North, South Korea Trade Artillery Fire Across Maritime Border

North Korea has fired artillery shells into South Korean waters, apparently in reaction to military exercises being conducted between the U.S. and South Korea.

Seoul responded immediately on Monday by shelling North Korean waters.  Officials say no shells hit any land areas on either side along the western sea boundary and no one was injured. South Korean officials said some residents of border islands were evacuated to shelters as a precaution.

The North in recent weeks has increased threatening rhetoric and conducted a series of rocket and ballistic missile launches into waters off the east coast of the Korean peninsula.

Pyongyang threatened on Sunday to conduct what it called "a new form of nuclear test" after the U.N. Security Council condemned the North's recent ballistic missile launches.

A statement Sunday from the North's Foreign Ministry said it was intolerable that the Security Council would "turn a blind eye" to U.S. nuclear war exercises while denouncing the North Korean army's self-defensive rocket launch exercises.

After North Korea fired two medium-range ballistic missiles into the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula Wednesday, the Security Council condemned the launches the next day, saying they violated U.N. resolutions.

Pyongyang routinely calls military drills between South Korea and the U.S. a rehearsal for invasion.

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Plot To Attack Army Post Service Estate Uncovered

A plot by suspected member of the Boko Haram terrorists group to attack the Nigerian Army Post Service estate, located at Kurudu, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been uncovered by eagle eyed soldiers on duty.

The suspect, names withheld who is in custody of the Department of State Security Service(SSS), in Abuja, is said to be making useful statement on his mission.

Daily Sun authoritatively gathered that the suspect, a foreign national from one of the neighboring African countries, was said to be armed with a brand new Techno mobile phone with which he used to take photographs of the estate from strategic points.

Military intelligence  sources told Daily Sun of how the suspect, was dropped off by some persons in a posh car and drove off.

On getting down from the vehicle that dropped him, some where close to the gate, the suspected terrorist, immediately went into business as he started taking photographs of the barracks from strategic poison moving from one spot to the other.

Not knowing that he was being monitored by soldiers on duty right from the moment he was dropped off from the flashy and expensive car the soldiers allowed him to carry out his assignment before arresting him.

During interrogation, the suspect, who could not speak English language, told the soldiers that some people had asked him to take the photograph but did not say what the photographs was meant for.

The soldiers then seized the mobile phone and went through the phone book only to discover that the phone book was empty as the sponsors may have deliberately deleted the contacts on the handset for fear of their identity being exposed.

Security sources told Daily Sun that few hours into the arrest of the suspected terrorist, the phone rang and the caller happens to be calling from outside the country.

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BREAKING: Gospel Artist, AITA Releases New Single, "Hero From Zero"

At last, the much talked about and long awaited Single by Gospel Artist, Aita is finally released today!

According to feelers from KingZion Records, the Christian/Gospel song is dedicated to those who have conquered limitations and also for those who have been looked down upon but have the undiluted faith that the Lord will smile upon them.

The song titled; “Hero from Zero” is available for digital download worldwide from www.cdbaby.com/cd/aita, www.aitamusic.net, www.itunes.com, www.amazon.com, www.reverbnation.com, www.spotify.com, as well as all reputable digital download stores online.

Embassy Worker Says He Can Smuggle Stolen Goods Out Of The UK In Diplomatic Bags

An international undercover investigation filmed by ITV's Exposure has exposed a worker at the Nigeria High Commission (NHC) who claimed he could transport items, including stolen art, out of "any airport" using his diplomatic connections!

Posing as a criminal gang, the Exposure team, led by reporter Mark Williams-Thomas, met Alfa Abutu, in a London hotel. Abutu told them that he could transport their stolen art to Paris.

"Give me your suitcase, this suitcase usually has to be wrapped with the national flag before we can move it anywhere. And we use diplomatic vehicle whereby the police authorities will not stop us," Abutu said.

