by reading books about Britain, exercising and being fitted for a suit.

Reports emerged this week that he had staged the photos, and Thomas told TMZ he was responsible. He also said he recently had a heart attack and that he would not be attending the wedding. On Tuesday, Thomas seemed to change his mind, telling TMZ he would be attending, then he changed his story again, saying he had a major heart surgery scheduled and would not be traveling to Britain for the event.

Kensington Palace has since put out a statement from Meghan confirming that her father will not attend the wedding.

“I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health,” she wrote in the statement. She also thanked “everyone who has offered generous messages of support.” 

Many wondered if Meghan’s mom would walk her down the aisle, but Kensington Palace tweeted Friday that Prince Charles will accompany her. 

‘Meghan Markle mother’

Unlike Meghan’s father, her mom has met Prince Harry. The royal and his future mother-in-law were both in attendance at the 2017 Invictus Games closing ceremony. During Meghan and Harry’s first joint interview after their engagement, Harry described Ragland as “amazing.”

“We can just have so much fun together, and yet, I’ll still find so much solace in her support,” Meghan wrote about her mom in 2017.

In her essay for Elle, Meghan described growing up in a neighborhood that wasn’t very diverse. She said many people assumed her mother was her nanny because her mom’s skin was darker than her own. In August 2017, Meghan included her mother, who is a yoga teacher and a social worker, on a list she put together for Glamour about 10 women who changed her life.

“We can just have so much fun together, and yet, I’ll still find so much solace in her support,” she wrote. “That duality coexists the same way it would in a best friend.”

Meghan has since described how her parents, who are divorced, helped her to be proud of her background and supported her dreams of acting. Many are wondering if Ragland will be the one walking her daughter down the aisle on her big day. 

‘Meghan Markle age’

Meghan, 36, was born Rachel Meghan Markle on Aug. 4, 1981, in Los Angeles. She shares that birthdate with former President Barack Obama, born 20 years earlier in Honolulu. Harry and Meghan have spoken fondly of their trip to Botswana last year where they camped under the stars and were able to have some privacy. The trip was reportedly for Meghan’s birthday. 

‘Meghan Markle wedding’

Harry and Meghan will wed in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle at noon in the U.K. (that’s 7 a.m. EST and 4 a.m. PST for royal family devotees across the pond).

Kensington Palace also announced the plans for after Harry and Meghan exchange their vows. 

“At 1 p.m. the couple, now married, will undertake a Carriage Procession from St George’s Chapel through Windsor Town returning to Windsor Castle along the Long Walk,” the palace tweeted. 

There will be a reception at St. George’s Hall followed by another more private reception for the couple’s close friends and family.  

‘Meghan Markle wedding dress’

Erdem, Jenny Packham, Christopher Bailey and Stella McCartney have all been thrown into the royal wedding dress rumor mill recently. Meghan could also go with Alexander McQueen, whose creative director Sarah Burton designed the Duchess of Cambridge’s (and Meghan’s soon-to-be sister-in-law’s) wedding dress, or Ralph & Russo, the designers behind the sheer dress she wore in her engagement photos.

It’s worth remembering that Meghan will likely wear another dress after she walks down the aisle, like Kate did.

“Meghan Markle first wedding dress” is also a popular search. Meghan married her first husband, producer Trevor Engelson, in 2011, in Jamaica. According to Inside Edition, Meghan wore “a simple white dress with a shimmery silver belt.” The couple divorced in 2013. This year, her fans got a sneak peek of her in a wedding gown for an episode of “Suits.”

‘Meghan Markle movies’

Throughout her acting career, Meghan was best known for her role as Rachel Zane in the law-focused TV drama “Suits.” She also starred in a couple of Hallmark movies, “Dater’s Game” and “When Sparks Fly.”

‘Meghan Markle sorority’

Meghan joined Northwestern University’s chapter of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority before she graduated in 2003. Her sorority portrait (below) has been picked up by various news sites. 

‘Is Meghan Markle still on Suits?’

Meghan will no longer be on “Suits” and will be focusing on her royal duties full time.

‘What will Meghan Markle be called?’

Just like Kate is now the Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan will receive a title after marrying Harry. Many are speculating that Harry will be named the Duke of Sussex, making Meghan the Duchess of Sussex.

‘Meghan Markle Oroton’

Meghan has an enviable sense of style, according to internet searches. When the future royal stepped out with a black-and-white crossbody bag, people flocked to Google to learn where she got it. It turns out it’s from the Australian brand Oroton.

This Oroton crossbody bag sparked its own Meghan Markle-related Google search.

