1
World
Ebola Reaches Capital of Guinea, Stirring Fears
With 13 Ebola cases in Conakry, Guinea’s densely populated capital, residents are on edge, with some carrying bottles of bleach and pharmacies selling out of hand sanitizer.
2
N.Y. / Region
Rivals for New York Casino Licenses Must Pay Millions to Play
It will take a fortune just to open the doors of a full-scale casino resort in New York, starting with a $1 million nonrefundable application fee.
3
Automobiles
A Few Auto Industry April Fools’ Day Pranks
Every April 1, automakers and automotive publications crank out a few silly jokes and pranks in celebration of the world’s strangest celebration.
4
Business Day
European Finance Ministers Approve New Loans for Greece
Pointing to signs that Greece is emerging from its economic crisis, euro zone finance ministers approved the release of 8.3 billion euros in rescue loans.
5
World
Religious Tensions Cloud Myanmar Census
The nationwide count has been criticized because the government has denied members of a long-persecuted Muslim minority the right to identify themselves as Rohingya."Burma census is not counting Rohingya Muslims, says UN agency
UN Population Fund says Burmese government has gone back on promises by excluding persecuted group from count
The UN agency helping Burma
conduct its first census in decades has said it is deeply concerned
that members of the long-persecuted Rohingya Muslim population are not
being counted, accusing the government of going back on its word.
In the violence-scarred state of Rakhine, census workers were asking households to identify their ethnicity. When the answer was "Rohingya", they reportedly said thank you, turned around and walked away.
Burma, a predominantly Buddhist nation of about 60 million, only recently emerged from a half century of military rule. It held its last count in 1983 and experts say the information being gathered from 30 March to 10 April is crucial for national development and planning.
But the inclusion of questions about ethnicity and race – approved by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) – have been widely criticised. Experts warned they could inflame tensions at a delicate stage in the country's transition to democracy.
That is especially true in Rakhine, home to the country's estimated 1.3 million Rohingya. In the past two years, their neighbourhoods have been targeted by rampaging Buddhist mobs. Up to 280 people have been killed and another 140,000 forced to flee their homes. Many are now living in crowded camps on the outskirts of the state capital, Sittwe.
The UN agency said it had received assurances from the government that everyone in the country would be allowed to self-identify their ethnicity.
On the eve of the census, however, the presidential spokesman Ye Htut announced that anyone who called themselves Rohingya would not be counted. Though many members of the religious minority were born in Burma to families who arrived generations ago, the government considers them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Ye Htut said only those who called themselves Bengalis would be included in the official tally. The UN agency said that went against earlier promises.
"In its agreement with the United Nations … the government made a commitment to conduct the exercise in accordance with international census standards and human rights principles," it said in a statement. "It explicitly agreed with the condition that each person would be able to declare what ethnicity they belong to.
"Those not identifying with one of the listed ethnic categories would be able to declare their ethnicity and have their response recorded by enumerators."
The UN said it was deeply concerned by the government's about-face, saying it could heighten tensions in Rakhine state and undermine the credibility of data collected.
The census – funded largely by the world body and international donors – was estimated to cost $74m. Rights groups and analysts have repeatedly criticised the UNFPA for failing to properly consult a broad range of ethnic groups before the count, which took years to plan, and ignoring warnings about the potential dangers of including complex, politically sensitive issues about ethnicity."
In the violence-scarred state of Rakhine, census workers were asking households to identify their ethnicity. When the answer was "Rohingya", they reportedly said thank you, turned around and walked away.
Burma, a predominantly Buddhist nation of about 60 million, only recently emerged from a half century of military rule. It held its last count in 1983 and experts say the information being gathered from 30 March to 10 April is crucial for national development and planning.
But the inclusion of questions about ethnicity and race – approved by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) – have been widely criticised. Experts warned they could inflame tensions at a delicate stage in the country's transition to democracy.