Exposure later told Abutu the art was worth nearly £1 million, to which he suggested a commission of £250,000. In a series of meetings with undercover reporters, Abutu also claimed he could help transfer money, and smuggle diamonds and gold out of the country using an embassy car and its associated privileges.

"The easiest way is that, let's say this box is loaded with $1 million and they are going out with it or gold, or diamond. With my link, we use a diplomatic vehicle from here straight to Heathrow or Gatwick," he said."They will not open the box they are bringing out. It's not a problem."

After Abutu later foubd out it was a fake deal, and was asked to comment on Exposure's findings, Abutu denied any wrongdoing and said he had never been involved in criminal activities. He said he is local staff, not a diplomat, doesn't have diplomatic immunity and couldn't have assisted the Exposure team to move an item. He turned around to say he believed Exposure's undercover reporter was not genuine, so he decided to play along with him.

However, following the revelations, the Nigeria High Commission immediately suspended Abutu from his position in the accounts department, where he had worked for six years, saying it "utterly condemns Mr Abutu's conduct". Spokesman Ahmed Inusa said:

[The Commission] supports the press and the media in their good work to expose embassy workers…who either pose as diplomats with a view to committing criminal acts for financial gains or diplomats who abuse their diplomatic privileges for any reason. The Mission thanks ITV staff in particular, for the good work they have done.

During its investigation, Exposure uncovered that while Abutu did have diplomatic links, he was not a diplomat and his claims of diplomatic immunity were false. The case has however, provoked concern that diplomatic privileges are open to widespread abuse - whether via smuggling contraband in and out of the UK, or using immunity to evade criminal prosecution.

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Joe Biden: Undocumented Immigrants Are 'Already Americans'

WASHINGTON -- Vice President Joe Biden gave an impassioned defense of comprehensive immigration reform -- and the undocumented immigrants it would help -- during a speech on Thursday, saying it would boost the economy and improve foreign relations.

Speaking at a U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce event, Biden said undocumented immigrants should be given the chance to become citizens and contribute to the country.

"These people are just waiting, waiting for a chance to be able to contribute fully," he said. "And by that standard, 11 million undocumented aliens are already Americans, in my view. They just want a decent life for their kids and a chance to contribute to a free society, a chance to put down roots and help build the next great American century. I really believe that. That's what they're fighting for."

Biden's speech came as House Democrats attempt to reignite reform efforts that have been stonewalled in the lower chamber since the Senate passed its comprehensive immigration bill last year. On Wednesday, they launched a longshot maneuver called a discharge petition to try and force a vote on their version of the bill, though House Republican leadership has said it won't get a vote.

The White House was supportive of that move, and Biden's speech on Thursday reiterated the administration's backing of the Senate-passed bill upon which the House Democrats' legislation is based. Biden specifically cited its economic benefits. The Congressional Budget Office estimated last year that the bill would reduce the deficit by $685 billion over the next 20 years.

"The single most important thing we can do for our economy, for America's future, is to pass immigration reform now," Biden said. "It's the single most important thing we can do. I've heard for too damn long about how this was going to bankrupt us, that Social Security was going to take a nose dive and so on. ... Well guess what, it's a game changer financially for the country."

Biden urged House Speaker John Boehner to let members vote on an immigration bill, a plea House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) made as well, earlier in the event. They noted that reform must be passed this year in order to be combined with the Senate bill during the current Congress, making the issue more urgent than ever.

"It is more important to pass comprehensive immigration reform, to me and to my caucus, than to win the election in November," Pelosi said.

She said she wants to work with Republicans, but laid down one line: she said she would not accept a bill that bans undocumented immigrants from ever attaining citizenship.

"I want this bill desperately, I'm willing to make almost every compromise possible," she said. "But we cannot compromise on a path to citizenship."

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Police Stop Demolition of Ibadan Horror House

IBADAN— EXPECTATIONS of hundreds of people whose relatives are still missing were dashed, yesterday, in Ibadan when the demolition of the kidnappers’ den at Soka in Ibadan, where hundreds of people have been killed by suspected ritualists, was stopped midway by men of the Oyo State Police Command.