Other fashion-related searches involving Meghan include “Meghan Markle coat” and “Meghan Markle handbag.” The “Kate effect” refers to Kate’s fashion sense triggering new trends and higher sales for certain brands. We’re likely well on our way to the “Meghan effect,” as well. 

This piece has been updated to reflect that Meghan confirmed her father would not be at the wedding, and with additional comment from Kensington Palace.

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Royal Wedding Liveblog: Join Us For Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's Big Day

May 18, 2018, 11:52 pm
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Scroll down and join us for the latest news from the royal wedding, when Prince Harry will marry Meghan Markle in a ceremony at Windsor Castle. We’ll be covering everything from the cake, the kiss and the crowds to the best of the pomp and ceremony.

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Karnataka Election: B.S. Yeddyurappa Resigns As Chief Minister; BJP Fails To Prove Majority

May 19, 2018, 3:43 am
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After the Bharatiya Janata Party failed to prove its majority in the Karnataka Assembly today, B.S. Yeddyurappa resigned as chief minister of the southern state.

The combine of the Congress Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) still has to prove that it has the numbers to form the government.

Following 72 hours of high drama, which involved a midnight session at the Supreme Court, leaked audio tapes, and hidden lawmakers, the BJP failed to secure the seven MLAs that it needed to pass the floor test in the House.

Yeddyurappa resigned less than 48 hours after he took oath as chief minister.

"If only they had given us 113 seats instead of 104 seats, we would have turned this state into paradise," he said in an emotionally charged speech. "I am resigning as chief minister."

Addressing the media shortly after Yeddyurappa resigned, Congress Party president Rahul Gandhi said that his party's alliance with the JD(S) had yielded more votes. "We have protected the mandate of the people of Karnataka," he said. "There is no competition if you calculate the vote share."

Not only did the Congress secure a higher vote share (38%) in 2018 than it did in 2013 (36.6%), its vote share exceeded that of the BJP by almost two percentage points in the recently concluded election.

READ: How Deve Gowda Learnt To Stop Worrying And Trust The Congress (Again)

High drama

On May 15, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, but it was short of the 111 seats needed to form a majority government. The polling for two Assembly constituencies was postponed. With 78 and 37 seats respectively, the Congress and the JD(S) made a post-poll alliance and approached Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala to form the government.

While the BJP cut-short its premature celebrations, the Congress rushed to offer its unconditional support to the JD(S), founded by former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, and agreed that his son, H.D. Kumaraswamy, would be the chief minister of Karnataka.

Vala, however, allowed Yeddyurappa to be chief minister and gave 15 days for the BJP to prove its majority. The Supreme Court, moved by the Congress shortly after midnight on Thursday, gave the BJP till 4:00 pm today for the same task.

The Congress and JD(S) lawmakers were sequestered to avoid any contact with the BJP.

In the final 12 hours leading up to the floor test, the Congress released at least five audio recordings which the party said was proof of the BJP trying to bribe its lawmakers.

In the first audio tape, released on Friday evening, the Congress alleged that Janardhan Reddy, the former BJP minister and scam tainted mining baron from Bellary, said the following things to Basanagouda Daddala, the Congress lawmaker from Raichur: "You will make 100 times the wealth you made so far...," You will become minister,"... and "I will arrange a meeting with national president."

The BJP has rubbished allegations of horse trading.

In his speech today, Yeddyurappa accused the Congress of taking away the phones of its lawmakers and violating the tenets of democracy. The Lingayat leader said that he had hoped that lawmakers would have voted with their conscience, but then he proceeded to resign instead of opting for a floor test.

READ: The BJP Is Shopping In Karnataka: Who Are The Congress MLAs On Offer?

Congress Releases Audio Tape Alleging BJP Tried To Bribe MLA

In his remarks to the media today, Gandhi accused Modi of authorizing horse trading in Karnataka. "The idea that he is fighting corruption is a blatant lie," he said.

Governor Vala's decision favoring the BJP triggered a volley of criticism over his arbitrary use of the discretionary powers given to Governors under Article 163 of the Constitution.

In Goa, Meghalaya and Manipur, even though the Congress had secured the highest number of seats in state elections, it was the BJP that formed the government after securing a majority through post-poll alliances.

Fight on its hand

The Karnataka election was called the semifinal ahead of the 2019 general election. Its outcome suggests that the the BJP has a fight on its hands.

For the Congress, as one senior leader had put it, the Karnataka election "was a matter of life or death."

