Militant killed in n.Lebanon shootout, cleric arrested

TRIPOLI, Lebanon: Police killed notorious Islamist militant Osama Mansour and his partner in a shootout during an operation to arrest Islamist cleric Khaled Hoblos in the northern city of Tripoli overnight, a police statement said Friday.

The statement by Internal Security Forces said Mansour and Ahmad Nather were killed after they opened fire on the police patrol as it tried to arrest Hoblos at 10:25 p.m. Thursday.

Hoblos was in a Kia Picanto. The Islamic cleric and the driver, identified as Amir al-Kirdi, were arrested, according to the statement.

It said two policemen were wounded in the shootout in Tripoli's Bab al-Raml neighborhood after Mansour, who was sitting in an Opel beside Nather, opened fire on the patrol.

Mansour was wearing an explosive belt. A military expert was called in and the belt was safely defused, police said.

A security source told The Daily Star Mansour was carrying a fake identity card in the name of Khaled al-Junaidi.

Mansour, who was close to Lebanon's top Islamist fugitive Shadi Mawlawi, was wanted over plotting several attacks against the Army in Tripoli.

He also took part in clashes between the neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen.

Mansour and Mawlawi, who remains at large, are believed to have links with Al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front.

U.S. Intervention In The Caribbean Comes On China's Heels

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Margaret Myers, director of the China and Latin America program at the Inter-American Dialogue, about China's involvement in the Caribbean. Over the past few years, the Chinese have financed infrastructure projects like new roads and cricket stadiums.

Geagea-Aoun talks make good progress

BEIRUT: Talks between the Lebanese Forces and Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement have achieved “remarkable progress,” an MP from FPM chief Michel Aoun’s bloc said Thursday, after meeting with LF leader Samir Geagea.

“I don’t want to announce the results [of the meeting], I would rather leave that to Gen. Michel Aoun and Dr. Samir Geagea,” MP Ibrahim Kanaan said after the talks, which he described as “important.”

“Certainly, we have achieved remarkable progress. The work is serious and takes into consideration the concerns of both groups.”

Kanaan said discussion focused on the content of a “declaration of intent,” which the rival political groups are jointly composing. The document is expected to announce the LF and FPM’s renewed commitment to abolishing past tensions between their parties.

Speaking to The Daily Star, a source familiar with the talks between the two Christian groups said the meeting was “very productive – things are on the right track.”

The source said that late last month, the LF received the FPM’s proposed amendments to a draft of the declaration. “The Lebanese Forces made their own amendments and will return the draft to [the FPM] in the next few days,” the source said. “Things are being finalized.”

The Future Movement and Hezbollah are also engaged in dialogue sessions, holding nine meetings since December. Despite their ongoing talks, the war of words between the rival parties over the conflict in Yemen erupted again Thursday.

MP Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, responded sharply to recent comments by Future Movement leader Saad Hariri. The former premier had denounced remarks made by Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah in a televised interview, saying they were “offensive” to Saudi Arabia.

“We understand the embarrassing situation that Sheikh Saad is facing and his frustration at this moment, especially concerning our criticism of the leaders of Saudi Arabia, their botched policies, and their failed aggression in Yemen,” Raad said.

“Condemning the aggression and refuting the aggressors’ crimes is not offensive. What is offensive is justifying the aggression, applauding it, [propagating] illusions about it and making misplaced bets [on its outcome],” Raad added.

His statement came a day after Hariri criticized Nasrallah for “luring” Lebanon’s official television channel into airing “offensive” remarks against Saudi Arabia, made during an interview with Syria’s Al-Ekhbariya TV. Nasrallah railed against Riyadh for its recent military intervention in Yemen. Despite his statement, Raad said his party was adamant that the dialogue with the Future Movement would continue.

Textbooks at Eduvation school network go high-tech

BEIRUT: This school year, some primary school students found that their backpacks became lighter, thanks to the introduction of e-textbooks in the classrooms of the EDUVATION school network. The network, which functions under the authority of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut, includes the schools Ecole des Trois Docteurs, Beirut Annunciation Orthodox College and Saint Mary’s Orthodox College.

Known as the eB?k book series, the new set of e-textbooks were developed by educators within the school system, and published by the publishing house Byrtus. The series was introduced in grades 1-3 at the start of the 2014 school year.

With content adapted to the Lebanese curriculum, the e-textbooks are the first of their kind to contain a complete series of Lebanese social studies and Arabic language studies.

“This is something new. Producing digital books in Arabic is unique,” said Nayla Khoury Daoun, executive director of the digital curriculum development department of EDUVATION network schools.

