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Arkansas WR Andrew Armstrong declares for NFL draft, skipping bowlMichigan GOP lawmaker says gay marriage should be 'illegal again'By MICHAEL R. SISAK NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs tried for a third time Friday to persuade a judge to let him leave jail while he awaits his sex trafficking trial, but a decision won’t come until next week. Judge Arun Subramanian said at a hearing that he will release his decision on Combs’ latest request for bail after Combs’ lawyers and federal prosecutors file letters addressing outstanding issues. Those letters are due at noon on Monday, Subramanian said. Combs’ lawyers pitched having him await trial under around-the-clock surveillance either his mansion on an island near Miami Beach or — after the judge scoffed at that location — an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Their plan essentially amounts to putting Combs on house arrest, with strict limits on who he has contact with. But prosecutors argue that Combs has routinely flouted jail rules and can’t be trusted not to interfere with witnesses or the judicial process. “The argument that he’s a lawless person who doesn’t follow instructions isn’t factually accurate,” Combs lawyer Anthony Ricco argued. “The idea that he’s an out-of-control individual who has to be detained isn’t factually accurate.” Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. His trial is slated to begin May 5. The Bad Boy Records founder remains locked up at a Brooklyn federal jail, where he spent his Nov. 4 birthday. Two other judges previously concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released and an appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request. Friday’s hearing was the second time Combs was in court this week. On Tuesday, a judge blocked prosecutors from using as evidence papers that were seized from his cell during jail-wide sweep for contraband and weapons at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. As he entered through a side door, Combs waved to relatives including his mother and several of his children in the courtroom gallery, tapping his hand to his heart and blowing kisses at them. He then hugged his lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, before taking a seat at the defense table. He was not handcuffed or shackled and wore a beige jail uniform, occasionally pulling a pair of reading glasses from his pocket as he peered at papers in front of him. Prosecutors maintain that no bail conditions will mitigate the “risk of obstruction and dangerousness to others” of releasing Combs from jail. Prosecutors contend that while locked up the “I’ll Be Missing You” artist has orchestrated social media campaigns aimed at tainting the jury pool. They allege that he has also attempted to publicly leak materials he thinks would be helpful to his case and is contacting potential witnesses via third parties. “Simply put, the defendant cannot be trusted,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik argued. Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos countered that, given the strict release conditions proposed, “it would be impossible for him not to follow rules.”

With its lofty five-storeyed central tower, Haa Dzong looms large. Built in 1895, Wangchuck Lo Dzong, as it is formally known, was rebuilt in 1915 after it was destroyed by a fire. The whitewashed walls create the perfect backdrop for the intricately designed wooden balconies and colourful artwork. “The Bhutanese word ‘dzong’ translates to ‘fortress’ or ‘castle’,” says guide Tshewang Phunstso. The majestic dzongs serve as the religious, military, administrative, and social centres of their district. Traditionally built on strategic locations like hilltops or the confluence of rivers to provide natural defence and command views of the surrounding areas, dzong architecture is massive in style: the walls embrace a veritable maze—courtyards, temples, corridors, offices, classrooms, and accommodation for monks. Bhutanese dzong architecture reached its apogee in the 17th century under Ngawang Namgyal, the 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, who is said to have relied on visions and omens to site each of the dzongs. In 1629, he built the Simtokha Dzong, the oldest surviving dzong in Bhutan. Today, the remote Himalayan kingdom has 20 dzongs, each different and yet similar. The distinctive architectural elements—soaring central towers, large watchtowers, whitewashed fortified walls, and elaborate woodwork—typify Bhutanese architecture. “The walls, with intricate paintings and murals, depict our country’s rich cultural heritage via the many historical events, stories and legends,” Phunstso says. Marc Dujardin, in his study, From Living to Propelling Monument, writes: “Contrary to most medieval castles in Europe that are relatively dead monuments and literally ‘empty’ places, Bhutanese (dzongs) are still in use today. The dzong still accommodates the same political, religious and logistic functions it was originally designed for.” Every dzong stands tall as a living monument, representing the past in the present. The architecture is distinctively traditional: wattle-and-daub construction, rammed earth, stone masonry, and intricate woodwork. Traditionally, no plans were drawn on paper and the dzongs, with massive sloping walls, overhanging roofs, high inset windows, and dark bands of colourful painting, seem to be an organic part of the country’s rugged landscape. “The red, white and yellow used in the woodwork stands out against the lush greenery and blue waters,” Phunstso says. Thimphu, about 110 km from Haa, is home to Tashichho Dzong, the ‘Fortress of the Glorious Religion’, which has been the seat of the Royal Government of Bhutan since the capital moved from Punakha to Thimphu in 1962. “The annual Thimphu Tshechu is held here every September. Locals and tourists gather to witness the music and cultural performances that reveal Bhutan’s many traditions and customs,” Phunstso says. About 72 km from Thimphu stands one of Bhutan’s most beautiful dzongs. Punakha Dzong, also known as the ‘Palace of Great Happiness’, is situated at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu, and has been the site of momentous events such as the coronations of kings and the present king’s wedding. The dzong is also the winter residence of the official monk body, the dratshang. Punakha Dzong has three dochey (courtyards): the first, with a huge white victory chorten and bodhi tree, is used for administrative functions; the second houses the monastic quarters; while the third has the temple. The gorgeous murals, the magnificent gold statues of the Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, and the Zhabdrung, the gold-panelled pillars, and ornate wood carvings painted red, black, and gold are picture perfect. Built on a steep hillside, Paro Dzong, also known as Rinpung Dzong (Rinpung translates to “heap of jewels”), helped defend the Paro valley from invasions by Tibet numerous times. Comprising the dochey and a five-storeyed utse (central tower), the whitewashed structure sets off the richly carved and painted woodwork. The watchtower above the dzong, Ta Dong, is now the National Museum of Bhutan, and houses a large collection of religious relics, artifacts, traditional artwork, and historical objects. These dzongs offer a window into Bhutan’s rich history, culture, and religious traditions.