While the Congress has managed to stall the BJP's quest for a "Congress-mukt Bharat," the absence of a clear victory could undermine Rahul Gandhi's position to lead a potential third-front against the BJP in 2019 general election.

Even though it fell short of securing a majority, the BJP has reason to believe that Narendra Modi-Amit Shah's formidable electoral machinery moving in tandem with religious polarization remains its best bet for 2019.

In a complete reversal of the 2013 election result, the BJP won seven out of eight Assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada and all five seats in Udupi, two deeply communalized districts in coastal Karnataka.

Meanwhile, former chief minister Siddaramaiah's move to grant Lingayats the status of a religious minority backfired. Not only did sitting ministers fail to get re-elected, the number of Lingayat leaders elected from the BJP was more than double that of the Congress.

While Yeddyurappa is one the tallest leaders of the Lingayats in the state, the BJP had characterised Siddaramaiah's move as an attempt to divide Hindus.

In his speech today, Yeddyurappa vowed to get "28 out of 28 seats" in the Lok Sabha election.

ALSO READ:Why Sisters Of Slain BJP Worker Won't Ever Vote For The Party Again

In Karnataka's Hindutva Lab, A Muslim Communist Is Marching To A Different Beat

Fed By BJP And Congress, The Hindu-Muslim Divide Runs Dangerously Deep In Coastal Karnataka

In Karnataka's Hindutva Heartland, A Catholic And A Muslim Find No Joy In Casting Their First Vote

A 48-Year-Old Engineer Is Leading AAP's Campaign In Karnataka Elections

How Black Magic Has Entered The Karnataka State Polls

Actor Prakash Raj Talks About Pushback Against The BJP And How Gauri Lankesh's Murder Changed Him

For Modi's Fans, He's Still The Man

Also on HuffPost India:

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Royal Wedding: Meghan And Harry Are Officially Married

May 19, 2018, 4:40 am
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have married at a ceremony in the historic surroundings of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, watched around the world by millions.

Loud cheers could be heard from outside as the Archbishop of Canterbury proclaimed them husband and wife.

Having exchanged rings at the altar, the couple kissed on the steps outside the chapel and are now riding through Windsor town in an open top Ascot landau for their carriage procession. 

The kiss: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Man and wife: Prince Harry and his bride
The couple during the service, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby Meghan Markle arriving at the chapel The bride-to-be was all smiles on her way to the altar Prince Harry (left) and the Duke of Cambridge The Queen arriving to see her grandson wed 

The bride - now to be known as the Duchess of Sussex - was escorted down the aisle by the heir to the throne Prince Charles, who stepped in after her own father underwent heart surgery just two days before the wedding.

The Queen, 92, and Prince Phillip, 96, were present as their grandson - now the Duke of Sussex - was wed to the American former actress and UN women’s rights advocate. 

Harry’s brother Prince William was best man and two of his children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were among the couple’s page boys and bridesmaids.

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey was among the guests Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre arriving at the venue British singer James Blunt Amal and George Clooney arriving at Windsor Castle David and Victoria Beckham 

The Duchess of Cambridge was at the ceremony, making her first public appearance since the birth of her third child, Prince Louis, less than four weeks ago.

The Most Rev Bishop Michael Curry, the first African-American presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, gave an address titled the Power of Love at the service in St George’s Chapel.

Guests including Oprah Winfrey, actor Idris Elba and Earl Spencer, the brother of the groom’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales, also attended, as did singer James Blunt and Harry’s former girlfriend Chelsey Davy. Other invitees included actor George Clooney and his barrister wife Amal, David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John and tennis champion Serena Williams. 

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian

The wedding comes after a whirlwind romance lasting just under two years. Set up by a mutual female friend, Markle and the prince met on a blind date in London in the summer of 2016.

During their engagement interview in November 2017, Markle, who at the time was appearing in the American legal drama Suits, admitted: “I didn’t know much about him.”

Harry, 33, said he also knew little about his prospective date, but claimed he was “beautifully surprised” when she walked into the room.

Royal fans lining the Long Walk in Windsor Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland, arriving at  Cliveden House Hotel on the day before the wedding 

After another date, Harry, who is sixth in line to the throne, revealed: “I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana and we – we camped out with each other under the stars. She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic.

“So, then we were really by ourselves which was crucial to me to make sure we had a chance to get to know each other.”

The early months of their relationship were spent flying between the star’s former home in Toronto, Canada, where Markle, 36, filmed Suits, and the prince’s cottage at Kensington Palace, London.

