US election 2016: Trump and Rubio row over Islam 'hate'

Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio has attacked Donald Trump for saying that Islam hates America, in a televised debate in Miami.

Mr Rubio, who faces a do-or-die contest in Florida on Tuesday, said Islam had a problem with radicalisation but said that many Muslims were proud Americans.

"Presidents can't just say whatever they want. It has consequences," he said, to cheers from the audience.

The four Republicans heeded pleas from party leaders to have a civil debate.

Unlike in the last TV event, which was littered with personal insults, this one was more substantive with a focus on policy.

"So far, I cannot believe how civil it's been up here," Mr Trump observed at one point.

But on the issue of Islam, there was clear distance between Mr Trump and the others - all three of his rivals disagreed with him that the families of terrorists should be killed.

Mr Trump stood by comments he made earlier in the day when he said "I think Islam hates us, there's a tremendous hatred", and railed against political correctness.

But Mr Rubio said: "I'm not interested in being politically correct. I'm interested in being correct."

Five large US states go to the polls on Tuesday to vote for their preferred presidential candidate in each party, with Ohio Governor John Kasich and Mr Rubio, a Florida senator, under pressure to win their home states.

Mr Trump picked up a key endorsement of Ben Carson, who last week dropped out of the race before the debate.

Debate highlights:

• Mr Trump reaffirmed his opposition to H1-B visa programme, which allows US firms to employ highly skilled foreigners, saying "it's bad for our workers"

• Mr Rubio said he would delay retirement until 68 to help address the $150bn social security shortfall

• And he accused Mr Trump's numbers of "not adding up" because he said he could save social security by eliminating waste

• Mr Cruz said he was going to build a wall, triple the border control and end welfare benefits for undocumented

• Mr Trump said he would "make education great" and that former Republican candidate Ben Carson would be involved

• And calling Vladimir Putin "strong" did not mean he was endorsing him as a good leader, said Mr Trump

• Mr Kasich disagreed with Mr Rubio, who said he did not believe in manmade climate change

The candidates also clashed over President Barack Obama's historic visit to Cuba next week.

Mr Rubio, whose parents were Cuban immigrants, said he was opposed to efforts to restore relations until Cuba improved its human rights record.

But Mr Trump said he was not opposed to a US-Cuba deal, but it should be on better terms for the US.

The other Cuban-American candidate on the stage, Mr Cruz, accused Mr Trump of supporting the Obama-Clinton policy on Cuba.

Mr Trump, a billionaire businessman from New York with no political experience, has dominated the news and the state primary contests so far.

On the Democratic side, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are battling for the party's nomination.

Mrs Clinton is leading Mr Sanders in delegate counts so far, though his campaign has proved more formidable than expected.

Both parties will determine their nominees at conventions in July, then Americans will pick their new president in November.

The next votes

15 March: Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio Primaries

22 March: Arizona Primary, Utah Caucuses, Idaho Caucuses (Democratic)

26 March: Alaska, Hawaii, Washington Caucuses (Democratic)

1 April: North Dakota Caucuses (Republican)

5 April: Wisconsin Primary

9 April: Wyoming Caucuses (Democratic)

19 April: New York Primary

US election 2016: Clinton and Sanders spar in Florida debate

Democratic Party presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have sparred over immigration and other issues during a debate in Florida.

The televised event in Miami took place just days before the next round of primaries, including Florida.

With 246 delegates at stake, the southern state is the biggest prize.

Mr Sanders had a surprise victory in Michigan on Tuesday, but Hillary Clinton increased her overall lead with a big win in Mississippi.

In the Republican race on the same day, Donald Trump won three more states (Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii) in his bid to win the Republican nomination. Ted Cruz won a Republican-only race in Idaho.

The states were the latest to choose candidates to compete in November's presidential election.

'Akin to slavery'

During the Miami debate, former Secretary of State Mrs Clinton criticised Vermont Senator Mr Sanders for voting against an immigration reform back in 2007.

"Just think, imagine where we would be today if we had achieved comprehensive immigration reform nine years ago," she said.

Mr Sanders responded by saying he had concerns about the treatment of guest workers. The proposed programme was "akin to slavery", he said.

He also said that Mrs Clinton was against allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licences.

Analysis: BBC's Anthony Zurcher in Miami

It's been only three days since their last debate, but all it took for the political fortunes in the Democratic presidential race to change dramatically was one day of voting in Michigan.

Thanks to Bernie Sanders' shocking - albeit narrow - upset win in that state's primary on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton went from exuding confidence on Sunday night in Flint to acknowledging on Wednesday evening in Miami that she's "not a natural politician".