Daoun emphasized that the content and visuals of the e-textbooks reflect Lebanese societal values and that of the school network curriculum. Such tailoring of curriculum content allows students to see themselves and their world in the texts they learn from.

“What is specific to these books is that all the illustrations and video and artwork were all made by our team, so they reflect the culture of the country and the values we would like to convey,” she said.

In the classrooms, each student has an iPad, on which he or she can view the day’s lessons. Beyond the introduction of local values, the books also feature far more interactive features than traditional textbooks.

In addition to Arabic and Social Studies, the books cover English, French, Mathematics and Science.

Stories and characters within the e-textbooks stress the value of openness around emotions, even difficult ones like grief and separation, with the goal of encouraging students to express themselves.

“We always try to convey the idea, especially with value and cultures, that there might be more than one answer to each situation. We always leave it open for each learner,” Daoun said.

She added that another feature of the books is that they “encourage critical thinking so learners predict answers and develop problem solving skills,” noting that several hands-on activities have been built into the lesson plans.

While the structure of the e-textbooks resembles traditional textbooks, interactive features such as multiplication flash cards and videos are interwoven throughout,to keep students engaged and enable learning through multiple approaches.

EDUVATION teachers and graphic design staff contributed to the development of content over the course of three years. In developing the curriculum, staff created a cast of characters, present throughout the e-textbook content, who help drive the lessons forward.

Art coordinator Nancy Salamouny helped develop these characters to reflect the local culture and to spark dialogue on lessons on personal traits such as self-esteem, courage, and how to deal with grief and common issues of family life.

“The characters help drive values and keep the learner along with the story,” said Salamouny, who added that the characters’ personalities are developed and well-rounded so they contribute their own viewpoints. Some even encourage behaviors such as healthy eating or recycling.

Characters resemble students and wear uniforms and have names like Tatiana, Michael, Ahmed and Yara.

The textbook graphics are “engaging and familiar to students,” Salamouny said, adding that the illustrations reflect Lebanon’s rural and urban life with recognizable village scenes and cityscapes present throughout.

The variety of Lebanese family life situations is also reflected within the characters; working mothers and homemakers are represented, as are fathers working abroad.

Nisrine Najem, head of the Social Studies department at Beirut Annunciation Orthodox College, was one of the teachers that helped author the textbooks.

She said she has noticed a great improvement in her students through the new lessons. The new technology is easy to use and the interactivity of the lessons has kept students active and engaged.

“It helps them to understand the material in a more smooth way,” Najem said.

Using the iPad, teachers can mirror or project lesson activities onto the board in class. Students are able to do the same, making it easier to share work and collaborate in class.

Najem said the e-textbooks have greatly expanded the variety of activities used to teach lessons and can accommodate students of different learning styles.

“There are many activities in the books and the iPad allows teachers to vary the technique,” she said. Built into the curriculum are additions to lessons, such as videos and puzzles. Before, with a traditional textbook, the teacher would have to build and bring from home a similar interactive learning tool.

Given the success to date of the e-textbook, the EDUVATION network now has plans to expand its use beyond primary grade levels.

“We are continuing to produce [the e-textbooks] for higher classes and will introduce them starting next September,” Daoun said.

Murder expedites Ain al-Hilweh security plan

SIDON, Lebanon: The Higher Palestinian Security Committee in Lebanon is preparing to implement a new security plan in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp following a security incident over the weekend.

The plan includes erecting new checkpoints and strengthening the joint elite force’s positions.

The new security measures will focus on the camp’s Tahtani Street and the borders of the Tawari quarter, an adjacent neighborhood that sits between the Taamir neighborhood and the camp itself.

The Lebanese Army is currently deployed in the area connecting Taamir to the Tawari neighborhood, which is considered to be a stronghold for Islamists.

The move was hastened by the killing of Marwan Issa, a member of the Hezbollah-linked Resistance Brigades, who was murdered in the camp Sunday.

Issa was believed to have visited Ain al-Hilweh to complete an arms deal with Khaled Kaawash, a Palestinian, and Rabih Serhal, a Syrian. The two are suspects in his killing and were handed over to the Lebanese government for investigation.

Fingers have also been pointed at members of Al-Shabab al-Muslim, many of whom reside in the Tawari neighborhood. It is believed that Mohammad and Haitham al-Shaabi, Palestinian nationals with links to Shabab al-Muslim, may have also had a hand in the murder.

Shabab al-Muslim includes the extremist groups Fatah al-Islam and Jund al-Sham.