The people who came from different parts of the country claimed that some victims were still trapped in a dungeon which is yet to be located.

This came as 42 SIM cards of various networks were found on a man that pretended to be a madman

.

The arrest of the man followed the jungle justice meted out on him by angry youths after the discovery of the den last Saturday. The youths mobbed the man and another one in separate parts of the city.

Vanguard gathered that the incidents took place at Oke-Ado area of Ibadan, where a man feigning madness was caught and set ablaze.

Eyewitnesses said the man disguised as a madman while a pistol, foreign currencies and three ATM cards were found on him. Police took his burnt remains away.

The other suspected kidnapper was attacked at Queens Cinema area, but the police rescued him.

Confirming the two incidents, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Olabisi Ilobanafor, said three identity cards of different names and N11,600 were found on the man rescued at Queens Cinema. Forty two SIM cards of various networks were also found on him.

The order 

On the demolition of the kidnappers’ den, the main building used by the kidnappers as torture chamber, was about being pulled down when policemen said “an order from above” had put the demolition on hold.

Immediately, scores of policemen who had been deployed to the place left in droves leaving a few of them behind.

While people were waiting for the next line of action, some members of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, stormed the den with red piece of cloth tied round their heads.

After making incantations, they claimed some people were still somewhere at the den.

Later, another message came that everybody should leave the area for security men to do their job.

Governor Ajimobi, through the Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo said that the demolition was stopped to allow the team of forensic experts from the police headquarters in Abuja carry out their investigations.

The governor also directed environmental health officers to fumigate the forest and the entire area to prevent outbreak of epidemics.

Why demolition was stopped

No sooner had the demolition of the buildings started than the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Ndabawa, called the Chairman of Oluyole Local Government, Prince Ayoade Abass Aleshinloye, informing him of the need to stop the exercise to allow the team of forensic experts from the police headquarters in Abuja carry out their investigations.

Abass Aleshinloye was at the site with his Ibadan South West Local Government counterpart, Mr. Taoheed Adeleke and the General Manager of Ibadan Local Governments Property Development Company, Mr. Lekan Babalola, to supervise the exercise.

The police boss said if the exercise continues, concrete evidence that would help the police in their investigations would be destroyed.

The demolition and clearing of the bush will, however, resume tomorrow as the forensic experts are expected to have completed by then.

Abass Aleshinloye and Adeleke said efforts were being made to ensure that the speculation in some quarters of a possible dungeon in the forest was properly investigated and the site cordoned off.

Accord Party, APC govt trade blames

Meanwhile, the Accord Party, Oyo State Chapter, has called on the National Human Rights Commission and civil societies to step into the Soka house of death saga to get an unbiased report.

The party alleged that the state government should be held responsible for the atrocities committed in the den.

The party, represented by Chief Ayodele Adigun, former Secretary to the State Government, said the land belonged to the Oyo State Government, having revoked the site from its earlier occupiers.

Responding to the allegation, the All Progressive Congress Publicity Secretary, Dauda Kolawole, said: “The people of Oyo State are in a state of grief and shock at the horrendous discovery of ritual killers’ den in the state.

“The situation calls for sober reflection from all and sundry. To be confronted with this cheap politicking in the name of infantile accusation by the Accord Party is like opening the fresh wounds of the people of the state who are still mourning their dead and lamenting the ugly incident.


Read: Horror: 20 Corpses Of Ritual Victims Uncovered In Oyo State

CRAZY: North Korea Students Required To Get Kim Jong-un Haircut

(BBC) Male university students in North Korea are now required to get the same haircut as their leader Kim Jong-un, it is reported.

The state-sanctioned guideline was introduced in the capital Pyongyang about two weeks ago, Radio Free Asia reports. It is now being rolled out across the country - although some people have expressed reservations about getting the look.

"Our leader's haircut is very particular, if you will," one source tells Radio Free Asia. "It doesn't always go with everyone since everyone has different face and head shapes." Meanwhile, a North Korean now living in China says the look is actually unpopular at home because people think it resembles Chinese smugglers. "Until the mid-2000s, we called it the 'Chinese smuggler haircut'," the Korea Times reports.