Mr Sanders, with a new lease on political life, went on the attack early against the former secretary of state. He implied that she had something to hide by not releasing transcripts of paid speeches to Wall Street firms and that she is in the pocket of big business.

The Vermont senator did find himself on the defensive when the topic turned to his past praise for communist governments in Cuba and Nicaragua, but the story of the night was how Mrs Clinton handled her recent adversity. Often she has seemed most sympathetic when showing vulnerability.

Now the waiting game begins. Can Mr Sanders build on his Michigan win next Tuesday when Florida, Ohio and several other states vote?

Those results will go a long way in determining whether Michigan was a blip or the start of a prolonged Sanders surge.

Nearly two million Hispanics live in Florida, and their support will play a big role in the 15 March primary.

Florida is home to nearly 1.8 million Hispanics, including about 15% of the state's Democrats.

The two rivals also discussed job creation, education and climate change.

And they both attacked Mr Trump, with Mrs Clinton saying that his "trafficking in prejudice and paranoia has no place in our political system".

She said Mr Trump could not even decide "whether to disavow Ku Klux Klan".

Meanwhile, Mr Sanders said: "I think that the American people are never going to elect a president who insults Mexicans, who insults Muslims, who insults women, who insults African-Americans."

The next votes

15 March: Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio Primaries

22 March: Arizona Primary, Utah Caucuses, Idaho Caucuses (Democratic)

26 March: Alaska, Hawaii, Washington Caucuses (Democratic)

1 April: North Dakota Caucuses (Republican)

5 April: Wisconsin Primary

9 April: Wyoming Caucuses (Democratic)

19 April: New York Primary

'Unashamed World' film starring Lecrae and 116 Clique announces release date

Unashamed World, the long-awaited film by director Art Hooker on Lecrae and his fellow 116 Clique members' grassroots movement which went global, officially has a release date. 

Unashamed World will hit theaters nationwide on June 1, according to a trailer released this week.

Fans can request Unashamed World in a theater near them through the film's website. Below is a synopsis of the project.

"Unashamed World follows one of the hottest names in hip-hop music today, two-time Grammy Award-winning artist Lecrae. From a tiny garage start-up to becoming a global phenomenon, this film grants unprecedented access to Lecrae and the 116 Clique (Trip Lee, Tedashii, Andy Mineo, Sho Baraka, KB, Derek Minor and DJ Official) through never-before-seen personal and performance footage.

"Director Art Hooker delivers a deft and lively narrative of the 17-year ups-and-downs of Lecrae’s music career from house parties to sold-out stadiums. Unashamed World is the first hip-hop film created for the fans by the fans, featuring adrenaline-filled concert montages and fan-created videos and interviews, challenging audiences to rise up to live an unashamed life."

Watch Trailer Below:

Source: Rapzilla

Myanmar begins presidential selection as Aung San Suu Kyi ruled out

Presidential frontrunner Htin Kyaw (left) is part of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi's close circle, and was seen next to her when she was released from house arrest in 2010

Myanmar's National League for Democracy (NLD) has named two candidates, as the country starts the process of selecting a new president.

Correspondents say one of them, Htin Kyaw, is almost certain to be elected president by the NLD-controlled parliament.

The nominations confirm that NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not be president of the country.

However, Ms Suu Kyi has previously said she would be "above" the president.

Jonah Fisher, BBC News, Nay Pyi Taw - 'No deal'

She tried right to the last. But there was no deal. Despite a huge win in the election, Aung San Suu Kyi failed to convince the army that her destiny was the presidency.

Clause 59F of the constitution which bars her because her sons have British not Burmese passports remains in place, and she has now chosen someone else.

It's Htin Kyaw, a fellow Oxford graduate she's known all her life. He's a committed member of the party and was by her side when Ms Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in 2010.

His most important quality may be the ability to take orders. Aung San Suu Kyi has made it clear that though she does not have the title - she will still be in charge.

The NLD nominations are the first step in the process of choosing a new president which will happen over the next few days.

The party has named Htin Kyaw, who is part of Ms Suu Kyi's inner circle, as its lower house nominee for vice president. It has also named Henry Van Thio, an MP from the Chin ethnic minority, as its upper house nominee.

Both houses will separately choose between the NLD's candidates and those from other parties.

The winner from each house will go on to a second vote to decide the president of the country. A military nominated candidate will also compete in this vote.

The two losing candidates will become vice-presidents.

Because the NLD dominates both houses, correspondents say that Htin Kyaw is almost certain to win.

The NLD won the majority of non-military seats available in parliament in last year's historic general election.

But the army - which still controls a quarter of all parliamentary seats and key security ministries - remains a significant force in Burmese politics.

Who is Htin Kyaw?