According to Palestinian sources, the joint elite force will take unprecedented measures to improve security in the camp, including strengthening the Kifah checkpoint in the Tahtani neighborhood, as well as checkpoints at Tawari’s entrance and in Baraksat.

The checkpoints will be equipped and manned by members of the joint elite force, which will see its numbers rise from 225 to 350.

The aim of the measures is to restrict the movement of armed groups from the Tawari neighborhood into the heart of the camp. Militants from Tawari are believed to be behind security incidents which have plagued Ain al-Hilweh over the years, including a number of assassinations.

The repeated security threats faced by the camp, and new information on those behind them, has prompted both national and Islamic Palestinian factions to explore other options to halt the fighting, sources said.

One option is to isolate the areas in the camp that are strongholds for militants, such as Tawari. A worst-case scenario would be to designate the neighborhood as no longer belonging to the Ain al-Hilweh camp, removing political cover for those seeking refuge there.

Sources said strengthening the three checkpoints at the Tawari neighborhood’s eastern and western entrances could help isolate militants in the neighborhood.

Ain al-Hilweh’s Palestinian factions have expressed their resentment of Al-Shabab al-Muslim, sources acquainted with the groups said. They added that the group’s position has been weakened in the eyes of the Islamist factions and camp residents.

They argue that the prompt decision by the Islamist Osbat al-Ansar and the Islamic Jihad Movement to hand over suspects and support the Palestinian factions is evidence of this resentment.

It’s expected that the new security measures will be implemented on the ground within a few days, following a series of talks between the Higher Palestinian Security Committee and the joint elite force, in coordination with Lebanese Army Intelligence.

The head of the joint elite force in Lebanon, Maj. Gen. Munir Maqdah, stressed Thursday that the security situation in Ain al-Hilweh would remain under control.

“Any person whose name comes out of the inquiry into Marwan Issa’s death will be asked to come in for investigation,” Maqdah said. “We have made a decision to strengthen all security forces’ positions in the camp in order to preserve both its security and that of neighboring areas.”

During a visit to Sidon MP Bahia Hariri, head of Palestinian National Security Sobhi Abu Arab said the probe into Issa’s death was ongoing.

Abu Arab informed Hariri of the recent incident Thursday, and reassured her that the situation in the camp was under control.

Cuban Dissidents, Castro Supporters Throw Fists At Americas Summit

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

A scuffle between members of a Cuban delegation and anti-Castro groups has raised tensions in Panama, ahead of the Summit of the Americas.

In Jamaica, Obama Announces Plan To Diversify Caribbean Energy

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

President Obama is in Jamaica, where the U.S. is trying to gain influence in the region by using a powerful tool — energy.

3 Times Rand Paul Got 'Testy' This Week

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Rand Paul, seen here in New Hampshire Wednesday, told CNN he needs to "get better at holding my tongue and holding my temper." Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Getty Images

Rand Paul, seen here in New Hampshire Wednesday, told CNN he needs to "get better at holding my tongue and holding my temper."

Getty Images

It's day three of Sen. Rand Paul's presidential campaign, and he's been showing a short temper with some select targets — the mainstream media, the Democratic National Committee and a congressional colleague.

While these incidents might not do much for his likability in the long run, the testiness may not be all bad for his primary campaign. But even he told CNN Wednesday he thinks he should "have more patience" and "get better at holding my tongue and holding my temper." He didn't agree, however, that his targets are selective: "I think I'm pretty equal opportunity," he said, adding that he's been "universally short-tempered and testy" with reporters.

Paul follows a long line of politicians who have lost their cool in the public eye, especially at the media. In a 2012 debate, Newt Gingrich was asked by CNN's John King about his ex-wife's allegation that he asked her to have an open marriage.

Gingrich dug into King. "I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office," he said to raucous applause. "I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that."

Here are three testy moments from Rand Paul this week:

1. Views on Foreign Policy

The morning after his official presidential announcement, Paul was asked by NBC's Savannah Guthrie whether his views on foreign policy have changed.

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"You once say Iran was not a threat; now you say it is," Guthrie began. "You once proposed ending foreign aid to Israel; you now support it at least for the time being."

As she started mentioning his shift on defense spending, Paul interrupted: "Why don't we let me explain instead of talking all over me?"

Guthrie then rephrased her question — as he had asked: "Have you changed your opinion? Is Iran still not a threat?" Guthrie queried.

Paul jumped back in, eight times for emphasis: "no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no..."