It seems that haircuts have been state-approved in North Korea for some time - until now people were reportedly only allowed to choose from 18 styles for women and 10 for men. Earlier, North Korea's state TV launched a campaign against long hair, called "Let us trim our hair in accordance with the Socialist lifestyle".

However, there are conflicting reports over the haircut mandate, with the NK News website reporting that recent visitors to Pyongyang did not notice a change in hair styles.

Late leader Kim Jong-il, who ruled North Korea for 17 years, sported a bouffant hairstyle, reportedly in order to look taller.

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story said, according to reports, the haircut guideline applied to men rather than university students.

African Asylum Seekers in Limbo at Israeli Detention Center

(VOA NEWS) HOLOT, ISRAEL — The Israeli Supreme Court is due to begin hearings in April on a controversial law that has allowed the government to detain thousands of African migrants who are seeking political asylum.

The migrants, mostly from Sudan and Eritrea, say they fled repression in their home countries, but the Israeli government says they are in Israel mainly looking for work.

At the Holot detention center near Israel's border with Egypt, residents were outside one day recently, chatting and passing the time. One of the youngest was Nuraddin Ismail, a slender man from Darfur, Sudan.

Ismail has been a refugee for nearly a decade. He fled his home after government forces destroyed his village and arrested him. He was 16 years old.

"They targeted me as if I belonged to the rebels," he said. "I was arrested twice. That's why I can't live a normal life there like anyone else. So I left my country," he said.

Ismail spent four years in Chad and Libya before crossing Egypt's Sinai desert into Israel. His family remained behind in a refugee camp.

Ismail said many asylum-seekers were killed trying to cross the Sinai. Rights groups say others have been held for ransom, beaten and raped.

Those who make it to Israel are allowed by the government to stay while they apply for political asylum.

In the early years of the refugee movements, some found low-paying jobs, primarily with hotels, restaurants or cleaning companies. Often they would join together in groups to rent a small apartment.

But in the last seven years, their numbers grew to more than 50,000. Many were concentrated in poor urban areas, whose other residents often resented the Africans' presence. The immigrants were blamed for rising crime rates, but police say this is not true.

Border fence

Alarmed by the growing number of immigrants as well as by a rise in cross-border terrorist attacks, the Israeli government built a five-meter-high fence with sophisticated detection equipment along the border with Egypt . The fence, 230 kilometers long, was completed in January 2013, and it has almost eliminated the influx of new migrants.

But the government decided to go further. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told parliament earlier this year that he is "determined to remove from here those who succeeded in entering before we closed the border."

"These are not refugees,” he said. “We are talking about illegal workers infiltrating, and we are determined to bring them to justice."

A law passed in 2012 authorized detention of illegal migrants for up to three years, but Israeli courts overturned it.

The government passed a new law last year that allows it to detain illegal migrants for up to one year at the Holot facility.

Return offer

Israel also offered migrants $3,500 and a free ticket home - or to a third country - Uganda, according to news reports, which both Israeli and Ugandan governments have denied.

The law allows the government to detain indefinitely those migrants who refuse the return offer. Israeli rights groups are challenging the law before the Supreme Court.

In December authorities began ordering asylum-seekers to report to Holot or be sent to nearby Saharonim prison. They say Holot's population has doubled each month, reaching 1,200 in February. It can hold up to 3,000 people.

Holot facility

The government calls Holot an "open facility." Residents are allowed to leave during the day, but they must report in three times during the hours they are outside. Failing to do so could send a camp resident to Saharonim prison. Visitors, including reporters, are not allowed.

The rules allow the residents enough time to visit Beer Sheba, the regional hub, one hour away. It is not enough time to travel to Tel Aviv or central Israel, however, where most of the migrants' families and friends live.

