The first time I went to pick up Angela, the new girlfriend hinted strongly that I should also take Madison. I didn't like it, but I took her. Abby, Madison is the meanest, rudest child I have ever met. She called my dad ugly, my daughter ugly and my house "stinky." I saw her push Angela down and laugh. Then she tried to smother my granddaughter by sitting on her head on the couch. The last time I brought Angela home, Madison told me that everything I bought for Angela I had to buy for her, too.

I don't want to take Madison anymore. It has been difficult losing my daughter, seeing her replaced with a new girlfriend and now being expected to include an unpleasant "step-granddaughter" in everything. But if I don't take her, I'm afraid they won't let me visit Angela. Do you have any advice? -- ANGIE'S GRAM IN MISSOURI

DEAR GRAM: If you haven't already spoken to Reed and the girl's mother about her behavior, you should. Madison may act out because she's jealous of Angela and, among other things, she needs to learn better manners before she's included in any more visits. If she had pulled the shenanigans with me that she has with you, I would have taken her home immediately.

This is not to say that Madison should be permanently excluded, but you should have time with your granddaughter one-on-one. The same is true for Madison and her grandparents. You are not a built-in baby sitter, which appears to be how you have been made to feel, but nothing will change until you broach the subject.

DEAR ABBY: I feel fortunate to find myself with the love of my life at 24. "Josh" is charming, intelligent, a hard worker and a wonderful partner. I know we can achieve all the things we hope for. We have discussed where we stand on issues such as children, family, finances, living arrangements, etc. We are mostly compatible, and where there is tension, we work it through and compromise.

We are clearly headed toward engagement. He has picked out a ring and I want it badly, but I am hesitant. I am afraid I won't give him what he deserves.

I dated a man in college for three years. We talked about our future, made plans, and then I changed my mind. The pain I caused was terrible. I still regret hurting him, although I don't regret leaving. I'm afraid I will do it again. I'm so anxious I sometimes think I should bail now and cut his losses just in case. I don't think I will, but who can see the future?

My mother says I have always been obsessed with making the right choice. Am I being foolish and letting my anxieties run away with me? -- SUSAN IN CONNECTICUT

DEAR SUSAN: There are better ways to cope with your anxiety than "throwing the baby out with the bathwater." You are not the same person you were in college. You have grown and are obviously more aware of the consequences of your actions.

Because you are anxious about making a commitment to "the love or your life" -- someone with whom you have many things in common -- it's time to schedule an appointment with a licensed counselor to discuss it. It will be time and money well spent.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby ator P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

To order "How to Write Letters for All Occasions," send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Letter Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price.

The toxic waste would outlive every one of us, and may last forever. 

The EPAs revised draft assessment, which considered independent scientific review as well as 233,000 public comments, found that Pebble Mine would devastate the natural habitat of the 37.5 million sockeye salmon that spawn annually in the Bristol Bay watershedthe largest remaining wild salmon population on the planet. 

Fishermen, environmentalists, and Native communities in Alaska are largely united in opposition to the mine, citing the sustainable salmon fishery in Bristol Bay that generates 480 million in annual economic impact and supports 14,000 fishing and processing jobs.

Nigeria's four biggest telecommunications companies have faced federal fines and complaints from customers for years, though no one could drop their service out of fear of giving up their number. That changed Monday, when the Nigerian Communications Commission started a number exchange between the country's four main carriers, allowing customers to keep their number and switch carriers every 90 days for free.

Customers and those in the business believe the new program will force the carriers to provide better service at the risk of losing their customers. And at greatest risk is South Africa's MTN Group Ltd., whose long dominance in the market could be challenged as it faces increasing problems with poor service and attacks on its equipment.

"It means deepened competition, it means freedom for the subscribers," said Lanre Ajayi, the president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria. "It means if you're unhappy with an operator, you can easily move to another one without losing your telephone number which is essentially your identity."

Mobile phones are essential for communication in Nigeria, for consumers and even security forces alike. The state-run telephone company in Nigeria collapsed years ago. Internet access comes over routers with mobile phone SIM cards inside.

In Nigeria, there are some 95 million mobile phone lines, making it one of the world's top markets. In traffic and everywhere else, hawkers wave mobile phone recharge cards. While voice calls carried the majority of the network, data is increasingly being used across the country as well, as many use their phone as their primary device to reach the Internet.

While there are a number of providers, the dominant force in Nigeria remains MTN, which was one of the first companies to enter the market when it opened. Today, the company has some 47.4 million customers in Nigeria and has revenues there into the billions of dollars a year, according to its 2012 annual report.

However, the market has become more fluid in recent years. Bharti Airtel Ltd. of India has initiated a price war, slashing call costs to pennies. Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat also has made a big push for customers, mostly for their data speeds. Local firm Globacom Ltd. also remains a force.

Those lower costs, as well as cuts on its fiber lines and bombings of mobile phone towers by Islamic extremists in north Nigeria, hurt MTN's quality in the last year, said Brett Goschen, CEO of MTN's Nigerian subsidiary. Speaking to The Associated Press on Monday, he acknowledged the new number exchange system likely would see customers leave MTN in the short term.

"The price decreases in the market in the last couple of years has increased the traffic enormously and it has put pressure on our network," Goschen said. "I think the market realizes that and that's why we've been investing so significantly. ... We're slightly behind the curve from where we want to be, so that is a bit of issue."

Yet it remains unclear how well the service will take off, as some may believe it costs extra or don't want the hassle. It takes as long as two days for the number to clear and the new network to begin service. An AP journalist who attempted to carry his number over to a new provider Monday also got an error message.

But the competition for the lucrative and growing mobile market in Nigeria likely will become even more intense, as signaled by company official after company official who urged an audience in Lagos celebrating the service's start to switch to their carrier.

"It's a survival instinct," said Segun Ogunsanya, the CEO of Airtel's Nigerian subsidiary. "You must make sure your service is good."

___

Online:

Nigerian Communications Commission: www.ncc.gov.ng

Bharti Airtel Ltd. in Nigeria: bit.ly/HZKjNU

Etisalat in Nigeria: www.etisalat.com.ng

Globacom Ltd.: www.gloworld.com

MTN Group Ltd. in Nigeria: www.mtnonline.com

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Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP .

Reid says the Senate vote on passage of the bill would be May 6.

A handful of senators from states without sales taxes were blocking the bill, which has widespread bipartisan support in the Senate.

The bill would empower states to require online retailers to collect state and local sales taxes for purchases made over the Internet. Under the bill, the sales taxes would be sent to the states where a shopper lives.

Reid says the Senate vote on passage of the bill would be May 6.

A handful of senators from states without sales taxes were blocking the bill, which has widespread bipartisan support in the Senate.

The bill would empower states to require online retailers to collect state and local sales taxes for purchases made over the Internet. Under the bill, the sales taxes would be sent to the states where a shopper lives.