The incident reignited accusations that Paul is especially testy with female journalists, reminiscent of a February interview with CNBC anchor Kelly Evans when he shushed her and told her her to calm down as she questioned him on a proposed corporate tax holiday.

For the record, Paul told CNN, "I think I've been universally short tempered and testy with both male and female reporters."

2. Abortion

In an interview Wednesday, the Associated Press pushed Paul on whether his opposition to abortion rights would include exceptions in cases of rape, incest or risk of life to the mother.

The AP wrote, "Paul grew testy when pressed in the interview on the question of exceptions."

"I gave you about a five-minute answer," Paul said. "Put in my five-minute answer."

3. Abortion, Again

While answering questions in New Hampshire Wednesday, Paul was asked again about exemptions and about his comments to the AP, which had been picked up by the Democratic National Committee.

"Why don't we ask the DNC, is it O.K. to kill a 7-pound baby in the uterus?" he replied.

Paul also hit at DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. "You go back, and you ask Debbie Wasserman Schultz if she's O.K. with killing a 7-pound baby that is just not yet born yet," he said. "Ask her when life begins, and you ask Debbie when she's willing to protect life."

Recognizing the Unique Challenges of Transgender Women of Color

During Women’s History Month, the White House Office of Public Engagement and the Council on Women and Girls have honored the achievements of women across the country and throughout history, while continuing the conversations about the challenges women across the nation still face. On March 31 -- National Transgender Day of Visibility -- I had the honor of speaking with leaders of the transgender women of color community during the White House’s first-ever discussion solely focused on the challenges this community faces.

Community organizers, non-profit leaders, and policy advocates from all over the country shared their stories and spoke about the issues that uniquely affect transgender women of color. We heard from panelists on issues ranging from employment and economic opportunity, to family and intimate partner violence, to access to health care. These frank conversations helped to shine a light on the work left to be done, and possible community and government solutions.

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#LeadOnLeave Notes from the Road: Los Angeles

Last Friday, I was in Los Angeles, CA and took part in the second leg of the nationwide “Lead on Leave: Empowering Working Families Across America” tour. On this tour, Obama Administration officials are fanning out across the country to talk with everyday Americans about why we need to catch up with the rest of the developed world and implement sensible paid leave and paid sick days policies -- why we need to #LeadOnLeave. (Check out Secretary Perez’s stop in Seattle here.)

Talking pro-working families policies over breakfast:

While in Los Angeles, I headed to Manifesto Café for breakfast, a restaurant that seeks to protect workers’ rights and give community members access to quality, affordable food. The owners spoke about how they feel that they can retain their staff and be great employers, in part by looking out for their workers and paying them more than the minimum wage.

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WhiteHouse.gov Is Evolving with You in Mind

Last night, we released the first-ever responsive White House homepage. Here's what that means: The WhiteHouse.gov landing page now displays content in a consistent way, no matter which device you're using — desktop, laptop, mobile phone, or tablet. This also means that we're helping you find the most relevant content as quickly as possible.

This is a landmark change in a series of improvements to our online platforms to make them more accessible, user-friendly, and in line with modern best practices. And this is just the first phase in revamping the White House homepage. We will continue to iterate on the design and features, rolling out enhancements along the way.

Over recent months, we have released a series of responsive features and sections. These updates have included popular events like the State of the Union, as well as informational pages like the biographies of Presidents and First Ladies which receive a high volume of visitors every day. And over the next couple of months, we'll update some features we think you'll find useful as well as some popular sections including Latest News (also known as the White House blog) and the White House Press Office.

This section-by-section approach to upgrading WhiteHouse.gov lets us prioritize improving parts of the site that will be most valuable to you, enables us to roll out new features quicker and more frequently, and allows us to receive and incorporate your feedback along the way to help guide our efforts. Historically, projects like this have been undertaken as a single, large-scale overhaul for a whole site. The downside of that model is that it requires foreseeing exactly what the end product needs to be at the outset, and as a result, often misses the mark. The processes we're using now are known as "iterative design" and "agile development," and reflect a larger user-centric effort within the Federal government to transform the ways we design, build, and deliver technology.

Our design and development teams here at the White House have been using this model for several years, and we are part of a growing trend within the government – now being led in part by the efforts of groups like GSA’s 18F and the U.S. Digital Service, who are also looking to recruit talented design, development, and digitally-savvy problem solvers to do meaningful work solving problems within the United States government.

Our new homepage is just the latest example of our efforts to better serve the public.

Do you have feedback for how we can better serve your needs on WhiteHouse.gov? Let us know here.