That is especially true in Rakhine, home to the country's estimated 1.3 million Rohingya. In the past two years, their neighbourhoods have been targeted by rampaging Buddhist mobs. Up to 280 people have been killed and another 140,000 forced to flee their homes. Many are now living in crowded camps on the outskirts of the state capital, Sittwe.
The UN agency said it had received assurances from the government that everyone in the country would be allowed to self-identify their ethnicity.
On the eve of the census, however, the presidential spokesman Ye Htut announced that anyone who called themselves Rohingya would not be counted. Though many members of the religious minority were born in Burma to families who arrived generations ago, the government considers them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Ye Htut said only those who called themselves Bengalis would be included in the official tally. The UN agency said that went against earlier promises.
"In its agreement with the United Nations … the government made a commitment to conduct the exercise in accordance with international census standards and human rights principles," it said in a statement. "It explicitly agreed with the condition that each person would be able to declare what ethnicity they belong to.
"Those not identifying with one of the listed ethnic categories would be able to declare their ethnicity and have their response recorded by enumerators."
The UN said it was deeply concerned by the government's about-face, saying it could heighten tensions in Rakhine state and undermine the credibility of data collected.
The census – funded largely by the world body and international donors – was estimated to cost $74m. Rights groups and analysts have repeatedly criticised the UNFPA for failing to properly consult a broad range of ethnic groups before the count, which took years to plan, and ignoring warnings about the potential dangers of including complex, politically sensitive issues about ethnicity."
6
N.Y. / Region
Holder, in New York City, Calls Terror Trials Safe
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said that last week’s conviction of Sulaiman Abu Ghaith had “proven beyond any doubt” that terrorism trials can “safely occur” in New York City.
7
U.S.
How to Talk to Your Teenager About Pornography
Even researchers who can’t point to definitive evidence that pornography harms teenagers say parents should talk to their children about what they might see online. What should that conversation look like?
8
N.Y. / Region
Proposal Would Provide New York Police With Kits to Combat Overdoses
State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman on Thursday is expected to announce a push to have law enforcement officers carry a drug that is effectively an antidote to overdose.
9
Opinion
Antibiotic Use, and Abuse, on the Farms
The F.D.A.’s efforts to curb the overuse of antibiotics in animal feed is off to a good start.
10
Dining & Wine
Tavern on the Green Accepting Reservations
After two years of renovations, Tavern on the Green in Central Park will open for dinner on April 24.
11
Fashion & Style
Banking on My Future as a Father
A spate of reports on potential fertility problems among older men sends the author on a mission to the sperm bank.
12
U.S.
Law May Force Drilling on Balking Landowners
Houston-based Hilcorp seeks to use a 1961 Pennsylvania law to drill under the property of four holdout landowners in New Bedford.
13
Business Day
Fake Meats, Finally, Taste Like Chicken
Demand is growing from younger consumers seeking a more healthful or more ethical diet, but innovation is pushed by investors who see a potential solution to big problems.
14
World
Turkey Lifts Twitter Ban After Court Calls It Illegal
The social media site was unblocked after a two-week ban, following a ruling from the country’s highest court that the ban violated freedom of expression.
15
Fashion & Style
‘I Believe in the Valor of Pallor’
The writer Jill Kargman talks about staying out of the sun and why she wants to look like Veronica, the comics character.
16
U.S.
Chicago Mayor Seeks Alterations to Repair Badly Underfunded Pension Plan
Rahm Emanuel wants to raise property taxes and require some city workers and retirees to contribute more for their retirement benefits to repair a pension system at risk of insolvency.
17
N.Y. / Region
Bratton and Sharpton Discuss Profiling Issue
Police Commissioner William J. Bratton met with the Rev. Al Sharpton to talk about profiling by police in retail stores, which has resulted in several lawsuits by black shoppers.
18
N.Y. / Region
Friends Without Words
Jaime Herrera, who has been deaf since he was a child, is a janitor at the main branch of the New York Public Library.
19
U.S.
Letter Tells of U.S. Searches for Emails and Calls
The letter, from the director of national intelligence to a senator, underscored that such activity was not just theoretical.
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