Thirty-six-year-old Emmanuel Abraha, who arrived in Israel five years ago after deserting from the Eritrean army, said: "Holot is not a prison. But it's certainly not an open facility. There is no trial, but there's no hope you'll be released. It feels like life imprisonment."

He said conditions are difficult. Residents are not allowed to bring in food or have guests.

Thirty-three year-old Adwar Souleiman, who came from Darfur, recalled how many Israelis' forebears suffered for centuries as refugees, and said the African migrants should be treated less harshly.

"We are human beings,” he said. “We fled our country because we have problems," he said. "Israel, like any democratic country, must take responsibility for us. We are not against the government, the citizens or the Jewish religion."

The government says more than 2,000 migrants have accepted the return offer and left. Many others have turned it down, though, saying it is better to live in limbo at Holot.

Nouraddin Ismail said if he returns home, the Sudanese government will suspect him of being an Israeli spy.

"I only have two choices," he said. "I stay here forever, or I go back to my country and get killed."

RACISM: As Newspaper Portrays The Obamas As ‘Weed’ Selling Apes

If you ever find yourself confused and even hurt by the racism that has been levied against the Obama family, join the club.  A Belgian newspaper is getting questions from around the world after it portrayed President and Mrs. Obama as apes in its publication.  De Morgan is a progressive newspaper that somehow felt that the image was appropriate for the Obama’s visit to The Netherlands on Monday.

Nigeria’s Chika Unigwe tweeted a picture of the image and it went global in a matter of minutes.   In the spread, the newspaper not only portrayed the Obamas as apes, but it also made jokes about the president and first lady selling marijuana.   The newspaper pretended that the images came from Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

 “Vladimir Putin is the president of Russia. He sent us this attachment at our request, and chose to send pictures instead of text ‘because he doesn’t have a lot of time’,” the Independent said, in a failed effort at humor.  

Some people see the images as a joke, but it’s not funny to those who know the history of African Americans being compared with Apes.

“In their defense, there are tons upon tons of pictures and t-shirts with Bush drawn as an ape,” someone wrote on the popular website, Reddit.com. 

De Morgan did apologize for the offensive photos, admitting that they are “guilty of bad taste.”

“When you consider the fragment apart from its context, which is a properly worked out satirical section, then you don’t see the joke but just a picture evoking sheer racism,” the newspaper said. “We wrongly assumed that racism is no longer accepted, and that in this way it could be the subject of a joke.”

What are your thoughts?  Was the newspaper out of line with this image.

After seeing pictures n De Morgen Belgium, f president Obama nd Mrs, pity at the pathetic standard of journalism, completely racist.

    — shaheen salahuddin (@shaheenindus) March 24, 2014

    Belgian newspaper @demorgen demonstrates pathetic level of journalism. Truly disgusting! #Obama #newspaper #racism #demorgen

    — Chantal Soeters (@ChanSoeters) March 24, 2014

@Fauzaya: “Racist Obama pic is not acceptable”.

    @demorgen #racist pic Obama kan niet door de beugel

    — Fauzaya Talhaoui (@Fauzaya) March 24, 2014 

Woman Dies After Injecting Vaseline Into Her Breasts

An Argentine woman has died after allegedly injecting Vaseline into her breasts, as a means of performing a breast augmentation procedure on herself

Sonia Perez Llanzon, 39, suffered pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in her lungs), and died some weeks after she reportedly injected herself with petroleum jelly.

Llanzon visited a Santa Rosa hospital after she had started to experience difficulty breathing. According to the doctors, she initially tried to deny the fact that she injected herself with Vaseline. However, upon further interrogation, she later admitted what she had done.

Julio Pla Cardenas, who is Chief of Surgery at Lucio Molas Hospital, where she was treated, remarked that in the history of his medical career, he has never encountered a case like Llanzon’s.

The human body has antibodies to remove bacteria and viruses, but it hasn’t got any mechanisms against this type of product,” he said.

The Vaseline entered the woman’s blood stream, where it caused blood clots that eventually traveled to her lungs, doctors said. Llanzon died as a result of pulmonary embolism following a month-long hospitalization.