Read more on design and development at the White House:

• President Obama is the first President to write a line of code


• The 2016 Budget: How we're using open government tools


• Enhancing the 2015 State of the Union with new digital tools


• Turning government data into better public service


• Using human-centered design for the federal government


• Learn why innovative job-training programs are important


• Announcing the National Week of Making

Are you a citizen developer interested in using government data or tools? Visit http://1.usa.gov/1PoU11x.

And for more regular updates on other exciting happenings on WhiteHouse.gov, follow us on Twitter @WHWeb.

Project management by Amanda Stone. Project design by James Hobbs. Leigh Heyman, Director of New Media Technologies, and Nathaniel Lubin, Acting Director of the Office of Digital Strategy, contributed to this post.

Bill To Limit Vaccine Exemptions Moves A Step Closer In California

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Supporters and opponents gathered in a hearing room inside California's Capitol to talk about whether the state should eliminate the personal belief exemption, which gives parents a lot of leeway regarding immunizations. Pauline Bartolone/Capital Public Radio hide caption

itoggle caption Pauline Bartolone/Capital Public Radio

Supporters and opponents gathered in a hearing room inside California's Capitol to talk about whether the state should eliminate the personal belief exemption, which gives parents a lot of leeway regarding immunizations.

Pauline Bartolone/Capital Public Radio

A California bill that would allow students to opt out of mandatory school vaccinations only if they have a medical condition that justifies an exemption is one step closer to becoming law, though it still has a long way to go. The bill was introduced in the California Senate in response to a measles outbreak at Disneyland in late December that's now linked to almost 150 infections.

Shots - Health News

Measles Outbreak Sparks Bid To Strengthen Calif. Vaccine Law

Among several hundred supporters and protesters outside the Capitol building in Sacramento on Wednesday, the bill sparked a debate about individual rights and responsibilities.

Opponents wore American flags. One child held a sign that said, "Force my veggies, not vaccines." They say eliminating the personal belief exemption threatens their ability to do what's right for their kids.

"I think that everybody should be able to make their own choice," said Lisa Cadrein of Los Angeles. She fears vaccines would harm her daughter.

"I am afraid that her big beautiful blue eyes will not focus on me anymore, and she won't be the kid that she is," Cadrein said.

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People who oppose repealing the personal belief exemption gathered outside California's Capitol in Sacramento on Wednesday. Pauline Bartolone/Capital Public Radio hide caption

itoggle caption Pauline Bartolone/Capital Public Radio

People who oppose repealing the personal belief exemption gathered outside California's Capitol in Sacramento on Wednesday.

Pauline Bartolone/Capital Public Radio

But scientific studies show no link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder and inside the hearing, parents also talked about protecting their kids — from children who aren't vaccinated. Democratic Sen. Lois Wolk is on the Senate Health Committee and spoke on behalf of the pro-vaccine parents.

Shots - Health News

A Boy Who Had Cancer Faces Measles Risk From The Unvaccinated

Shots - Health News

Once A Vaccine Skeptic, This Mom Changed Her Mind

"Our individual rights aren't without limits, and in this particular case, your insistence on your right really could harm my children or my grandchildren," Wolk said.

The health committee in California's Senate passed the bill 6-2 on Wednesday. That was just the first step — the proposed legislation has many more hearings before it could become law. Meanwhile, Washington, Oregon and North Carolina have also considered legislation to limit families' rights to opt out of mandatory vaccinations, and all of those efforts have stalled.

This story is part of NPR's reporting partnership with Capital Public Radio and Kaiser Health News.

Hezbollah rips Hariri after Nasrallah attack

BEIRUT: A leading Hezbollah MP issued a bruising rebuttal against Future leader Saad Hariri Thursday, a day after the former premier denounced recent remarks by party chief Hasan Nasrallah as "offensive" towards Saudi Arabia.

“We understand the embarrassing situation that Sheikh Saad is facing and his frustration at this moment, especially concerning our criticism to the leaders of Saudi Arabia, their botched policies and their failed aggression on Yemen,” Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc said in a statement released by his party's media office.

“But remaining silent on what these people are committing in terms of crimes, tenacity and extermination of civilians ... is something that no one accepts but the slave, the ignoramus or the coward.”

The remarks come a day after Hariri assailed Nasrallah for “luring” Lebanon’s official television channel into airing "offensive” remarks against Saudi Arabia in an interview with Syria's Al-Ekhbariya TV. Nasrallah had railed against Riyadh in the interview for its military intervention in Yemen launched two weeks ago.