But Markle, who has also appeared in CSI: Miami, sci-fi show Fringe and movies such as Get Him To The Greek and Horrible Bosses, explained: “We never went longer than two weeks without seeing each other, even though we were obviously doing a long-distance relationship. So … we made it work.”

Princes William and Harry meet members of the public ahead of the big day 

Harry proposed during a cosy night in over a roast chicken. The prince revealed: “She didn’t even let me finish, she said ‘Can I say yes, can I say yes?’ and then there were hugs.”

Markle recalled: “Just a cosy night, it was – what we were doing just roasting chicken and having …trying to roast a chicken and … just an amazing surprise.

“It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee.”

“The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was sort of confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned, that everything was perfect,” the prince said.

Harry and Megham holding hands at the Invictus Games Toronto in 2017 Looks familiar... royal fans don Meghan and Harry face masks Spectators on the Long Walk ahead of the wedding 
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All The Famous People Attending The Royal Wedding

May 19, 2018, 2:10 am
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Saturday’s royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attracted quite the celebrity crowd.

Idris Elba, George and Amal Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, James Blunt and David and Victoria Beckham were among the dozens of famous faces spotted walking into St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England, for the ceremony:

George And Amal Clooney

PA Wire/PA Images

Serena Williams And Alexis Ohanian

PA Wire/PA Images

Oprah Winfrey

PA Wire/PA Images

Idris Elba And Sabrina Dhowre

PA Wire/PA Images

James Blunt And Sofia Wellesley

PA Wire/PA Images

David And Victoria Beckham

Toby Melville / Reuters

Charlotte Riley And Tom Hardy

Chris Jackson via Getty Images

Marcus Mumford And Carey Mulligan

PA Wire/PA Images

James Corden And Julia Carey

Shaun Botterill via Getty Images

Joss Stone

PA Wire/PA Images

Elton John And David Furnish

POOL New / Reuters

Patrick J. Adams And Troian Bellisario

POOL New / Reuters

Rick Hoffman

PA Wire/PA Images

Norma And John Major

PA Wire/PA Images

Gina Torres

IAN WEST via Getty Images

Priyanka Chopra

Toby Melville / Reuters

Sarah Rafferty

PA Wire/PA Images

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

For more Prince Harry and Meghan Markle coverage, sign up for our “Watching the Royals” newsletter.

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Why Pakistan Is Protesting Against Modi Inaugurating A Hydroelectric Power Plant In Kashmir

May 19, 2018, 10:30 pm
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India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C), Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti (2nd R) attend the inauguration of a hydroelectric power plant in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, May 19, 2018. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

SRINAGAR, INDIA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated on Saturday a hydroelectric power plant in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, amid protests from neighbor Pakistan which says the project on a river flowing into Pakistan will disrupt water supplies.

The 330 megawatt Kishanganga hydropower station, work on which started in 2009, is one of the projects that India has fast-tracked in the volatile state amid frosty ties between the nuclear-armed countries.

"This region can not only become self-sufficient in power but also produce for other regions of the country," Modi said in the state's capital, Srinagar. "Keeping that in mind we have been working on various projects here in the past four years."

Pakistan has opposed some of these projects, saying they violate a World Bank-mediated treaty on the sharing of the Indus river and its tributaries upon which 80 percent of its irrigated agriculture depends.

"Pakistan is seriously concerned about the inauguration (of the Kishanganga plant)," its foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. "Pakistan believes that the inauguration of the project without the resolution of the dispute is tantamount to violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)."

The Kishanganga project was delayed for several years as Pakistan dragged India to the International Court of Arbitration, which ruled in India's favor in 2013.

India has said the hydropower projects underway in Jammu and Kashmir are "run-of-the-river" schemes that use the river's flow and elevation to generate electricity rather than large reservoirs, and do not contravene the treaty.

A day before Modi's trip to the northern state, at least nine people were killed on both sides of the border due to firing by each other's security forces, officials said.

The two countries have fought three wars, two over Kashmir that they rule in part but claim in full.

India accuses Pakistan of promoting militancy in Kashmir, a charge that Islamabad denies.

Modi, who is on a day-long visit to the state, also flagged off the construction of the 14 km (9 mile)-long Zojila tunnel to provide all-weather connectivity between the cities of Srinagar, Kargil and Leh.

The government said it would be the longest road tunnel in India and Asia's longest two-way tunnel, to be constructed at a cost of $1 billion.

(Reporting by Promit Mukherjee in MUMBAI and Fayaz Bukhari in SRINAGAR; Editing by Krishna N. Das Muralikumar Anantharaman and Ros Russell)

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