Llanzon was an athlete, a boxer, and a marathon runner.

Pope Francis sacks "Bling Bishop" over luxury lifestyle

Pope Francis has indefinitely suspended Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of Diocese of Limburg,known as "The Bling Bishop" after controversies surrounding his lifestyle .This came after the 53 year old Bishop spent a whooping $42m on a luxury residence  & reportedly dropped $15,000 on his bathtub alone.

The quarters includes a museum, conference halls, a chapel and private apartments,The project was approved by his predecessor and was initially valued at an estimated $7.5 million, but the final bill rose to $42 million, including a $1 million garden.Last year over 4,000 signed an open letter criticising him for using Church offering to fund his luxury lifestyle..

He is also accused of giving false statements in court about an expensive Ist class flight he took to India to visit poor communities. Pope Francis decided to have him step-down pending the conclusion of investigations.The Vatican didn't say how long he would spend away from the diocese of Limburg but it refused calls to remove him permanently

The building below

Paul Ryan: Immigration Reform Will Happen ... Eventually

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) vowed Wednesday that immigration reform will get done, eventually -- but he didn't give much detail on what it will look like or when it will happen.

"We've got a broken system that needs fixing, and we have ideas on how to fix it," he said at the Capitol during an event hosted by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "We think there's a way to do it. To me, it's not a question of if we fix our broken immigration laws, it's really a question of when."

Ryan spoke to Latino business leaders along with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), all of whom discussed the importance of immigration reform. The two congressmen differ from some of their peers in their support for reform -- they've argued it should be done soon, while others say it should be left alone during Barack Obama's presidency -- but admit it's a difficult haul. 

Ryan pointed to the House GOP leadership's principles for reform, which were released in January in a one-page document that laid out broad strokes but no actual legislation. He has previously stated that it would be tough to get reform through the House this year.

Diaz-Balart, one of the strongest supporters of immigration reform within the House GOP, said it's the "800-pound gorilla" in the room: Members recognize there's a problem, but they still have some difficulty in agreeing on a solution. Still, he said he is confident reform will be done. 

"I am absolutely convinced that finally we will be able to solve that issue that people thought was unsolvable, but that we know that we can do because we have the legislative language," he said. "With your help, we can get this done." 

Priebus, who is faced with the daunting task of winning over Latino voters who largely supported Democrats in the last election, said reform will be important to growing the GOP and improving the economy.

"As a nation of immigrants, we need to find common ground on immigration reform," Priebus said. "This is a problem that doesn't have easy solutions, but Republicans agree that the system is broken, that's number one. Number two, we believe that we have to do something. The only question is how are we going to do it."

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Nigerian Man Shoots His 36-Yr-Old Wife To Death In Texas, USA

A 63-year-old Nigerian was charged with murder after he confessed to the shooting death of his wife around 3 a.m. Saturday in west Harris County. 

The Home of the couple

Martin Ebegbodi went to a neighbor's house and asked him to call police after getting into a fight and then shooting his wife, 36-year-old Isioma Ebegbodi.

The Harris County Sheriff's Department arrived at the house in the 19700 block of Youpon Leaf Way and arrested Ebegbodi.

Martin Ebegbodi was born in 1951. Martin currently lives in Houston. Before that, he lived in Lowell, MA from 1996 to 2005. 

Martin Ebegbodi and Isioma J Unokanjo were married on February 11, 2005 in Harris County, Texas with Marriage certificate number 018430.

The deceased was born in 1978 in Nigeria

Per Second news gathered that the marriage has witnessed several storms. 

Nigerians Are The 3rd Largest Spenders In The UK, Beats Russia and America — See How Much They Spend!

The Nigerian share of UK’s spending may on the surface sound insignificant, but it has shot Nigerians ahead of Russians.

The Nigerians according to latest statistics by Global Blue were the third biggest spenders after the Middle East Arabs and Chinese. Russians now occupy the fourth place, though they also account for an average of four percent of UK shopping.