“All Lebanon needed after all the problems Hezbollah has accumulated on Lebanon was to plunge Tele Liban into the media and political boxing ring, and lure it into the trap of participation in a show of insults against Saudi Arabia and its leadership broadcast by Syria’s official Al-Ekhbariya TV two days ago, through the infamous interview with Hezbollah’s secretary-general,” Hariri said in a statement.

He said his main concern was the use of government-run media outlets as platforms “to offend an Arab country and insult Saudi Arabia, its officials and its role ... for the sake of Iran and its regional policies.”

March 14 officials were upset at Tele Liban for carrying the interview, accusing it of violating Lebanon's policy of disassociation by contacting Al-Ekhbariya for permission. But Hezbollah defended Tele Liban, saying that it did not contact Al-Ekhbariya, but received permission from Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV.

Raad said there was a clear discrepancy between Hezbollah and the Future Movement in terms of strategy and approach, and the Yemeni case was no exception.

“Condemning the aggression and refuting the aggressors’ crimes is not offensive. What is offensive is justifying the aggression, applauding it and weaving illusions and wrong bets around it,” Raad went on.

In his Wednesday statement, Hariri said that Nasrallah’s diatribe against Riyadh served the interests of Iran in the region. The Future leader added that Iran had exported its "revolution" to Lebanon and injected fuel for sectarian conflicts, and compared Hezbollah’s experience to that of Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Raad described the act of comparing the Lebanese and Yemeni cases as “a huge mistake,” saying such approach showed “deep miscalculation and tenacity.”

“The suspicious appeal against Iran’s role is pure slander that serves the enemies of Lebanon,” the Hezbollah MP said.

Announcing a Week of Making this June 12-18

Last year, on June 18, President Obama hosted the first-ever White House Maker Faire and issued a call to action that “every company, every college, every community, every citizen joins us as we lift up makers and builders and doers across the country.” By democratizing the tools and skills necessary to design and make just about anything, Maker-related events and activities can inspire more people to pursue careers in design, advanced manufacturing, and the related fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and possibly take their creations to the next level and become entrepreneurs.

Today, in preparation of the one-year anniversary of last year’s Faire, we are excited to announce that the White House will celebrate a “Week of Making” this summer from June 12-18. The week will coincide with the National Maker Faire here in D.C., featuring makers from across the country and will include participation by federal agencies including: the Department of Education, National Science Foundation, U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Small Business Administration, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NASA, Corporation for National and Community Service, Department of Homeland Security and the Smithsonian.

At last year’s Faire, President Obama welcomed people of all ages who are funneling their ingenuity into amazing projects, developing creative solutions to important problems and bringing their innovations to market. He met Lindsay Lawlor, who built a 17-foot, talking robotic giraffe named Russell, and he met teenage sisters Camille and Genevieve Betty, whose motto is “Who needs a paper route when you can start your own robotics company?” He talked to entrepreneurs such as Marc Roth, who was homeless in San Francisco before taking classes in design and prototyping at a digital fabrication studio and maker space. After only several months of classes, Marc was able to open his own custom laser-cutting business. As the President put it, “Today’s D.I.Y is tomorrow’s Made in America.”

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UN vaccinates Syrian refugee animals in Lebanon against goat plague

ROME: The U.N. has launched an emergency vaccination campaign against lumpy skin disease and goat plague among animals brought to Lebanon by refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict, a report said Thursday.

Some of the 1.5 million refugees have brought with them large numbers of unvaccinated sheep, goats, cattle and other animals, raising concerns over the spread of high impact animal diseases, the UN's food agency said.

The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said it was carrying out the second phase of "a campaign to immunize as much of the country's livestock as possible, with a target of vaccinating all animals."

"As many as 70,000 cows and around 900,000 sheep and goats could be exposed to transboundary diseases if left untreated, according to Lebanon's ministry for agriculture," the report said.

The campaign aims to reduce the number of animals dying from preventable diseases in rural areas in particular, where natural resources are already strained by the spill-over effects from the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

Some of the animal diseases are highly contagious and can spread extremely rapidly, causing high mortality and morbidity in animals, with serious socio-economic consequences and possible public health repercussions, FAO said.

"The three most prevalent animal diseases detected in Lebanon include lumpy skin disease, foot-and-mouth disease and peste des petits ruminants, also known as 'goat plague', which is highly contagious," it said.

FAO and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) pledged earlier this month to eradicate sheep and goat plague - which causes fever, mouth sores, diarrhoea and often leads to a swift death - by 2030.