• Htin Kyaw, 70, is a NLD central executive committee member and Ms Suu Kyi's close aide.

• The soft-spoken Oxford graduate is said to have a reputation for honesty and loyalty, and has kept a low profile.

• His father, the writer and poet Min Thu Wun, won a seat for the party at the 1990 election.

• His wife, Su Su Lwin, is the daughter of an NLD founder, as well as being a sitting MP, and a prominent party member.

• He has played a senior role at the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, the charity founded in honour of Suu Kyi's late mother, and has been frequently seen at the NLD leader's side, serving as her driver from time to time.

THE YOUNG MESSIAH - Trailer - In Theaters March 2016

Tells the story of Jesus Christ at age seven as he and his family depart Egypt to return home to Nazareth. Told from his childhood perspective, it follows young Jesus as he grows into his religious identity.

Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh

Writers: Anne Rice (novel), Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh 

Stars: Adam Greaves-Neal, Vincent Walsh, Sara Lazzaro 

WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW

At the age of 7, Jesus Bar-Joseph lives with his family in Alexandria, Egypt, where they have fled to avoid a massacre of children by King Herod of Israel. Jesus knows that his parents Joseph and Mary have secrets they are keeping from him, secrets about his birth and about traits that make him very different from other boys. His parents, however, believe him too young to grasp the truth of his miraculous birth and purpose. Learning that the murderous Herod is dead, they set out to return to their home of Nazareth in Israel, unaware that Herod's namesake son is, like his father, determined to see the boy Jesus dead. Written by Jim Beaver jumblejim@prodigy.net

FOR CLICK HERE - TICKETS & GROUP SALES 

Plot Keywords: based on novel|

Taglines: Discover the savior when he was a child. 

Genres: Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)Rated PG - 13 for some violence and thematic elements

Official Sites: Official Facebook | Official site

Country: USA

Language: English

Release Date: 11 March 2016 (USA) See more »

Also Known As: Christ the Lord

Filming Locations: Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy 

Production Co: 1492 Pictures, CJ Entertainment, Hyde Park International See more »

Technical Specs

Runtime: 111 min

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Color: Color

Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1

Cast


Sean Bean ...                                                      Severus

	David Bradley...                                 Old Rabbi
	Jonathan Bailey...                                 Herod

  Sara Lazzaro ...                                                       Mary
Christian McKay ...                                               Cleopas
  Adam Greaves-Neal ...                                  Jesus
Isabelle Adriani ...                                          Seleni
Lee Boardman ...                                            Roman Squad Leader
David Burke ...                                               Blind Rabbi
Rory Keenan ...                                               The Demon
Dorotea Mercuri ...                                          Eleazer's Mother
Vincent Walsh ...                                             Joseph
Paola Lavini

Agni Scott ...                                                   Miriam
Jane Lapotaire ...                                             Sarah
Finn Ireland ...                                                 James
Lydia Muijen ...                                               Bald Soothsayer
Giselda Volodi ...                                             Female Soothsayer
Jarreth J. Merz ...                                              Eleazer's Father
Paul Ireland ...                                                   Optio
Matt Patresi ...                                                   Cynical Stranger
Simone Spinazze      ...                                       Eli - Impoverished Pilgrim
Giampiero Rotoli ...                                            Pilgrim 2
Douglas Dean ...                                                  Physician
Giorgio Antonini ...                                             Assailant
Gabriele Dentoni ...                                             Eleazer's Cousin
Gabrielle Chiararo ...                                           Mother Crying
Marco Iannone ...                                                 Wiseman 3
Ioan Gunn ...                                                         Wizened Soothsayer
Duné Medros ...                                                     Riba
Andrea Scarduzio ...                                              Dove Seller

Regaining Childlike Faith

As a child I recall spending my days climbing trees, hopping fences, and rolling down hillsides of daisies at full speed ahead on a hot wheel with a flimsy tire.

If we stop for a moment, closing our eyes tightly, we can all look back to a time when we had no worries and no cares. Were we only oblivious to the world around us because of our innocence or as children were just more tuned in to God?

Growing up in the south, amidst honeysuckle vines and lazy Sundays, I seldom remember worrying about anything more meaningful than if I could have an ice-cream before dinner. I trampled through tall grasses, never fearing snakes. I climbed trees, never fearing falling. I played hide-n-seek in the dark when the moon was behind southern rain clouds. There was nothing I feared.

As I grew older and had children of my own, all those worries that I never knew came rushing to greet me. I had a child with asthma. I had bills on the table and moments I didn’t know where our next meal would come from. It was then that I allowed all those worries to overtake me. I felt defeated.