Russian spending in British shops fell by 17 percent last month compared to February 2013, according to tax-free shopping statistics out today. Spending by Nigerians however declined by 8 per cent in the month under review.

Visitors from Russia spent an average £669 ($1,103, 800 euros) per transaction, according to Global Blue, seeing them overtaken in third place by those from Nigeria compared to 12 months ago.

Spending by Russian visitors was up 16 percent for the year in 2013 but fell in February 2014

House Democrats Aim To Push Past GOP On Immigration

WASHINGTON -- House Democrats are hoping to reignite the debate over a comprehensive immigration reform bill this week through a procedural stunt meant to force a vote or, at the very least, create a pressure point for Republicans who are stalling on the issue. 

A senior Democratic aide said Monday that the procedural move, known as a discharge petition, will be unveiled at a Wednesday morning press event, followed by members signing onto the document on the House floor. 

Faced with a minority in the House and a majority conference that largely opposes their efforts, Democrats have turned to the discharge petition maneuver this year on issues such as unemployment insurance, raising the minimum wage and now immigration. If a petition receives 218 signatures, it will force a vote on the House floor, even if the legislation in question is opposed by the majority party leadership that controls the House calendar.

Democrats hope to pressure Republicans to hold a vote on a comprehensive immigration reform bill, which they argue could pass if it went up for a vote before the entire House. A GOP leadership aide said it's unlikely the petition will get the required signatures, and if it does not, there is no chance the bill will go for a vote.

Even if they don't get the 218 signatures needed to force a vote on the immigration bill, Democrats hope the petition will give them something to mobilize around, better preparing them to push Republicans to support reform. 

There are currently 200 cosponsors -- a few of them non-voting members -- of the bill, which is based on comprehensive legislation that already passed the Senate and a border security bill approved by the House Homeland Security Committee. 

The sponsors include three Republicans: Reps. David Valadao (Calif.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.) and Jeff Denham (Calif.). 

The Democratic aide said nearly all House Democrats are expected to sign on to the petition, although some do not sign discharge petitions as a matter of practice. Spokespersons for Valadao, Ros-Lehtinen and Denham confirmed Monday that the members do not plan to sign the discharge petition.

Although House GOP leadership put forward a set of principles on immigration reform in January, there have been no votes -- or even bills released -- on the issue since. 

Source

Miracle Baby Unhurt After Catapulting Out Of Pregnant Mother As She Is Run Over By Truck

THESE are the incredible images of a miracle baby that was catapulted out from his pregnant mother as she was run over by a truck. 

The death-defying little boy landed three metres away on the road after his mother Wang Zhau was hit in the tragic accident.

Mrs Zhau, 40,  and her husband Mao, 42, were travelling to hospital by motorbike after she went into labour.

A police spokesman confirmed that Mr Mao had decided to take his wife by motorbike rather than wait for an ambulance to take her to the maternity ward.

The pair, from the East Chinese city of Xiamen, were then tragically hit by a truck causing both parents to fall off the bike.

Eyewitnesses reported that the wheels of the truck then ran over the mother, who was killed instantly - her husband died later at the scene.

But the 9.2lb baby, now named Xiao Zhao only suffered minor bruises and was relatively unhurt when he was found three metres away from his mother.

 

 

Police spokesman Chan Chien said: "Eye witnesses said that when the woman was hit by the truck she gave birth on the spot.

"Others said that the baby had been thrown out of the woman's belly and had landed three metres away."

The circumstances behind the little baby's entrance into the world made front page news in China and has already caused a sensation across the country.

The Xiamen Charity Federation has donated 5000 yuan (£485) to the youngster.

Meanwhile  the hospital where the baby is staying has been surrounded with well-wishers and people turning up after hearing the incredible tale and giving the miracle child gifts.

Medic Kuan-Yin Fan said: "The baby is doing well and we don't see any risk that he will not make a full recovery from the minor injuries he suffered and can probably be released to his family sometime within the next week should they agree to take him."

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