The stress being placed on Lebanon's "natural resources and food production systems is particularly worrying... with more people than ever before now in need of animal protein and milk," FAO said.

According to the U.N., Lebanon now has the highest per capita ratio of refugees in the world, accounting for a quarter of the population - and their arrival has seen unemployment figures double.

The vaccination project - funded by Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) - follows an initial program last year which was credited with stopping any widespread animal disease outbreaks.

Parents Protest Calif. Proposal To Do Away With Vaccination Exemptions

Audio for this story from Morning Edition will be available at approximately 9:00 a.m. ET.

A bill to require more children get vaccinated is moving forward in the Calif. legislature. But even in the state that saw a large measles outbreak this year, its passage is going to be difficult.

Nasrallah, Iranian envoy discuss nuke deal, Yemen

Iranian president calls for halt to Yemen airstrikes

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani calls for an end to airstrikes in Yemen by Saudi Arabia and Arab allies, saying they...

Obama To Address Caribbean's 'Economic Achilles Heel' — Energy

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Port au Prince, Haiti at night. Analysts warn a sudden energy shortage in the Caribbean could create security problems not far from U.S. shores and even trigger mass migration. But thanks to its domestic energy boom, the U.S. has a rare opportunity to get out in front of the crisis and possibly build some goodwill of its own. Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

Port au Prince, Haiti at night. Analysts warn a sudden energy shortage in the Caribbean could create security problems not far from U.S. shores and even trigger mass migration. But thanks to its domestic energy boom, the U.S. has a rare opportunity to get out in front of the crisis and possibly build some goodwill of its own.

Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

President Obama is in Jamaica Thursday, meeting with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and more than a dozen other leaders from throughout the Caribbean. It's the first stop on a three-day tour that also includes a hemispheric summit meeting in Panama. Topping today's agenda is a looming energy crunch in the Caribbean, and a chance for the U.S. to seize the initiative there from leftist leaders in Venezuela.

Unlike the United States, which is suddenly awash in cheap oil and natural gas, countries like Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are heavily dependent on imported oil, not only to run their cars but also to keep the lights on.

"The economic achilles heel for these small islands is really electric power generation," says Jorge Pinon, who directs the Latin America and Caribbean Program at the University of Texas. "That's very important for their tourism and for hotels. So affordable and reliable electricity has a very high economic value for those small islands."

For years, Venezuela has offered an energy lifeline to the Caribbean, selling oil to countries there and in Central America on very favorable terms. The program known as "Petrocaribe" was launched a decade ago by Venezuela's anti-American president Hugo Chavez.

"Back then, because of the high price of oil, Venezuela had a lot of extra money to throw around," says Jason Marczak, Deputy Director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council. "And it was using that extra money to try to secure support from different governments across the hemisphere."

The picture today is very different. Chavez is dead. The price of oil has fallen sharply in the last year. And with Venezuela's economy in deep trouble, the flow of cheap oil to the Caribbean is in danger of running dry.

"That's going to create a huge economic hardship," says Pinon, who's also a veteran oil industry executive. "As you well know, with economic hardship comes social disruptions that the United States certainly doesn't want in the Caribbean."

Analysts warn a sudden energy shortage could create security problems not far from U.S. shores and even trigger mass migration. But thanks to its domestic energy boom, the United States has a rare opportunity to get out in front of the crisis and possibly build some goodwill of its own.

"Ten years ago, we never would have thought about being able to export U.S.-produced gas or oil," Marczak says. "We were frankly just worried about having enough gas and oil ourselves."

The federal government still prohibits U.S. companies from exporting crude oil. But the United States has become a big supplier of refined products to the Caribbean. And liquid natural gas could be next.

"Central America and the Caribbean will be a perfect candidate for that fuel," Pinon says. "It is clean — certainly cleaner than oil. And there's going to be plenty of that around."

Vice President Biden launched an effort last summer to diversify the Caribbean's energy supplies. And President Obama is expected to announce additional measures in Jamaica. The moves are partly a strategic tug-of-war for influence with Venezuela, though the Administration will be careful not to couch it that way.

"The U.S. is billing this as a Caribbean initiative," Marczak says. "This is not an anti-Venezuela initiative."

That's important because Obama's next stop on this trip is a weekend summit in Panama with leaders from throughout the western hemisphere. Venezuela and its leftist allies typically use these gatherings to try to paint the United States as an imperial power, riding roughshod over its neighbors.

"These governments really are always looking for an opportunity to kick dust in the face of Uncle Sam," says Cynthia Arnson, director of the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center. "But I think it's also important to keep in perspective the moment today."