As the years passed by, I began to dwell upon the days of my childhood, searching for the antidote to cure all those fears that were making me lose my way. When I shut my eyes tightly, I could see all those days I played without worry. I could see all those times I nearly stumbled over those fences -- yet never fell. I could see all those times I walked thru the darkness until the moon came out from behind a rain cloud. It was then that I realized it wasn’t age that had held me away from those worries. It was my faith in knowing that God would always be there right beside me and an angel in times his own arms couldn’t reach.

No matter where I went and what I did, I knew God was there and that gave me the strength to go through uncharted territories of the woods and to stand in the darkness. When I opened my eyes, the words of Psalm 23:4 began to echo in my mind:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of darkness, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

As I began to relinquish control and lean on God, slowly that little girl with the faith of a thousand men came rushing back to greet me. I embraced her and I became the woman God wanted me to be.

I still have those days those worries try to overtake me -- yet I refuse to be defeated. God is my fortress and I will walk anywhere as long He follows, knowing where ever God is there is safety from falling.

So, the next time you feel yourself caught up in the fear of the world, close your eyes tightly for a moment -- envision that child who walked without looking over their shoulders; the person you were before the world took it’s toll on your spirit. Today I pray that as you approach those trees in your life that remain unclimbed, you will grab onto a branch and go to new heights. I pray that despite those fences you are afraid of, you will know that even if you stumble, God will never let you fall. And most of all, I pray, that as you walk through the darkness, you will know that even when the moon goes behind the clouds, you still have “the light of the world” right beside you every step of the way.

Copyright 2011, Brooke Keith, Used by permission.

Eddie the Eagle: Movie Review and Trailer

Eddie the Eagle soars. The 20th Century Fox film, starring Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton, brings us an "inspired by a dream come true" story about an unlikely athlete who defies the odds stacked high against him to become an Olympian for England at the 1988 Winter Games in Canada.

Its uplifting message and immersive look at Michael Edwards' journey to the Olympics makes Eddie the Eagle one of the better, mainstream sports movies, for PG-13 audiences, in recent years.

THE MOVIE IN A MINUTE

Bifocaled and clumsy Michael Edwards (Egerton) daydreams about representing his country at the Olympics. He's got his mind set on it. But, when the time comes to make the ski team, he falls short. Instead of giving up, Michael refocuses and thinks up another way to make it to Canada for the '88 Games. His bright idea? Be the first ski jumper to represent England at the Games in decades. All he needs to do is...learn how to ski jump and not mortally wound himself in the process. To do that he has to convince a reluctant Bronson Peary (Jackman), an all-accounts no-good drunk, to help him.

Movie Info

RATING: PG-13 for some suggestive material, partial nudity and smoking

GENRES: Sports, Biography, Comedy

RELEASE: February 27, 2016

STARRING: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Jo Hartley, Tom Costello Jr., Keith Allen, Christopher Walken

DIRECTOR: Dexter Fletcher

DISTRIBUTOR: 20th Century Fox

More on this movie at IMDb.com

GOOD AND BAD IN EDDIE THE EAGLE

Eddie the Eagle is surprising, in a good way. It's a height above the sports movies that usually make it to the big screen. Egerton is remarkable. The young up-and-coming British actor disappears into the lovable young man who became a national hero. Jackman complements Egerton's Eddie well in the role of "coach". The two have a great chemistry together. You'll find yourself cheering on this endearing, underdog team. It has to be said that not personally knowing the facts of Edwards' life it's not easy to comment on where the true events end and the creative license taken by director Dexter Fletcher and screenwriters Simon Kelton and Sean Macaulay begin. All that's clear is that Eddie the Eagle is a solid movie.

One of the ways Eddie the Eagle hits the mark is in its positive, takeaway messages. This cinematic portrayal of Michael's journey to sports fame teaches us to never give up on our dreams. If obstacles block your way, refocus. Just never give up. The relationship between Michael and his parents also teach us an important, biblical lesson. Words are powerful. They can build up and they can harm. Thankfully, Michael persevered and overcame all of the dissenters who never thought he had a chance. Moviegoers also witness how the past can be redeemed and how God-given talent is always helped by hard work and a passionate heart.

Rated PG-13 for some suggestive material, partial nudity and smoking, Eddie the Eagle is not suitable for younger audiences. Bronson's character is seen drinking alcohol on various occasions, a norm for him. There's one sexually suggestive scene in particular. In it, Bronson likens ski jumping to having sex. He mimics the act as he teaches Michael how to complete a successful jump.

IN THE END

Eddie the Eagle is an almost clean, funny, and feel-good movie about overcoming extraordinary obstacles and how winning at life doesn't always mean you come in at No. 1. Caution is advised though when it comes to the movie's suitability for children.

Watch the trailer below

Source: CBN