The U.S. comes into this summit less isolated from its neighbors, thanks to the diplomatic thaw with Cuba. Cuban President Raul Castro is attending the summit for the first time, setting the stage for a historic handshake with Obama.

What's more, it's now the U.S., not Venezuela, that's set to use its newfound energy strength as a diplomatic weapon.

Suicides By Missouri Politicians Raise Questions About State Ethics

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Missouri auditor Tom Schweich committed suicide following political attacks during his campaign for governor. His press secretary, Spence Jackson, committed suicide just one month later. Jeff Roberson/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Jeff Roberson/AP

Missouri auditor Tom Schweich committed suicide following political attacks during his campaign for governor. His press secretary, Spence Jackson, committed suicide just one month later.

Jeff Roberson/AP

In Missouri, two political suicides have stunned the Republican party. In February state auditor Tom Schweich, a leading candidate for the party's nomination for governor, shot himself. Then just last month, his press secretary, Spence Jackson, took his own life. The tragedies have sparked fresh scrutiny of Missouri's increasingly bruising political system.

Schweich launched his campaign for governor with a scathing broadside against the state's Republican party establishment.

"They've tried to buy the courts. They've tried to buy the media," he said. "It's deception and it's fraud and it's influence peddling. And it's the kind of thing that worries me about the future of the Republican party in Missouri. And I thought we needed a voice that says 'no'."

Schweich had just sailed to a second term as state auditor and was polling well in the Republican primary for governor. Then, the stunning news. The 54-year-old died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Schweich left behind a wife, two kids and lots of unanswered questions. Friends said he was distraught over a coordinated assault from Republicans colleagues backing his chief primary opponent, Catherine Hanaway. With voting still more than a year away, they'd already launched an attack ad, in the style of the Netflix series House of Cards.

"Tom Schweich, like him? No. Is he a weak candidate for governor? Absolutely, just look at him," one of the ads says. "He could be easily confused with the deputy sheriff of Mayberry. But, more importantly, he can be manipulated."

And that is exactly what Schweich's supporters say the attack ad was intended to do, manipulate the candidate, drive him out of the race. Former U.S. Sen. Jack Danforth, an episcopal priest and a fellow Republican gave the eulogy at Schweich' s funeral.

"Words do hurt. Words can kill," he said. "And that has been proven right here in our home state."

Speaking from the pulpit, Danforth said that Schweich believed Missouri Republican party chairman John Hancock was mounting a "whisper campaign" telling political donors that Schweich was Jewish, which he wasn't. Hancock admitted mentioning this casually, but said he meant no harm. But Danforth said it was hurtful, and anti-Semitic.

"The only reason to go around saying that someone is Jewish, is to make political profit from religious bigotry," he said. Danforth went on to call the attack add bulling, and the man behind it, Jeff Roe, a bully.

Just after the funeral, Schweich's press secretary, Spence Jackson, spoke up demanding that Hancock, the party chairman, resign. Danforth agreed, but other party leaders went silent. None of Jeff Roe's clients, including presidential candidate Ted Cruz, publicly broke ties. Hancock remains party chairman.

"And a month later it looked like the furor was dying down," says Dave Helling, political reporter for the Kansas City Star. "And Spence was worried about that. That's what his friends said, that he was quite upset. It looked like, in their words, like the other side might get away with it."

Just one month and one day after Schweich's suicide, Jackson called in sick. The following Monday police held a press conference in Jackson's hometown, Jefferson City.

"Initial assessment of the scene indicated that Jackson died of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound," said Jefferson City Police Capt. Doug Shoemaker. "There were no signs of forced entry, nor any sign of a struggle."

It may look like another political suicide, though Jackson's note said only that he couldn't take being unemployed again.

"This story doesn't add up. What's missing here? What would cause two prominent Republicans to take their lives?" asks Marvin Overby, political science professor at the University of Missouri. "I don't think it would be the prospect of not being the Republican nominee for governor."

Overby says that being Jewish is not a big political liability in Missouri.

Rumors abound about other factors that may have pushed Schweich and Jackson to take their lives. Danforth says such talk amounts to a second whispering campaign. The facts, as he sees them, are pretty stark.

"Tom Schweich publicly attacked what he thought was corruption in state government, and within a month of that he was dead," he says. "Spence Jackson publicly called for the resignation of John Hancock, and within a month of doing so he was dead."

Danforth says Missouri politics has devolved into an arena where ruthless operatives, financed by a wealthy few, battle for power. He hopes the suicides will leave voters here to re-examine the political landscape.